The Istanbul University Language Center is one of the oldest units of our university, founded in 1933 under the Faculty of Letters as the "School of Foreign Languages."

After operating under the Faculty of Letters since its establishment, the Language Center continued its activities as an independent unit directly affiliated with the Rectorate in line with structural changes and academic needs. With this new status, it has become an important center for language education within the university and has diversified its educational programs by expanding its areas of expertise in foreign language teaching.

By 1975, the Language Center had reached a historical milestone. The voices of different languages, echoing in the corridors of the Faculty of Letters for years, was now moving to a new home. In the fascinating atmosphere of Süleymaniye, among the historical buildings that defied centuries, a building was ready to welcome the Language Center.

Istanbul University Language Center has been in a continuous development process since its establishment. In order to respond to the growing need for language education and international language learning requirements, the center was restructured as the “Department of Foreign Languages”. This name change was not only a shift in title, but also a turning point that broadened the mission of the center and deepened its expertise in the field of language education. The Department of Foreign Languages has started to act with the mission of not only teaching languages to students, but also raising competent individuals ready to adapt to the global world.

Over the years, foreign language education at Istanbul University expanded beyond just university students to the broader community. Growing interest, particularly in Turkish as a foreign language, has led to the need to serve a wider audience. In line with these developments, language education within the Department of Foreign Languages has been restructured to reach a wider audience. As a result, Istanbul University Language Center was established with the aim of providing language education to people who are not students of Istanbul University. This step has enabled the Language Center to operate as a language learning center that appeals not only to the university but to everyone.

The growing demand for the Language Center's services eventually exceeded the existing capacity. The increasing number of students and the high interest in language learning led to the need for the center to serve more students and expand opportunities in language learning. Thus, a new branch was opened in the Tophane district in 2010, increasing the center’s student capacity and expanding opportunities for more people to learn languages.

The year 2014 witnessed another important development for Istanbul University Language Center. Building on the success of the Tophane branch and responding to continued high demand, a new branch was opened in 2014 at the Avcılar main campus. In addition to providing students with high-quality language education, this new center in Avcılar aims to reach more people by taking part within the broader educational network of Istanbul University. The new branch offers modern educational facilities to students, while at the same time attracting attention with the variety of language learning programs it offered. This step has further strengthened the mission of Istanbul University Language Center and reinforced its student-oriented service approach.

The year 2024 was a year of significant change for Istanbul University Language Center. As a result of the evaluation of the facilities and student demands, the Tophane central branch was relocated to the Beyazıt campus. This move aims to provide a better learning experience within a setting rich in historical and cultural heritage of the Language Center. The Beyazıt campus not only provides students with modern language education opportunities, but also offers them the opportunity to meet the university’s deep-rooted history. Thus, Istanbul University Language Center aims to reach a wider audience in language learning by continuing its student-oriented service approach.