DİLMER YABANCI DİL KURSU

What DİLMER YABANCI DİL KURSU does

DİLMER Yabancı Dil Kursu is a privately-operated language school headquartered in Taksim, Istanbul, affiliated with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education (T.C. Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı). Operating continuously since 1988 under its predecessor name Tömer and under the Dilmer brand since 1999, the school specializes in Turkish as a Foreign Language instruction across seven CEFR levels (A1 through C2), with completion certificates approved by the Ministry that qualify students for student visas, residence permits, and Turkish university prep-class exemptions. Dilmer complements its core Turkish program with foreign-language instruction covering English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Greek, and Arabic, delivered through both in-person classes at its single Taksim campus and live online sessions via Zoom, with continuous monthly enrollment enabled by an online placement test.

The school's primary differentiator is its proprietary textbook portfolio, anchored by the seven-level Yabancı Dilim Türkçe series written by founders Zeki Sözer and Hakan Yılmaz, alongside parallel-reading materials in up to 14 languages, self-study volumes (Kendi Kendime Türkçe), a 500-verb grammar reference (Türkçe'de Hal Ekleri), listening/dictation exercises (Dinle Yakala Yaz), simplified tales for advanced learners (Büyüklere Masallar), and academic publications by founder Recai Ünal. These publications, marketed through Dilmer Yayınları (Dilmer Publications), are used in Dilmer's own classrooms and distributed to Turkish departments at European universities and via third-party bookstores in Istanbul (Pandora), Berlin (Kitap Berlin), and Athens (Polyglot Books) — a content-and-distribution capability unusual among Turkish language schools.

Revenue is generated primarily through upfront tuition fees paid per course, priced in EUR (approximately €400-€540 for intensive Turkish programs over 4-8 weeks, €240-€360 for standard and weekend formats), with tiered pricing by intensity, schedule, and delivery mode, plus sales of self-published textbooks through both Dilmer's website and bookstore partners. The customer base is predominantly foreign nationals learning Turkish (students from 76 countries, age-skewed 18-35), supplemented by Turkish nationals learning foreign languages and a niche of university-bound and residency-seeking students who need Ministry-approved documentation. Go-to-market is primarily organic: a multilingual website, social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, student testimonials, referrals from a multicultural student body, and on-campus social activities (city tours, picnics, Bosphorus boat parties) that double as community-building and word-of-mouth drivers.

Name

DİLMER YABANCI DİL KURSU

Legal name

DİLMER YABANCI DİL KURSU

Website

https://dilmer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DİLMER is a private Istanbul-based language school affiliated with the Turkish Ministry of National Education, offering Turkish as a Foreign Language across 7 CEFR levels plus 8 foreign languages, delivered in-person at its Taksim campus and online via Zoom to individual learners worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Education Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Language Schools (61163)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Language Schools (Multi-Language) (EDAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA), Language Proficiency Exam Prep (CEFR, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, PTE) (EDANACAD)

Keywords

• Language school services
• Turkish foreign language training
• Communicative language teaching
• Online language courses
• Language textbook publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Language Course Fees: Dilmer generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for Turkish and foreign language courses. Pricing is tiered by program type (intensive vs. standard), schedule (morning, afternoon, evening, weekend), and duration. Payment is made upfront per course or per program period. Fee levels vary by language and format, with discounts offered to teachers, students, Turkish citizens, and family members.
2. Textbook and Publication Sales: Dilmer publishes and sells its own textbook series. Books are available for purchase through Dilmer's website order form and through third-party bookstores including Pandora (Istanbul), Kitap Berlin, and Polyglot Books (Athens). The series includes Yabancı Dilim Türkçe (7 levels), Türkçe Okuyorum (4 levels in 14 languages), and self-study materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DİLMER operates a single-campus language school in Taksim, Istanbul delivering Turkish-as-a-Foreign-Language instruction across seven CEFR levels (A1–C2) and foreign language programs in eight languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Greek, Arabic). Courses are delivered face-to-face on campus and online via Zoom, with flexible morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend schedules. The school issues Ministry of National Education-approved certificates and sells its own self-published textbook and self-study series through its website and partner bookstores.

Product overview

Dilmer is a language school operating as a single unified institution offering Turkish as a Foreign Language and foreign language instruction. The core offering consists of Turkish Courses with seven proficiency levels and Foreign Language Programs covering eight languages (English, German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Russian, French, Arabic). Delivery modes include face-to-face classes at the Taksim, Istanbul campus and Online Education via Zoom. Dilmer has developed an extensive Publications portfolio including the Yabancı Dilim Türkçe seven-book textbook series, Türkçe Okuyorum reading series, Kendi Kendime Türkçe self-study series, Dinle Yakala Yaz listening series, Büyüklere Masallar tales, and Türkçe'de Hal Ekleri grammar reference—used at the school and sold to European universities and language schools. Supporting products include the Turkish Level Exam placement tool, Turkish Course Exercises online platform, and Social Activities Program. All courses follow the communicative approach methodology, with completion certificates approved by Turkey's Ministry of National Education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Turkish Language Course Turkish-as-a-Foreign-Language program covering seven CEFR levels (A1–C2) for foreign nationals seeking accredited Turkish proficiency for personal, professional, academic, or visa/residency purposes. Students completing C2 receive a Ministry of National Education-approved certificate.
• Foreign Languages Program Foreign language instruction in eight languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Greek, Arabic), each following the communicative approach with multiple CEFR proficiency levels, primarily targeted at Turkish nationals.
• Online Language Education Distance learning delivery of Turkish and foreign language courses conducted live via Zoom, with intensive, normal, and weekend program formats and maximum 9 students per online class.
• Yabancı Dilim Türkçe Textbook Series Seven-level (A1–C2) Turkish language textbook series written by Dilmer's own teachers, with grammar, exercises, reading texts, and audio materials. Used in Dilmer's courses and in Turkish departments of European universities.
• Türkçe Okuyorum Reading Series Four-book reading comprehension series aligned with Yabancı Dilim Türkçe levels (A1–B2), featuring narrated audio recordings and multilingual glossaries in 13 languages.
• Kendi Kendime Türkçe Self-Study Series Two-volume self-study Turkish language series (A1–A2) for learners without access to formal instruction, including grammar explanations and answer keys translated into 13 languages.
• Dinle Yakala Yaz Listening Series Four-book dictation and listening comprehension series using fill-in-the-blank exercises from texts in the Türkçe Okuyorum books, with English dictionary and answer key.
• Büyüklere Masallar Tales for Adults Simplified world fairy tale collection adapted for B2–C1 Turkish proficiency levels to develop reading comprehension skills.
• Türkçe'de Hal Ekleri Case Suffixes Reference Grammar reference book covering approximately 500 Turkish verbs with case suffix examples and translations in 13 languages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students who complete C2 level receive Ministry of National Education-approved diplomas that qualify them for university prep-class exemption in Turkey.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pandora Bookstore (Istanbul)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPandora Bookstore in Istanbul serves as a retail distributor for Dilmer's published textbook series (Yabancı Dilim Türkçe and other Dilmer publications). Customers can purchase physical copies of Dilmer's materials at this bookstore location.
• Kitap BerlinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKitap Berlin is a Berlin-based bookstore that stocks Dilmer's Turkish language textbook series, serving the German and broader European market for self-study Turkish materials.
• Polyglot Books (Athens)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolyglot Books in Athens is a distributor of Dilmer's Turkish language textbook series, serving the Greek market and broader Southeast European region.
• Zoom Video CommunicationscoreTechnology or IntegrationDilmer conducts all online Turkish and foreign language courses via the Zoom platform. The school describes its online lessons as being as effective as traditional face-to-face classes, leveraging technology to maintain teaching quality remotely.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• British Council Turkey: The British Council operates English-teaching and exam-preparation programs in Turkey and represents the broader international cultural-language-school model that competes with Dilmer's secondary foreign-language programs (notably English) for Turkish-national learners.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: EF is a global education incumbent with intensive language programs (including Turkish) across multiple geographies. While its primary scale is in English destinations, EF represents a broader international competitor that could expand its Turkish-language program in Istanbul or online, pressuring Dilmer's premium positioning.
• Berlitz Corporation: Berlitz is a global incumbent language school brand offering in-person and online Turkish and foreign-language instruction across multiple countries. It competes with Dilmer for premium, brand-driven corporate and individual learners and shares the same intensive-small-class format, but at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Duolingo: Duolingo offers a free / freemium Turkish-language course that competes for the entry-level foreign learner segment that Dilmer also targets. Although Duolingo does not offer the diploma/visa pathway, it captures prospective students at the top of Dilmer's funnel and could shift share of beginner learners away from paid schools.
• italki: italki is an online marketplace connecting learners with native-speaker Turkish tutors for one-on-one lessons. It targets the same foreign-learner Turkish-language demand as Dilmer but with a marketplace/freelance model, and represents the online, lower-friction alternative that could erode Dilmer's online Turkish-course value proposition.

Direct peers

• Ankara University TÖMER: Ankara University TÖMER is one of Turkey's oldest and largest Turkish-as-a-foreign-language centers, operating across multiple campuses. It is the most direct comparable to Dilmer because both serve the same student persona (foreigners learning Turkish in Turkey) with comparable CEFR-level curricula, and Dilmer's predecessor was in fact named Tömer.
• Turkish Language Foundation (Türk Dil Kurumu): Although a state institution, Türk Dil Kurumu (TDK) and its associated teaching programs set the standard for Turkish-as-a-foreign-language curricula and exams. Dilmer's CEFR-aligned curriculum and Ministry-approved certification exist within the same regulatory framework, making TDK a structural reference point and partial competitor.
• Bosphorus Language Academy (BLA): BLA is an Istanbul-based Turkish-language school targeting foreign students, expatriates, and university applicants. It is a close competitor to Dilmer in the niche of intensive, small-class Turkish instruction in central Istanbul and shares the same visa/residency-certification angle.
• Dilko Academy: Dilko is a long-standing Istanbul-based language school chain offering Turkish-as-a-foreign-language and foreign-language programs with multiple branches. It competes with Dilmer for both inbound (Turkish learning) and outbound (foreign language) learners in Istanbul, and operates under the same Turkish Ministry of National Education approval.
• Istanbul University Dil Merkezi (ISTANBUL DIL MERKEZI): Istanbul University operates a language center (DILMER / Istanbul Dil Merkezi under the university's CLS) teaching Turkish as a foreign language in Istanbul. It competes head-to-head with Dilmer for foreign students in Istanbul seeking accredited Turkish instruction, and shares the same Ministry-of-National-Education regulatory framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php
• Instagramdilmer.com/ogrenci_yorumlari
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/di%CC%87lmer

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DİLMER YABANCI DİL KURSU