Istanbul University consists of 17 faculties, 5 departments, 13 schools, 15 institutes and 26 centers situated in many districts of Istanbul. In the firts years of its existence, the university was based in Beyazıt the historic area in the environs, but with the passage of time, it expanded to locations in many regions of Istanbul. Today, the Rectorate, the administrative units attached to the Rectorate, and a number of faculties and colleges are situated in Beyazıt, Lalaeli, Saraçhane and Vezneciler.
The university, which has two large caculties of Medicine in Cerrahpaşa and Çapa, also possesses campuses in other districts of Istanbul., such as Bakırköy, Şişli and Kadıköy. The two larger campuses of the university are in Avcılar and BAhçeköy, approximately 25 km. from the city centre.
The university has additional support units for education and research in may regions of Turkey, such as Silivri, Sapanca, Gökçeada, Van and Antalya.
The students of a university possessing such an extended site in a big city like Istanbyl naturally gain access to the historical assets of the city and to the numerous cultural activities on offer.
