This study aims to reveal teacher candidates’ research literacy and to investigate their levels of research literacy according to variables of gender and department. The research was carried out in accordance with correlational survey model, which is a comparative model. Sample of the study, which consists of 311 teacher candidates, was determined in line with convenience sampling method. Research data were collected by the researchers via Personal Information Form and Teachers’ Research Literacy Skills Scale for teacher candidates. In order to identify teacher candidates’ research literacy skills, data were analyzed by using Friedman Test, Wilcoxon Test, Mann Witney U Test, Kruskal Wallis H Test and Spearman Correlation Test techniques. In accordance with the results of the study, it was found that teacher candidates have sufficient skills in research literacy, and there are significant differences about skills between the subdimensions of research literacy. Findings of the study indicate that students in the faculty of education have research literacy regardless of their gender, but there is a significant difference according to the variable of department, and this difference is on behalf of teacher candidates in Turkish Language Teaching and Social Sciences Teaching departments.