Özlem Sulak studied at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts following her graduation from Istanbul American Robert High School. After receiving her master’s degree in painting from Marmara University Fine Arts Faculty, she had a second master’s degree in Digital Media at Hochshule Für Künste Bremen, Germany. 

Sulak pursued her education with post-diploma in Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon. She won 2004 Akbank Special Prize, 2005 Kunstverein Hildesheim Prize, 2006 Fair: Play '06 Video Festival Prize, 2008 Bremer Video Prize, 2008-2010 Kunstverein Hannover Villa Minimo Atelier Prize and was nominated to Henkel Art Award in 2011. She also has a catalogue titled Reform, Putsch: Özlem Sulak, published by Kunstverein Hannover in 2011.