Selma Özpala was born in Istanbul in 1973. She is studying at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Foundation University Fine Arts Faculty Traditional Turkish Arts Department. Özpala started taking illumination classes from Semih İrteş and Mamure Öz in 1994, and khatt classes from Hüseyin Kutlu in 1995. She attended the courses at Topkapı Palace Turkish Decorative Arts Department between 1997-199 and received an illumination certificate. Özpala, who received her thuluth naskh license in 2004, gives khatt classes at İSMEK. She gave the license of her student Fatma Güneş.