Kaya graduated in theatre from Bilkent University in 1995. She went to İstanbul where she worked at the Ankara Sahnesi and Karatahta Child Theatres and then at the Bakırköy Municipal Theatre.

Through a friend she met at the Bakırköy Municipal Theatre, she made her television debut as Asiye on the Hülya Avşar Show. She joined the BKM troupe and appeared with them in series such as Bir Demet Tiyatro, Bekarlar ve Bana Bir Şeyhler Oluyor. Later, she appeared in the series Dış Kapının Mandalları directed by her close friend Engin Günaydın in 1998 and then in other series like Çarli ve Baba Evi. In 2003, she appeared in the film İnşaat directed by Ömer Vargı. Then she acted in the films Babam ve Oğlum, Küçük Kıyamet and Hayatımın Kadınısın. Between 2007-2008, she played Dilber and Şahika Koçarslanlı in the sitcom Avrupa Yakası.

Kaya received a lot of acclaim for her role in the 2009 film Vavien, winning several awards including the SİYAD award for Best Actress and the Yeşilçam award for Best Actress.