Universities in Greece
Higher Education is provided free (for EEA students) and the educational programs are mainly in the Greek language. However, some specialized courses (like Engineering) mainly at master's level are offered in the English language.
The basic requirement for admission to tertiary education (which is University Education) is possession of the Unified Lyceum leaving certificate also performance in the nationwide test is an important factor in admission (some universities might have their own specific tests and requirements).
Admission to undergraduate courses and tuition are free so far, except for certain specific courses like MBAs. Foreigners from non-EU countries (with certain exceptions) wishing to study in Greece will need to acquire a student visa (type D) from a Greek consulate.
All students (undergraduate or masters/Ph.D.) get free health care until the end of their studies.
For Admissions to English Programs (like MBA), GMAT and TOEFL/IELTS might be required.
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (or just University of Athens) is considered to be best University in Greece.
About Greece
Greece has a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures, a limited rainfall. (Athens is capital of Greece)
Know Why Greece is Most Popular Amongst Students?
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, which is bound to give you unforgettable memories and experiences.
Greece is also one of the oldest nations in the world which has extraordinary culture and history. Greece has a lot to offer
in terms of studies; Greece welcomes thousands of students every year so that they can study the discipline of their choice.
Surprisingly Greece is one of the oldest countries to introduce higher education system. In the past few years more and more international
students are joining and enrolling in the Greek universities. The best part about studying in Greece is that the classes in the colleges and
university are not formal; there are going to be open debates between students and their professors, plus the courses in Greek universities are
a combination of theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge, laboratory work, internship and research work. The reason why Greek universities have
popularized in last few years is because of the low living costs which Greece offers, and the cherry on top are the ancient archaeological sites,
the beaches and lastly the lovely touristic attractions.
Why study in Greece?
Greece has given birth to democracy, plus Greece has an influence on early sciences like physics and mathematics. World's best-known philosophers
like Athens: Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle, belongs to Greece. Now that Greece has such an interesting Legacy you really can't go wrong in choosing
that country to study your bachelors, masters or even your Ph.D. in fields like finance, Archaeology, Economics, Communications, or Business Administration.
Major cities where you can study in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki)
Majority of the Greek universities are located in the cities of Athens and Thessaloniki. Both of these cities have relaxed student atmosphere
Studying in Athens
Athens has a lot number of institutions that offer courses at undergraduate and postgraduate and even Doctorate levels,
for example, Bachelors of Arts (B.A.), Masters of Science (M.Sc.), MBAs, diverse Ph.D. opportunities. Few of the colleges offer distance learning too.
You can also attend foundation courses that will prepare you for studying at Greek universities. You can choose subjects like finance,
international relations, philosophy, communications, economics, history, anthropology, archaeology, business administration, electrical engineering,
and more. Universities also provide student services for international students so that they can help them if they face any issues in Greece while studying.
Athens has a lot of archeological libraries and foreign archaeological institutes that help in facilitating research. Students who are interested in this field can attend lectures, conference seminars, and exhibitions.
Career opportunities in Athens
The major industries that offer a job in Athens are finance, commerce, shipping, entertainment, media, arts, culture, international
trade, education, and tourism. Big companies like Siemens, Ericsson, Motorola, and Coca-Cola have their regional research and development
headquarters in Athens. There are other Greek companies in Athens like Hellenic Petroleum, ANEK Lines, Ideal Group, Alpha Bank. Piraeus Petroleum,
Motor Oil Hellas, etc. studying in Athens can help a lot of students in building contacts for their future endeavors.
Thessaloniki
The second-largest city and the cultural capital of Greece Thessaloniki were also voted at the European youth capital because of its events,
bohemian atmosphere, landscapes, and events. Thessaloniki is also known as the city that never sleeps. Despite the fact that a lot of tourists
visit Thessaloniki, but it never is crowded. Thessaloniki is a combination of Greek cultural traditions and the relaxed spirit. You will find a lot
of international students in the bride of the Thermaic Gulf and accredited programs that can land you in a previous degree abroad. Living costs in
Thessaloniki is about 600 EUR/month. You can take admission in courses like business administration, psychology, computer science, linguistics,
international relations, and these courses are taught in English or Greek. And for the course in the MasterÂ's degree, you can choose courses like management,
entrepreneurship, online marketing, finance, and others. You can also study for courses like Masters of Science, and diplomas in psychology, management,
software engineering. Lastly, you can also join summer school at the University for Course in the development of an international employability program.
Career opportunities in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece, because of its strategic location Thessaloniki is the trading hub in the Balkans area.
Services in Thessaloniki cover up a major part of the economy in fields like Healthcare, real estate, trade, transport, communications, finance,
hospitality service, public administration, etc. The port of Thessaloniki is one of the major cruise service providers.
Division of Higher education in Greece
Courses offered in Universities are Bachelor's, Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences,
Technology, Economics, and Business.
And technological institution offer courses in technical and vocational degrees and certificates in Art, Music, Business, Economics,
Health, and Agronomy. There are about 24 universities in Greece and 16 technological institutes (public and private).
The process you need to follow for applying in Greece.
While applying in Greek universities for undergraduate level, the student has to submit their application through the Hellenic
Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs in the month of July. The applicant has to get his/her documents translated
in Greek by and get them approved officially by the Hellenic Ministry and your nearest Greek embassy. If the applicant is applying
for postgraduate courses, the applicant can send their documents directly to the institution of your choice. Though Greece is not a part
of the Lisbon convention, you can still apply to Greek universities by showing your certificate that states you have completed your secondary
education (According to Lisbon convention qualifications of the students is recognized all across Europe). The applicant might be asked to give
a proof of their proficiency in Greek or any other language (depends upon the language that you have chosen for your course). You might need to
fill other requirements, but that solely depends upon the field of the study and the institution where you are applying.
Visas to study in Greece
Visa requirement for studying in Greece
Citizens who belong to the European Union are not required to acquire a visa for studying in Greece. But if the student belongs to a non-European
country, they have to get a student's visa (type D) from your nearest Greek embassy or a consulate. But in order to apply for a student's visa, you
need to have an acceptance letter from the university where you have applied. The institution has to be certified by the Greek Ministry of Education.
The student has to appear for an interview to get their visa. Students have to prove that they have health insurance and enough money that will support
them during their stay in Greece and a valid passport.
Fees and funding
Students who belong to Greece are not required to give any tuition fees. The fact that Greece is a member of the European Union the applicants
belonging to European Union are also not required to pay any tuition fees. But, some of the master programs do charge some amount of fees, and students
who belong to non-EU/EEA are required to pay tuition fees for Bachelor's courses. The fees depend upon the institution, but it usually ranges between €1,500
(~US$1,680) per year (at some places the costs include the price of course textbooks too)
The living costs in Greece are quite cheap as compared to the rest of Europe, so a student needs around US$8,400 per year.
Admission requirements for Greek universities
You need to submit certain documents that prove that you are eligible for the degree
- For a bachelor's degree, the applicants have to submit a recognized secondary school certificate. Their GPA
should be of at least ten on a scale from 10 to 20. They should have cleared an English language certificate for English
-taught Bachelors (C1 Advanced, TOEFL, IELTS) and a Greek language certificate for all Bachelors (Greek universities require
all their undergraduate students to know some Greek - if you are admitted to a Bachelor's, and you do not know Greek you will have
to take a one-year preparatory course)
- For Master's degree the students needs to have a Bachelor's degree, a 2-4 years work experience (applies only to MBAs)
an English language certificate (C1 Advanced, TOEFL, IELTS) with a minimum grade score of B or 7 on a scale from 1.0 to 9.0. their GMAT
score should be least 500 (applies mostly to MBAs) and their GPA should at least 7, 5 on a scale from 1 to 10
Living cost in Greece
Despite the fact that certain things have become expensive in Greece, it is still a very inexpensive place to live
like students. If you want good and cheap food, then small diners and cafes should be your go-to place. The cost of food is
between euro 10-12 and so in these small cafes and diners. Some universities offer subsidized food options
Working while studying in Greece
Since Greece is a tourist attraction, they need a lot of English speaking
workers. Greece government has given the rights to foreigners for working in their country.
You can find casual work in summer, but you need to submit a health and safety certification if you
plan to work in the food-related industry. But please contact the Greek Embassy in your country regarding your working rights.
List of top 20 Universities in Greece: (not in any order)
- 1. Agricultural University of Athens
- 2. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
- 3. Athens School of Fine Arts
- 4. Athens University of Economics and Business
- 5. Democritus University of Thrace
- 6. Harokopio University of Athens
- 7. Hellenic Mediterranean University
- 8. Hellenic Open University
- 9. International Hellenic University
- 10. Ionian University
- 11. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- 12. National Technical University of Athens
- 13. Panteion University
- 14. Technical University of Crete
- 15. University of the Aegean
- 16. University of Crete
- 17. University of Ioannina
- 18. University of Macedonia
- 19. University of Patras
- 20. University of Peloponnese
