Studying in Greece is like going to the holy grail of higher education studies and knowledge. Greeks were the first ones to develop the idea of higher education through philosophical schools set up… well… about 2 millennia ago.
If you want to be a part of this long academic tradition as an international student — and enjoy the sunny Mediterranean climate on the side — it’s time to get some up-to-date info about what you need to do to apply to a university in Greece.
Popular universities where to study in Greece
In order to apply for a degree in Greece, you first have to decide what you want to study. If you want to study for an English-taught degree in Greece you have to search carefully because, unlike other countries, Greece only has a limited number of Masters taught in English.
Here are some great internationally-oriented universities:
- Alba Graduate Business School
- ELGS - European Law and Governance School
- Athens University of Economics and Business
- University of Crete
Admission requirements at Greek Universities
In order to apply to a Greek university, you have to first make sure that your educational background makes you eligible. The basic admission criteria for different degrees are:
Admission requirements for a Bachelor’s in Greece
- a recognized secondary school certificate
- minimum GPA (grade point average)
- English language certificate for English-taught Bachelors (IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, C1 Advanced)
- 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.
Admission requirements for a Master’s in Greece
- a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- 2-4 years of work experience (applies only to MBA programmes)
- English language certificate (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, C1 Advanced) with a minimum grade score of B or 7 on a scale from 1.0 to 9.0
- GMAT scores of at least 500 (applies mostly to MBAs)
GPA of at least 7.5 on a scale from 1 to 10
Don't worry if you don't meet all these criteria. From one university to another, the admission criteria can vary significantly. If you invest enough time in your search, you'll find degrees that have less strict admission processes.
Application process at Greek universities for Bachelor’s studies
As with the admission requirements, the application process varies according to the degree level you are applying to.
If you want to apply for a Bachelor’s degree, you will have to submit your application documents electronically through the national admission platform managed by the Hellenic Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. The good news is that because the system is centralised, you can list in the online application as much as 20 undergraduate programmers to be considered for.
After that, you also have to print and send the documents to the same government authority. We have been talking about these application documents, but what do they contain exactly? Here is the essential list:
- Application form
- Photocopy of the certificate of equivalence of the candidate’s graduation diploma issued by the local Greek authority in your country (Embassy, Consulate)
- Transcript of records with your GPA
- Photocopy of the graduation certificate with an official Greek translation
- ID card type photograph
- Photocopy of passport or ID card
- Proof of language skills (English, Greek)
The deadline for applying to a Bachelor’s degree in Greece is usually in July. You will be notified about the results through an announcement on the Ministry website.
Application process at Greek universities for Master’s studies
By comparison, applying to a Master’s degree in Greece is much simpler, especially if you are going for an English-taught programme. There is no centralized system, so you have to apply directly through the programme and university website.
The selection is also done by each university. This is why it’s important to become best friends with your chosen programme website by constantly reading and checking the admission procedure.
The application documents for a Master’s degree often include the following:
- Online application form
- Photograph
- Application fee (50 EUR)
- Academic records
- Proof of English language skills ( if you're not a native English speaker)
- Personal statement
- Scholarship request (optional). You can also check out the Studyportals Scholarship to get some help on financing your studies abroad.
- Two reference letters (if employed, one must be from the current employer)
Additional requirements might be:
- Research proposal
- Academic writing samples
- Essays
- Your Bachelor’s thesis (translated into Greek or English)
Many graduate programmes in Greece accept applications on a rolling/ongoing basis. However, since most programmes start in autumn, typical application deadlines are in May-July.
After you have been accepted at a Greek university
Whether you're accepted to a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme at a Greek university, if you are from outside the EU/EEA, you will need a student visa.
Remember that if you go for a Bachelor’s degree and you don’t speak Greek, you will have to take a preparatory year to learn the language before you can enrol at the university.
When you receive the letter of acceptance, you will be guided about the next steps in the enrolment process and about the fees you will have to pay (if you are a non-EU/EEA student). To give you an idea about the costs of your studies in Greece here are some essential figures:
- Tuition fees at public Greek universities for EU/EEA students: usually free of charge.
- Tuition fees at public Greek universities for non-EU/EEA students: 1,500-9,000 EUR/year. The highest fees are at private universities.
- Living costs in Greece: 450-800 EUR/month.
So what are you waiting for? Ready, set, apply!