How do I choose the university department I want to attend?

Every year, usually in June-July, Greek universities announce the number of foreign students they will accept in each department for the coming academic year. Any person who is not a citizen of the European Union and who is not a person having the European Union right to free movement can access the first year of Greek Universities by applying to the Ministry of Education.

The main criteria for admission to Greek universities is the overall mark of the applicants’ graduation certificate. Study in Greece has an up-to-date search tool for all Greek university departments offering undergraduate studies.

How do I apply for a bachelor’s degree?

Enrollment happens each summer, around the end of July. The Ministry of Education announces the dates a few days in advance. The enrollment period lasts around one week.

The online platform will operate only during the days when applications are accepted. If you are visiting the platform these days and it’s still not operational, reload the page or clear your browser’s memory.

Information on how to use the online platform to apply is available in English here.

Gathering all the necessary documents can take a long time, so it is important to start preparing as soon as possible.

What documents do I need to apply?

The Ministry of Education requests the following:

A copy of an ID, passport, Full Registration Card or Residence Permit to prove your identity
Two ID-type photographs
A signed copy of the application (printed directly from the online platform)
A signed copy of the official statement (printed directly from the online platform)
A legible photocopy of your graduation certificate must be validated by the competent educational authority of your country and officially translated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Greece, your embassy or consulate, or a Greek Lawyer. The original certificate should either have the Apostille stamp or a validation for the signature by a Greek diplomatic authority.
Certificate of correspondence of the graduation certificate issued by the Directorate of Greek studies abroad, Ιntercultural Education of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, or by the Directorates of Secondary Education or by the Education Coordinators at the Education Offices of the Greek Embassies/ Consulates.
Certificate of total marks average (academic record) issued by the Directorate of Greek studies abroad, intercultural education of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, or by the Directorates of Secondary Education or by the Counselors at the Education Offices of the Greek Embassies.
A certificate issued by the competent educational or diplomatic authority of the candidate’s country, confirming that his/her graduation certificate entitles him/her to enter Universities in his/her own country.
A certificate issued by the competent educational or diplomatic authority of the candidate’s country, confirming: the country and the curriculum of the candidate’s graduation school
A certificate issued by the competent educational or diplomatic authority of the candidate’s country, confirming that he/she has fully attended the two last classes of a High School or equivalent school in the country of his/her graduation, from beginning to end the school year. The school years and classes should be explicitly mentioned.
A Certificate from the competent authority of the country showing not only the candidate's origin but also his/her parents’ origin.
An official statement that you: i) Do not hold a graduation certificate from a Greek secondary school which operates in Greece. ii) Do not hold any Greek Higher Education Faculty or Department degree. iii) Have not been admitted to any Greek Higher Education Faculty or Department in the year 2019 or earlier.

All documents must either have an Apostille stamp or a validation for their signature by a Greek diplomatic authority.

You can see samples for the above documents, listed as forms, on pages 18-20, in the detailed instructions by the Greek Ministry of Education. Look at page 12 to find the instructions in English.

Note that the required documents might change again next year. You can visit the website of the Ministry of Education for more information.

Regarding your registration, if you are admitted into a Faculty or a Department, you are also required to hold a certificate denoting your command of the Greek language.

Such a certificate is issued after relevant examinations by the University of Athens or the University of Thessaloniki; alternatively, the candidates should hold a B2 level certificate issued by the Greek Language Centre.
If you do not hold any of these language certificates, you can only enrol in the next academic year. Otherwise, you are disqualified from enrolling.

What if I don’t have the required documents?

For refugees with no papers or with incomplete papers, there is no possibility of recognition of previous qualifications other than the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees, but also, this procedure does not guarantee entrance to higher education. So, unfortunately, for the moment, you CAN NOT APPLY.

How will I know if I was accepted?

Acceptances are usually announced by the end of September, just a few days before registration starts.

Do I need to speak Greek to study in Greece?

You do not need to speak Greek when you apply to a Greek university.
You can spend your first year studying only the Greek language.
However, before your second year starts, you must be fluent in Greek - B2 level at least.
You must get an official document called the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Greek to prove you are fluent.

How do I get the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Greek?

You must finish specific Greek language courses. Study in Greece has more information on these courses.
You must pass an exam. Exams are held twice a year, usually in March and September.

If you are a beginner in Greek, the process will take almost 8 months. To get a head start, find a free Greek class you can take now.

Costs

How much does the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Greek cost?

You will probably spend almost €800 to attend the courses, plus €80 to take the exams.

How much is tuition at Greek universities?

There are no tuition fees or registration costs for undergraduate studies in Greek universities.
Most of the books are also free, and you get access to university libraries.

Are there any benefits for university students in Greece?

Your university ID gets you discounts on transportation, tickets to cultural events, and services.
All universities offer free meals to their students. You just have to apply for a pass to the university's restaurant. There are no economic criteria for this.
A few offer free accommodation to a very small number of students who need it. This depends on economic criteria and is given to students studying away from their city of residence.

Do university students in Greece get medical insurance?

Yes, all university students get state medical insurance for as long as they are registered as students.

Organizations that can help

Applying to study in a Greek university can be a complicated process. You may want to ask an organization for help.

Study in Greece is a refugee-founded website and organization that can help you enroll in a Greek university. The Greek Ministry of Education and the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs have both endorsed Study in Greece. The information is in English and Greek.

Contacts:

Scholarships in private universities

Deree College

Deree College provides full or partial scholarships for bachelor, mainly to asylum seekers and refugees since 2017. Qualified applicants can apply on their website.

Entry requirements:

High school certificate or University degree (if available).
English language C1 level is mandatory.
Personal statement - why the student is interested in this program.
Recommendation letter - from the teacher, supervisor, and social worker.
ID/ residence permit.
You can apply online via this link.
The scholarships are for undergraduate programs (bachelor's) and for master's degrees (for university degree holders).
The academic year starts in September.
For information about the programs and admissions, you can visit the website here.

Alba Business School

Alba Business School offers 2 (maybe more if an exceptional student applies) full scholarships every year to refugees. The scholarships are only for master's degrees. Interested parties must apply via the online application form and pay the 60-euro application fee to process their application. If the applicant is a refugee, he/she will be exempted from the fee. For more information about their programs, you can visit their website.