Best universities in Greece 2026

• Free education (in state universities). But there is a nuance – knowledge of Greek is required; If necessary, you can take special language courses (3-8 months), which, please note, will be paid.
• There are no entrance exams. The selection criteria are a certificate with good grades/bachelor's degree and a language certificate.
• An applicant can apply simultaneously to 20 (!) faculties of different universities.
• In Greek universities, students who do not pass the exams are treated with understanding - they are sent to retake the course or are given additional time to retake.
• A status diploma that is recognized throughout the EU.
• A warm climate, rich ancient history and culture, the presence of ancient sights, excellent cuisine are additional bonuses for applicants to Greek universities.
• Excellent attitude towards foreigners, especially Russian-speakers: historically, the Greeks treat Russians with warmth.

In Greece, students can pursue any of the three degrees of higher education. But there are some differences: for example, studying for a bachelor's degree will take from 4 years, and in the rest of Europe, students study for an average of 3 years. Many specialties take more time - up to 5-6 years. The highest degree of study is doctoral studies, which are not offered in all Greek universities.

Education at universities in Greece has a number of features:

• Most of the time, students study on their own, only about 40% take lectures at the university,
• All educational literature and materials are provided free of charge,
• Teaching at the Bachelor's degree is conducted exclusively in Greek; English-language programs are available at the stage of master's and doctoral studies,
• Students have the opportunity to receive a scholarship and work part-time, this does not require special permission.

A pleasant bonus for students of Greek universities is a whole list of benefits:

• meals in university canteens,
• travel in public transport,
• visiting gyms, libraries, attractions,
• medical care,
• the ability to live in a dormitory, which significantly reduces housing costs (but there are usually very few places),
• obtaining a residence permit with the right to move around Europe,
• paid internship in Greek companies.

Curricula in Greek universities include compulsory material in the specialty and classes of the student's choice. At the beginning of the school year, students independently draw up a study plan, which includes optional courses. The first two years are devoted to general education disciplines, the rest of the time students study subjects in their main specialty.

There are no special requirements for foreign students: it is enough to pass 35% of the required program to continue studying. The only difficulty that applicants from other countries may face is the availability of a certificate of knowledge of the Greek language, but even here universities meet halfway: an applicant can take language courses while maintaining a place at the university.

At the final stage of training, graduates write a thesis and pass final exams, and some areas also involve practical training (for example, engineering and medicine). With a bachelor's degree, students can already look for a job or continue their studies in a master's program — of course, those who have completed a master's degree have a better chance of finding a prestigious job. Each university has a special organization that helps graduates find a job.

All universities in Greece (accredited) are state-owned, managed by collective bodies in accordance with special legislation, but the government is responsible for their financing.

Educational institutions in Greece are divided into academic universities and institutes of technology. They differ in the direction of training: in universities, the emphasis is on theoretical knowledge, and in institutes, the practical side is more developed with mandatory internships.

Greek universities (Panepistimia) pay attention to the quality of education, regularly invest in innovation, striving to meet the requirements of the ever-changing international academic community. Greek universities issue certificates in 5 main areas:

1. Humanities, Law and Social Sciences,
2. Science
3. Health Science,
4. Technology
5. Economics and Management.

Formally, there are no private higher education institutions in Greece, but they still work, just without state accreditation. The creation of commercial universities is prohibited in the country at the constitutional level, so all private universities exist in the format of non-accredited training centers of foreign universities and issue the appropriate diplomas. Also , many foreign universities have their branches in Greece: in such universities, graduates receive not Greek diplomas, but, for example, British or American ones. Among such institutions are the American Pharmacological School, Alpine Center (Swiss business school of hotel and tourism management) and others.

In Greece, there is the Hellenic Open University (HOU), where studies are conducted remotely.

The top universities in Greece are:

• Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB),
• The University of the Aegean (UAegean),
• Technical University of Crete — TUC.

Admission to Greek universities is quite easy even for foreign students. To enroll, you only need to graduate from school, that is, the basis for admission is the average score of the certificate - accordingly, the higher its value, the greater the chances of admission to the best universities in Greece. To obtain the next degrees of higher education (master, doctor), you must already provide a bachelor's degree.

You will need a package of documents, including a birth certificate and a certificate of knowledge of the Greek language; If the latter is not available, then the student must take paid language courses (last from 3 to 8 months).

You should start collecting documents in advance, because the whole procedure can take from 2 to 4 months. All submission materials for admission must be translated into Greek. Foreign applicants will also need to apply for a visa.

Education in public universities in Greece is free for all applicants, even foreign applicants only need to pay an annual university fee. But students from abroad will still have additional costs:

• Greek language courses (from €3000 to €8500 for the entire program),
• Accommodation and meals (it is much cheaper to live in a student dormitory than in a city rent, but there are usually very few places in them; meals in university canteens are free, but outside the educational institution, of course, you will have to pay - cafes, restaurants, shops),
• Flights and transfers,
• Household needs and entertainment (trips, clubs, etc.).

Tuition at commercial universities is paid for all students: the cost depends on the chosen institution and faculty, on the duration of the study, on average it is kept at the level of €10,000 per year.