Higher education

general information

Why is higher education attractive in Greece? There are several answers to this question at once: this is living in a European country, and the opportunity to learn a foreign language, and a prestigious diploma, and the prospect of finding a job in your specialty and staying in Greece after graduation. In addition, the country stands out among other European states with quite feasible conditions and the order of receipt.

Admission to universities in Greece

Oddly enough, it is much easier for a foreigner to enter a Greek university than for a Greek citizen. To enter a prestigious university, graduates of Greek schools must score a very high score on the results of the Unified State Examination. For a foreigner, a school certificate is enough, and a high average score is not always required.

Studying in Greece is attractive to foreigners for a number of reasons:

Of course, there is a certain procedure for admission, including the collection of documents both in your country and in Greece. In addition, before starting education, an applicant must obtain a diploma of knowledge of the Greek language at a level not lower than B2, for which the state provides him with a year to study the language in special schools.

Documents required upon admission

The package of documents can be conditionally divided into those that you must collect in your country, and those that are issued in Greece.

The first category includes:

  • School certificate with Apostille stamped on it. You can put it down at the Ministry of Education, in time it takes up to 40 days;
  • Birth certificate with an Apostille stamp, which is affixed to the regional registry office within 1-3 days;
  • Certificates that you have completed a full-time course of study at a school in your country, and that the school follows the state educational program. On their copies, previously certified by a notary, it is also necessary to affix Apostille at the Ministry of Justice;
  • A certificate stating that you have received a school certificate gives you the right to enter the universities of your country. This certificate does not need to be certified additionally - it can be issued at the Greek consular office of your country.

Certificate of nationality

A certificate of nationality is issued at the consular office of your country in Greece. It must be certified by a ministerial office in Greece; A certificate on the transfer of grades of your certificate to a 20-point system, which is done in the Greek Education Department. It is issued within 2 working days; In addition, all Russian documents must be translated into Greek. Translations must be certified by the seal of a Greek lawyer.

When submitting documents to the Ministry of Education, you must provide a copy of the passport, the original signed responsible statement, which can be downloaded from the website of the Greek Ministry of Education, a certified copy of the certificate, a copy of the certificate of the right to enter universities in your country, on the transfer of grades to the 20-point system and a recent photo . If you intend to apply in Greece and not remotely, you must also attach a certified copy of a valid visa.

You can read more about the list of documents and the procedure for admission , as well as fill out an application for admission on the website of the Greek Ministry of Education.

Terms of collection and submission of documents

As a general rule, the platform for applying for admission to Greek higher education institutions opens annually in mid-late July, and remains open for up to one week. During this period, it is necessary to have time to submit an application and send the documents listed above to the Greek Ministry of Education by courier.
The preparation of a package of documents should be started at least 2, and preferably 3-4 months before the date of the proposed opening of the platform. It takes up to 40 days to affix the Apostille stamp on the certificate, and in general it is better not to take risks and leave a margin of time in case of possible overlays and delays.
The results and information on enrollment, as a rule, is known in late August - early September. You can view it on the website of the Greek Ministry of Education.

Greek courses

As mentioned above, the start of studies at a Greek university is impossible without a certificate of knowledge of the Greek language at a level not lower than B2. In order to give applicants the opportunity to learn a language, after enrolling in a university, Greece gives them an additional year to study the language.
You can sign up for language courses at the beginning of the school year by contacting the secretariat of the Modern Greek language schools in Athens or Thessaloniki. You can choose an annual training program that includes 10 or 20 hours per week. The cost of the first course is about 430 euros, the second - about 730 euros. In addition, you will need to pay about 50 euros as a registration fee.
Courses start in October and end in early June. At the end of the course, you will have to pass a Greek proficiency test, after which you will receive a certificate. Exams are held in June and retaken in September, so even if you're unlucky enough not to get certified in the summer, you'll have the option to retake the exam in early fall.

Residence permit for students in Greece

Admission to a Greek university is the basis for obtaining a student residence permit. It is issued for a period of one year, with the possibility of subsequent renewal. To obtain a residence permit of this type, it is enough to provide a confirmation of enrollment and a package of related documents, which include:

Package of documents

  • Original valid passport and copies of all its pages
  • A valid visa on which you entered the territory of Greece
  • Four recent photographs and a CD with photos in electronic form
  • A document confirming enrollment in a Greek university
  • Confirmation of the availability of funds in the account (500 euros)
  • A document on health insurance for a period of three months
  • State payment receipt fees for obtaining a residence permit (150 euros)
  • State payment receipt fees for issuing a residence permit card (16 euros)
  • Proof of residence and address in Greece
  • Certificate of the absence of diseases of the state medical institution of Greece

The procedure for obtaining and extending a residence permit

Before applying for a student residence permit, you must first obtain a type D visa at the consular office of Greece in your country of residence. Further, you visit Greece on this visa, where during the period of its validity you issue a residence permit for a period of one year.
Student residence permit is renewed every year, until the end of the study period. Documents for renewal should be submitted in advance, before the expiration of the residence permit. After receiving a diploma, you can extend it for another year - however, for other reasons.

Rights granted by this type of residence permit

Like other types of residence permits, a student residence permit provides the holder with the right to permanent residence in Greece and unimpeded movement within the Schengen countries. In addition, this type of residence permit gives the right to work up to 4 hours a day during school hours, and provides the right to full employment in the summer months.
You can extend a student residence permit 6 times, at the rate of: 1 year to study the Greek language + 4 main years of study + 2 additional years of study. Since 2020, Greece has brought its legislation in line with EU directives, providing university graduates with the opportunity to find work in the country in their specialty. For this, specialists on the basis of the diploma obtained are given one more year to search for a job.

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Elena Dolmenidi
real estate agent