Higher education in Greece

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Advantages

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.

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 GPA is not always required.

Mandatory conditions

  • School certificate
  • Lack of Greek roots
  • Knowledge of Greek or English
STUDENT RESIDENCE
Admission to a Greek university gives you the opportunity to permanently reside in a European country
EUROPEAN DIPLOMA
Upon graduation, you receive a diploma that is recognized throughout the European Union.
COMPETITION FOR THE CERTIFICATE
Foreigners are not required to take entrance exams: enrollment is based on the results of the competition of school certificates
RIGHT TO WORK
Student residence permit gives access to the labor market - however, with the right to part-time employment

Comparison of universities

State

  • Provide an opportunity to obtain a residence permit
  • in Greek
  • Less choice of modern specialties
  • European Greek Diploma
  • Free tutorials
  • Admission on the competition of certificates

Private

  • Provide an opportunity to obtain a residence permit
  • In English
  • Cost around 10.000 euros / year
  • Modern professions
  • Diploma from prestigious English universities
  • Contemporary classrooms and materials
  • Admission on the competition of certificates

State Universities

Education in Greece

Education in Greece is absolutely free, including textbooks and meals in the canteen. Upon completion of training, a European diploma is issued, which is recognized throughout the European Union. A graduate can stay in Greece and find a job in his specialty.

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.

Attention! Information may change. Check the relevance on the website of the Ministry of Education

  • A certified copy of the high school diploma with an Apostille stamp affixed to it. You can put it down at the Ministry of Education, it takes up to 40 days;
  • Birth certificate with an Apostille stamp, which is affixed at 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.
  • A certificate of nationality is issued at the consular office of your country in Greece. It must be certified by a Greek ministerial office
  • 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 business days.
Submission of documents

The admissions application platform opens annually in mid to 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.

When submitting documents to the Ministry of Education, it is necessary to provide all documents, as well as: a copy of the passport, the original signed responsible statement and application, which can be downloaded from the website of the Greek Ministry of Education, and recent photographs.

If you intend to apply in Greece and not remotely, you must also attach a certified copy of a valid visa.

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The start of studies at a Greek state university is impossible without a certificate of knowledge of the Greek language at a level not lower than B2. Therefore, after enrolling in a university, Greece gives students an extra year to study the language.

You can sign up for courses at the beginning of the academic 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.

Courses run from October to May. After completing the course, you need to pass an exam, according to the results of which a certificate will be issued. Exams are held again in September, so there is an opportunity to take the exam again in early autumn.

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.

All documents must be translated into Greek. Translations must be certified by the seal of a Greek lawyer. Putting the Apostille stamp on the certificate takes up to 40 days, it is better not to take risks and leave a margin of time in case of possible overlays.

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.

  • 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: https://www.minedu.gov.gr/
  • Website of the Modern Greek language school in Thessaloniki: https://smg.web.auth.gr/may2019b/en/
  • Website of the Modern Greek language school in Athens: https://en.greekcourses.uoa.gr/

Residence permit for students

Admission to a Greek university is the basis for obtaining a student residence permit. It is issued for a period of one year or several years at the discretion of the migration service, with the right to further extension.

Sample list 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 on 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 absence of diseases
Residence permit for students

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 1 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

A student residence permit gives the holder the right to permanent residence in Greece and unhindered movement within the Schengen countries. It also entitles you to work part-time.

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 received diploma are given one more year to search for a job.

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Elena Dolmenidi
real estate agent