Universities in Greece form one part of constitutionally-recognized institutions with degree awarding powers. According to Greece's Constitution, higher education institutions (HEIs) include universities, polytechnics, some specialist HEIs, and formerly technological educational institutes (TEIs). In Greece, universities are private and public-owned and funded having state-accredited university title and authorization of university degree awarding powers at level 6 (first cycle qualification, bachelor's level) under the Bologna Process and the National Qualification Framework of Greece which is officially named Hellenic Qualification Framework (HQF; Greek: ).
The State University System of Greece operates on the term system of two semesters per academic year, has the national curriculum (national education system) set forth by the Ministry of Education of Greece ().
Higher education institutions Public Higher Education Institutions' (HEIs; Greek: ) undergraduate programmes in Greece are government funded and have free education without any payment of tuition fee. About one-fourth of postgraduate programmes are offered without tuition and 30% of students can be entitled to attend tuition-free postgraduate programmes after they are assessed on individual criteria. The Hellenic Qualification Framework (HQF) sets out the different levels of education qualifications and the requirements for each of these and is linked to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and thus to other qualifications frameworks across the European Union. The regulated framework for Greece higher education qualifications, which is tied to the HQF, covers degree-levels qualifications of Greece degree-awarding bodies and is linked to the Qualifications Framework in the European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA) established by the Bologna process where Greece is a full member since 1999. Joining to the Bologna process Greece began education reforms in order to get higher education meeting the common European Union standards. Now the process is implemented in all higher education institutions. The programmes of EHEA are set at three levels of study which are usually referred to as the three cycle system.
First (entry level), a four-year cycle of study at EQF level 6 to attain a bachelor's degree or its equivalent (Greek: ; transliterated to Ptychio in dhimotiki from 1976–present; or defunct ; Ptychion in polytonic, katharevousa up until 1976). A second cycle of study follows at EQF level 7 lasting one or two years to attain a master's degree (, also known as: δίπλωμα μεταπτυχιακών σπουδών (Δ.Μ.Σ.), 'diploma of postgraduate studies') or equivalent, which is distinguished from a postgraduate diploma, typically having 120 ECTS, as opposed to a full master's degree which usually has 180. The third cycle of study at EQF level 8, lasting three years, awards a doctoral degree () or equivalent.
With the law 5094/2024, Government Gazette 39/A/13-3-2024, the establishment and operation of private ("non-state")Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) was permitted. A fully-recognized private Higher Education Institution must obtain a Higher Education Accreditation by the National (Hellenic) Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) and an official establishment and operating license by the Greek Ministry of Education. Such HEIs are yet to be accredited and established.
The Open Courses are undergraduate and graduate courses taught in Greek Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that are free of cost, freely accessible and freely available to any person over the Internet (online). It operated by the Greek Academic Network (GUnet), also known as Greek Universities Network (GUnet), a member of the Open Education Global (OE Global).
With the paragraph 10 of article 34 of the Law 2725/15-6-1999, Government Gazette 121/A/17-6-1999, high school graduate athletes from 17 to 30-year-old who hold specific sport achievements are admitted without entrance Panhellenic Examinations to anyone of their choice undergraduate department of the public Higher Education Institutions of Greece.
Universities and technical universities Universities () can grant one or more of bachelor's, master's, integrated master's and doctorate degrees. The undergraduate programme of study for most disciplines is four years with awarded qualification in line with the Bologna process legal equivalent to a bachelor's degree, 240 ECTS, at level 6 of Greece's National Qualification Framework (NQF), European Qualifications Framework (EQF), or International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED).
Technical universities, also known as polytechnics (Greek: ), grant degrees at the integrated master's level (which is divided into a 3-year undergraduate degree qualification and a 2-year postgraduate one), master's, and doctorate level. In specific disciplines, only the undergraduate programme is five years with awarded qualification (Greek: , Latinised version: Diploma) that is legally equivalent to an integrated master's degree, which is often the standard route to chartered status for a regulated profession in Greece. The integrated master's degree is a specialized degree corresponding to a master-level degree which has integrated part of an undergraduate degree. It is also called an undergraduate master's degree, where instead of studying for two separate degrees, a student will study for a single, longer programme. A student can also be awarded the 3-year undergraduate qualification (180 ECTS), instead of pursuing the masters should he wishes to. The most common integrated master's is in engineering, for example a Dipl.-Eng or Dip.Arch.Eng/M.Arch, and also others along with some programmes in the fine arts.
In medical schools, six years of studying are required to earn a bachelor's degree.
In addition to earning an academic degree in specific disciplines only, state license is required to practice independently within the country of Greece, and some disciplines have further licensing requirements to bestow a recognized appellation (chartered accountant, attorney at law, doctor of medicine, etc.). Diploma is a prerequisite for registration as a chartered professional, so it is also known as professional degree. The use of specific professional titles for some professions is legally regulated. For a regulated profession, access to professional practice requires holding a particular specific degree (e.g. professional degree), taken special exams that are required to earn state practice credential such as it must pass the National Council Licensure Examination, a period of practical training under supervision similar to internship, and/or registration with a professional body.
Universities and technical universities University Campuses Athens University of Economics and Business Athens Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , Serres University of West Attica (formerly TEI of Athens and TEI of Piraeus) Athens Agricultural University of Athens Athens , Amfissa, Karpenisi, Thebes Athens School of Fine Arts Agios Ioannis Rentis, Athens Democritus University of Thrace Komotini , Alexandroupoli, Orestiada, Xanthi, Didymoteicho, Drama, Kavala Harokopio University of Athens Kallithea, Athens National Technical University of Athens Athens National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Athens , Dafni, Attica, Psachna Hellenic Mediterranean UniversityHeraklion (main), Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Sitia Hellenic Open University Patras International Hellenic University Thessaloniki , Edessa, Katerini, Kilkis, Serres Ionian University Corfu , Argostoli, Zakynthos, Lefkada, Lixouri Panteion University Kallithea, Athens Technical University of Crete Chania University of the Aegean Mytilene , Chios, Ermoupoli, Karlovasi, Myrina, Rhodes University of Crete Rethymno , Heraklio University of Ioannina Ioannina , Arta, Preveza University of Macedonia Thessaloniki University of Patras Patras , Agrinio, Messolongi University of Peloponnese Tripoli , Corinth , Kalamata, Nafplio, Patras, Sparta University of Piraeus Piraeus, Athens University of Thessaly Volos , Larissa, Lamia, Karditsa, Trikala University of Western Macedonia Kozani , Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, Ptolemaida School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE) Marousi, Athens
International programmes With the law 4692/2020, Part II, Chapter III, from Article 82 to Article 95, the Greek Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can provide first cycle programmes of studies in a language other than Greek. Among the Greek universities offer English-taught full-time programmes with tuition are: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 4-year undergraduate programme in Archaeology, History, and Literature of Ancient Greece. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine 6-year undergraduate programme. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine 6-year undergraduate programme for international students. University of Thessaly, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Degree 6-year undergraduate programme. University of Crete, School of Medicine 6-year undergraduate programme for international students. International Hellenic University, University Center of International Programmes of Studies (UCIPS), offers English-taught postgraduate programmes. University of Macedonia, School of Business Administration, Department of Accounting and Finance, 4-year undergraduate programme in Accounting and Finance. University of Western Macedonia, School of Economic Sciences, Department of Economics, 4-year undergraduate programme in Economics and Sustainable Development. University of Western Macedonia, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Early Childhood Education, 4-year undergraduate programme in Creative Writing, Arts, and Humanities. Athens University of Economics and Business, 4-year undergraduate programme in International Business and Technology. Hellenic Open University offers English-taught, French-taught and German-taught postgraduate programmes, Spanish-taught undergraduate programmes.
University rankings in Greece An external evaluation of all Greek universities was conducted by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA).
The following universities rank in at least one of the four major global rankings:
UniversityQS World THE WorldAristotle University of Thessaloniki 530801–1000National Technical University of Athens 341 601 - 800University of Patras 731 - 800 801–1000National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 444 501 - 600University of Crete 534 501 - 600Technical University of Crete1401 1200 - 1500University of the Aegean801–1000University of Ioannina1001 - 1200 1001 - 1200University of Thessaly801–1000Athens University of Economics and Business 901 - 950 801–1000Democritus University of Thrace 1001 - 1200Hellenic Open University1500+
Technological educational institutes Technological educational institutes (TEIs; Greek: ) was a classification of Greek public HEIs (government subsidised) from 1983 to 2019, also called Technological Educational Institutes (TEIs) of Higher Education, Technological Institutes, Institutes of Technology, Technological Universities, and rarely Technical Colleges.
The undergraduate degree programmes, which by default included a one-time, 960 hours-long internship term known as practical training semester,"Technological Educational Institute (TEI) includes one-time 960 hours internship term: Ministerial Decision 29147/Δ 1.10258/2019 Government Gazette 2639/B/28-6-2019 Ministerial Decision E5/1858/1986 Government Gazette 133/B/29-3-1986 Join Ministerial Decision Ε5/1303/1986 of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, Government Gazette 168/B/10-4-1986 Law 1566, Article 71, Government Gazette 167/A/30-9-1985 Presidential Decree 174/1985 Government Gazette 59/A/29-3-1985