06 - Greece - Admission requirements
Admission to the university sector of higher education takes place through the general entry exams
(geniko lykeio). Since 2007-08, all EPAL graduates also have the right to participate in the university
sector of Higher Education.
Admission in the Technological Sector of Higher Education takes place through the Panhellenic
exams. For admission to the Hellenic Open University (HOU), the candidates have to submit an
application in the program of their choice and are selected by a public electronic ballot, in the presence
of the interested parties.
Students to be admitted to the International Hellenic University are selected following an international
call of interest, which is posted on the website of the YPEPTH and is notified to the Greek embassies
in all countries to which it is addressed.
Admission requirements to Higher Technological Education
Candidates for Technological Education Institutions (TEI) and the Higher School for Teachers of
Technological Education (ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ/ASPAITE) must have successfully completed their secondaryeducation
studies either in the geniko lykeio (ΓΛ/GL) or in Technical Vocational Educational Schools
(TEE) or ecclesiastical schools and must have sat successfully for admission exams, which are
different in each case.
The number of persons admitted to TEI complies with the principle of “numerus clausus” and is fixed
each year by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH). The most
recent legislative regulation is Law 3404/2005 (number 13).
Admission Requirements to Higher University Education
Admission in the Schools and Departments of Higher Education takes place through the system of the
Panhellenic exams. The main feature of this system is that, in what concers the selection criteria of
accepted graduates, it is based on the grades of both oral and written exams in the courses of the last
grade of Geniko Lykeio (GL), which are not related to the corresponding grades taken under
consideration for graduation and acquiring the secondary-school certificate of the GL. For that reason,
the GL graduate is also given a relevant "Attestation", apart from the "Certificate" which serves as
evidence for the access of its owner in Higher Education.
Subjects in the 3rd grade of the GL are distinguished into subjects of general knowledge, directions
and elective. The subjects of the last grade are further distinguished, depending on the method of
examination, into subjects tested on a written basis at school level and subjects tested on a written
basis on national scale.
All the subjects tested on a written basis, either at school level or on national scale, are equivalent and
play an equal role in the establishment of the general average of the leaving certificate (apolytirio) .
However, as regards admission to university education, only the subjects tested on a written basis on
national scale are taken into account.
Once their final mark is published, the holders of the attestation may submit a computerised application
form where they indicate their preferences in order of precedence as regards the departments to which
they want to be admitted. These departments may fall under two cognitive fields at the maximum (as
regards the fields of knowledge under which fall University Departments see subdivision 6.10.). In
order for the candidates to participate in the selection procedure for admission to Higher University
Education, they should obtain a general access mark equal at least to half the maximum possible mark
or they should collect a total of points (“moria”) equal to half the maximum possible number of points
for each Faculty or Department. The success of candidates and their admission to a higher education
department results from the combination of: a) the marks received; b) the order of precedence in which
they indicated their preferred departments; and c) the number of places available in each Department.
For admission to certain Faculties and Departments whose subject requires specialised knowledge or
skills, special admission exams are necessary in one or more special courses (such as architecture,
photography, music studies, translation and interpretation, foreign languages and literature), or
preparatory tests (health, sports, psycho-technical) as regards military schools and the academy of
police officers, or sports tests (as regards physical education and sports departments).
Holders of the leaving certificate (apolytirio) of unified upper secondary schools (Eniaio Lykeio) or other
equivalent secondary school will have access to the courses of University Ecclesiastical Academies
(whose operation will start from the academic year 2007-2008 and thereafter) pursuant to the
conditions and terms of admission to tertiary education, provided that they are Christian Orthodox and
especially as regards Seminary Programmes only male candidates will be admitted. The number of
persons admitted to each university department complies with the principle of “numerus clausus” and
is fixed each year by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (ΥΠΕΠΘ/YPEPTH).
Selection of Candidates of Special Categories in Higher Education
Over and above the determined number of students to be admitted to each department or faculty of
University (Panepistimio) or Technological Education Institute (Technologiko Ekpaideftiko Idryma -
TEI), candidates will be admitted in case they belong to the following special categories:
Children of Greeks living abroad
Children of Greek employees seconded abroad
Greek graduates of foreign upper secondary schools
EU and non-EU foreign nationals
EU and non-EU foreign nationals holding scholarships
Ethnic Greeks from abroad holding scholarships
Muslims from Thrace
Pupils distinguished during the Balkan or International Olympiad of Mathematics, Information
Technology, Physics or Chemistry
Pupils suffering grave illnesses (“special category of patients”)
Those falling under the category “Special Category of Patients”, are directly enrolled in a School or
Department of a University or a TEI, apart from the number of those admitted and until the completion
of the positions corresponding to 3% of the number of admitted students. If the applications outnumber
the places available in a faculty, selection takes place according to the mark of the leaving certificate,
whether these pupils have been examined in the respective subjects at national or school level or not.
In addition to the above categories, graduates of other departments of the same Faculty or other
faculties may be admitted to departments of higher education (following special admission exams and
up to a certain percentage). Such graduates, depending on the scientific and statutory relevance of the
two degrees provided, may be exempted from attending a specific number of compulsory courses in
the host department and from sitting for the relevant examinations.
Finally, it must be noted that students of other departments and persons who are not students may
attend the above-mentioned courses in the tertiary education institutes. Interested parties are enrolled
at the Secretariat, and acquire the identity card of an observer and an enrolment attestation, without
participating in exams or getting a degree.
Transfers of Higher Education Students
Within the framework of the general system of admission to Higher Education, a student who has been
admitted to a University institute (Panepistimio) or Technological Education Institute (TEI) in the
country does not have the right to request a transfer to another corresponding department of Greek
Panepistimio or TEI.
Conditions of Admission to Post Graduate Study Programs
In what concerns post graduate studies of the first cycle, leading to a Post Graduate Degree (MDE),
the selection of post graduate students takes place following a public call of interest, which states the
number of admitted postgraduate students and the categories of degree-holders of Universities or TEI
that will be accepted in the particular Post Graduate Study Program (PMS).
The process and the selection criteria taken under consideration, are determined by the Assembly and
are included in the Post Graduate Studies Regulation.
Greek or foreign graduates of Greek universities and TEI or accredited equivalent institutes from
abroad may be admitted to ΠΜΣ/PMS, under conditions specified in the KMS of each ΠΜΣ/PMS.
As regards registration with the second level of postgraduate studies, leading to the granting of a
doctoral degree, the prerequisite is the successful completion of the first level. In case no organised
ΠΜΣ/PMS is in place, the elaboration of a doctoral thesis does not presuppose the acquisition of a
postgraduate specialization degree. In all cases, candidates submit the relevant application to the
Committee of the ΠΜΣ/PMS together with a full curriculum vitae, a report of their work and a copy of
their postgraduate degree, if this is a prerequisite. The committee examines the application by taking
into account other criteria as well (marks received on the postgraduate degree, publications, research,
knowledge of foreign languages, etc) and further submits a positive or negative report to the Special
General Assembly of the Department (ΓΣΕΣ/GSES), which is competent to make a decision
thereupon. For the admission of holders of post graduate degrees from abroad, the degree must be
acknowledges by the responsible authority.
Institutions:
Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (YPEPTH)
Hellenic Open University (EAP)
International University
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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