09 - Greece - Organisation of the academic year
As regards tertiary education, the academic year begins on 1st September of each year and ends on
31st August of the following year. Please refer to respective subdivisions for more information per
sector.
Organisation of the Academic Year in Higher Technological Education
As regards University Education, the academic year begins on 1st September of each year and ends
on 31st August of the following year.
The educational task for each academic year is structured chronologically into two semesters. The first
semester begins in the second fortnight of September and the second semester ends during the
second fortnight of June. Each semester in the Departments of Technological Education Institutes
(TEI) and the Higher School for Teachers of Technological Education (ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ/ASPAITE) includes at
least fifteen full weeks of classes and two weeks of examinations.
Throughout the year, there are holidays –Christmas and Easter periods—lasting four weeks as a
whole.
Every semester course carries a number of academic credits (δμ/dm), each of which depends on the
workload. The total number of d.m of each semester’s courses is thirty , according to the European
Credit Transfer System (ECTS) while the workload is about fifty (50) hours per week. The last
semester of studies, which includes assignment of the graduation project as well as the supervised
and assessed apprenticeship in a workplace, grants a total of thirty (30) credits (δμ/dm), of which 10-
20 δμ/dm correspond to the students’ graduation project. Also, the workload in each semester of
studies is 750 hours, that is 1,500 hours on an annual basis.
The studies leading to a basic degree in Technological Education Institutions (TEI) last four years.
Organisation of the Academic Year in Higher University Education
As regards University Education, the academic year begins on 1st September of each year and ends
on 31st August of the following year.
The educational task for each academic year is structured chronologically into two semesters. Each
semester includes at least fifteen full weeks of classes and two weeks of examinations. The
first semester begins in the second fortnight of September and the second semester ends during the
second fortnight of June.
Throughout the year, there are holidays –Christmas and Easter periods—lasting four weeks as a
whole.
Each semester course carries a number of credits, a minimum number of which is required for the
student to obtain a degree and is fixed in the curriculum of each department. Courses usually last three
hours a week (but they may also last 5, 4 and 2 hours). In case a course from another department
using a different system of credits is taught, then the number of teaching hours may be rounded up or
down to the number of credits of the host department.
The curriculum of every University department contains the titles of the courses, their subject matter,
and the number of hours of classes per week. The curriculum is adapted to the number of semesters
required to receive a degree; for each degree this number is determined by a presidential decree
issued upon the advice of the National Education Council (ΕΣΥΠ/ESYP) and the faculties concerned.
Studies leading to a basic degree in Hellenic Universities last at least four years as regards the
majority of scientific subject matters. They last five years at polytechnic schools, in a series of other
applied sciences (agronomy, forestry, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and pharmaceutics) and certain
art departments (music studies and plastic arts). As for medicine, studies last six years.
Organisation of the Academic Year in Postgraduate Programmes
As regards first-level postgraduate study programmes leading to a Postgraduate Specialisation Degree
(Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis - ΜΔΕ/MDE), the academic year also begins on 1st September of
each year and ends on 31st August of the following year.
The educational task for each academic year is structured chronologically into two semesters. The first
semester begins in the second fortnight of September and the second semester ends during the
second fortnight of June.
Throughout the year, there are holidays –Christmas and Easter periods—lasting four (4) weeks as a
whole.
Based on law in 1995, the duration of a Post Graduate Studies Program (first cycle) cannot be less
than one (1) complete calendar year, while part of this year, which cannot be smaller than three
months, is given for writing the dissertation.
The Regulation of Postgraduate Studies (ΚΜΣ/KMS) of each ΠΜΣ/PMS specifies the courses taught
as well as the number of hours foreseen for each course.
As regards the overall duration set for the elaboration of a doctoral thesis leading to a Doctoral Degree
(ΠΜΣ/PMS, second level), it depends on the field of knowledge. In all events, it cannot be less than
three full calendar years.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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