Financing your Studies in Greece | EFG

With the long history of its higher education system, Greece is still an excellent place to study for rather every student. Compared to other European countries, the tuition fees and living costs are fairly low. Especially when you’re of Greece origin or another EU-country, you can apply for many benefits.

Find ways to support your studies in Greece

Cost of your studies

Tuition fees

In Greece there are two main categories of tuition fees that apply for students attending higher education institutions in the country. The two main student streams attending Greek universities are the EU/EEA students and the Non-EU students.

Under Greek law, all EU/EEA students are not obligated to pay any tuition fee during their period of study at any public university and colleges in the country. In addition all textbooks for EU/EEA students can be made available free of charge.

The case is not similar for Non-EU students. If a student does not have an EU national status, he/she will need to pay a small tuition fee in order to pay for accommodation at any university or college. In many cases, the fees that need to be paid depend on the level charged by each university or college, including private institutions of higher learning. International students are usually reminded to make a direct approach to the universities or colleges they wish to attend. Normally, non-EU students pay a tuition fee of 1,500 € which also includes textbooks for the chosen courses.

Cost of living

The cost of living in Greece depends entirely on where you are located during your studies. It is more expensive to live in the cities than in the countryside. On the whole however, average living costs hover around a monthly cost of 600 €. Greece is reputed to be among the cheapest countries in Europe for a student to live and undertake studies.

Financing your studies

Public Support

Because the institutions of higher learning in Greece are totally governed by the state, they are totally subsidized in terms of their academic operations. This effectively means that students from Greece and other EU member countries are exempt from paying any tuition fees while undertaking their courses.

Scholarships

Financial assistance and scholarships are awarded by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) to students who desire to undertake studies at tertiary education institutions. The foundation also awards grants to graduates of both university and technical education institutions for post-graduate or post-doctoral studies in Greece as well as abroad depending on the success achieved during undergraduate studies. Mobility grants are also awarded to students to pursue studies at other Higher Education Institutes in Europe, under the Lifelong Learning Programmes or LLPs.

In addition to the IKY scholarships, fellowships and grants are also offered by local universities and overseas foundations especially to overseas students who wish to pursue academic studies in Greece. These scholarships offer study opportunities in undergraduate programs as well as post-graduate studies.

Student jobs

Because EU students studying in universities in Greece do not need to pay tuition fees, they do not see the need to look for jobs during the summer break unless they do so for other reasons. However, many jobs are available for foreign students who wish to work and employment can be found almost everywhere in Greece in the cities, the countryside and even the islands. In order to find work, a student needs to consult university staff and/or job agencies in order to book jobs during the summer breaks.