# Studying in Greece

> Greek-taught public undergraduate study is free, while international English-taught bachelor’s programmes charge programme-specific tuition. For non-EU students, the practical essentials are the Type D visa, EUR 650/month financial evidence, health cover and the study residence permit.

Source of record: https://versityspot.com/study-abroad/greece
Confirmation: 16 of 16 sections confirmed against their official source (last 2026-08-08).

## Overview

Greece combines tuition-free Greek-taught undergraduate study at public universities with a growing catalogue of English-taught international degrees. The official Study in Greece portal describes English-taught international bachelor’s tuition as typically EUR 5,000 to EUR 15,000 per year, while individual programme listings can sit outside that band. Always use the programme’s own current fee page for the final number.

For non-EU students, the practical path is a Type D student visa followed by the study residence-permit process. Current University of Athens guidance uses EUR 650 per month as the minimum financial-means benchmark for residence purposes, alongside health insurance and enrolment evidence.

Administrative requirements are increasingly online, but document legalisation, translation and consular checklists remain case-specific. Start early and follow the university, consulate and immigration authority instructions for your exact nationality and programme.

*Source: https://studyingreece.edu.gr/bachelors/*

## Study System

Greece follows the Bologna framework, but undergraduate degrees are commonly four years rather than three; some professional programmes are longer, including six-year medicine. Master’s programmes commonly run one to two years.

International English-taught programmes publish their own application windows, eligibility requirements and tuition. The official Study in Greece application portal shows 2026/27 programmes with materially different closing dates, so there is no single national “spring” deadline to rely on.

Greek-taught undergraduate programmes at state universities are tuition-free, while English-taught international bachelor’s programmes charge programme-specific fees. Check the official programme listing and university admissions page before budgeting or submitting documents.

*Source: https://apply.studyingreece.edu.gr/en/programmes?prog_type=Bachelor*

## Visa & Immigration

Third-country nationals coming for study longer than 90 days normally apply for a national Type D student visa through the competent Greek diplomatic or consular mission. The student-visa fee is EUR 90. Typical requirements include admission or enrolment evidence, proof of sufficient resources, health insurance, passport documentation and other supporting records required by the mission.

For finances, current University of Athens immigration guidance uses EUR 650 per month as the minimum amount for the study residence process. Evidence can include a bank deposit or transfer, scholarship, or qualifying income. The consulate decides what format of proof it accepts for the visa, so use the mission’s current checklist rather than generic internet figures.

Documents may need official certification, legalisation/apostille and Greek translation depending on document type and issuing country. Treat those as checklist-specific requirements rather than assuming every document needs identical treatment.

*Source: https://issu.uoa.gr/guide_for_non_eu_students/study_permit/the_supporting_documents/*

## Residence Permit

After entry, non-EU students complete the residence-permit process for studies. University of Athens guidance states that the online application should be made within the lawful entry period and that a valid filing produces an electronic application certificate, commonly referred to as the blue certificate or vevaiosi, while the permit is processed.

Under the 2026 migration-law changes, the H.1 study residence permit can be granted for a period equal to the maximum duration of the programme of study rather than requiring annual re-issuance in every case. The administrative fee for issuance is EUR 150, with a separate card-production fee where applicable.

Where the permit covers the programme’s maximum duration, the student must continue to demonstrate academic participation/progress at the intervals required by law; current 2026 rules provide for supporting study-progress documentation every two years. Keep enrolment, exam-participation and transcript records accessible throughout the degree.

*Source: https://issu.uoa.gr/guide_for_non_eu_students/study_permit/duration_of_permit_and_renewal*

## Healthcare

Health coverage is part of the student immigration requirements. Third-country students should obtain insurance that satisfies the visa and residence-permit conditions and keep proof available for the application and any later update or renewal. Do not rely on a generic annual price range: coverage, exclusions and accepted documentation matter more than the sticker price.

EU/EEA students should check whether their European Health Insurance Card or other home-country entitlement covers medically necessary public healthcare during the stay and whether any additional university requirement applies.

For routine care, university international offices can explain local access routes. In an emergency, public emergency services remain the appropriate first point of contact regardless of the student-insurance arrangement.

*Source: https://issu.uoa.gr/guide_for_non_eu_students/study_permit/the_supporting_documents/*

## Insurance

For third-country students, health-insurance evidence is a core immigration document. Use a policy or recognised coverage arrangement that meets the requirements stated by the competent Greek authority and your university, and keep renewal certificates and policy wording available.

If you are covered by a scholarship, EU coordination rules or another recognised public system, check whether that coverage removes the need for a separate private policy. Do not assume a low-cost travel policy is automatically sufficient for residence purposes.

Contents or personal-liability cover is separate from immigration health insurance and is optional unless your housing contract requires it.

*Source: https://issu.uoa.gr/guide_for_non_eu_students/study_permit/the_supporting_documents/*

## Housing

Athens rooms commonly run EUR 300 to 500 (Exarchia and Zografou for the student concentration), Thessaloniki EUR 250 to 400, with limited subsidised dormitories (estia) allocated by need. Rental contracts want the AFM, which is why the tax office visit comes first.

Outside the two big cities, university towns like Patras and Ioannina cost less again; island campuses are idyllic and logistical in equal measure.

*Source: https://studyingreece.edu.gr/student-life/*

## Bank Accounts

Account opening wants the AFM, passport, and proof of address or enrolment; the process is patient rather than difficult. EU digital-bank IBANs cover daily life meanwhile, though Greek payroll and some landlords prefer domestic accounts.

Cash retains real market share, especially in tavernas and on islands; carry some.

*Source: https://www.bankofgreece.gr/en*

## Taxes

Working students file under the AFM through payroll withholding; modest part-time incomes attract little tax after the personal scale applies. The annual declaration is electronic and, for simple student cases, brief.

Freelance platform work has its own registration regime; take advice before invoicing rather than after.

*Source: https://www.aade.gr/en*

## Transportation

Student discounts halve most urban transit passes and cut intercity KTEL coaches and trains substantially with the academic ID (pasos). Athens' metro is clean, cheap and expanding; Thessaloniki's finally runs.

Ferries knit the islands into weekend range, with student fares on most lines; the deck class in June is a memory worth the stiff back.

*Source: https://www.oasa.gr/en/*

## Phone & Internet

Mobile data costs more than the EU's best markets: EUR 15 to 25 a month buys a workable bundle, with student offers worth hunting. Registration requires ID.

City fibre is decent and campus Wi-Fi carries the study load; island connectivity varies with the ferry schedule's sense of humour.

*Source: https://www.eett.gr/en/*

## Student Life

Greek student life spills outdoors most of the year: the kafeneio and the plateia do the social work other climates assign to unions, and the frappe is a unit of time. Athens' Exarchia and Thessaloniki's Valaoritou run the counterculture and nightlife layers respectively.

Erasmus networks are large and well-organised in both cities, and the acquired skill of the Greek student calendar is knowing which strikes affect which buses.

*Source: https://studyingreece.edu.gr/student-life/*

## Language

English-taught programmes carry internationals; the street, the DOY and the landlord run in Greek. The alphabet takes an afternoon and repays it immediately; universities teach modern Greek cheaply and the country audibly warms to attempts.

Greek-taught public study is free for EU students, which makes the language the price of the scholarship.

*Source: https://www.greek-language.gr/*

## Part-time Jobs

Under Greece’s 2026 migration rules, a third-country national holding the study residence permit may work only part-time, outside study hours, for no more than 20 hours per week. The current wording does not provide a blanket switch to unrestricted full-time work during semester or summer breaks.

Tourism, hospitality and services can offer seasonal opportunities, but the same immigration ceiling still matters. Make sure the employer registers the employment correctly and that you have the tax and banking details needed for payroll.

*Source: https://migration.gov.gr/en/*

## Post-study Work

After successfully completing eligible studies in Greece, a third-country graduate can apply for the H.11 residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment or starting a business. The permit is granted for one year.

Apply while your student residence status is still valid and prepare evidence of graduation plus the other immigration documents required for the H.11 route. If you secure qualifying employment or establish an eligible business, you then move to the appropriate residence category for that activity.

Do not treat the one-year period as an automatic extension of student status: it is a separate post-study residence route with its own application and conditions.

*Source: https://migration.gov.gr/en/*

## Emergency Numbers

For any emergency, 112 reaches all services across Greece and the European Union, free from any phone, with English-speaking operators. Greece also runs direct lines: police 100, ambulance 166, fire 199, and the coastguard 108, which is genuinely useful on the islands and coast. The 112 service also sends emergency alerts for wildfires and severe weather, so keep it enabled.

*Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/consumer-rights-and-complaints/unfair-treatment/112-general-emergency-number_en*