With Fees.. Cheapest Universities in Greece for International Students

High-quality education with affordable living costs in Greece and low tuition fees at Greek universities, make it one of the best study abroad destinations for international students. In addition, Greece is one of the oldest and historically most important countries in the world. It is one of the most beautiful European countries that attract tourists from all over the world. This makes the student experience in Greece so special. To help you find a suitable university that fits your budget, qualifications, and abilities, we made a list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students in 2022. You can also find the average tuition fees in each one of these universities.

Higher Education System in Greece

The higher education system in Greece offers bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees. Greece has 24 universities accredited by the Greek government, and all of them are public universities. However, you might be surprised to know that private universities in Greece are referred to as colleges and not universities. They are not recognized as HEIs or degree-awarding bodies by the Greek government. 

However, private universities in Greece cooperate with international universities outside Greece and offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, whether for Greek, European or non-European students. Therefore, most programs in Greek private “universities”  are usually taught in English.

The duration of a bachelor’s degree in most universities in Greece is four years, except for medicine, dentistry or engineering programs that take five or six years to complete. The majority of undergraduate programs in public universities are taught in Greek. Therefore, an international student must prove knowledge of the Greek language or take a language preparatory year at the university.

The duration of master’s programs in most universities in Greece is between one to two years. Upon completion, the student receives a graduate diploma in specialization (Μεταπτυχιακό). A student at the master’s level in Greece can choose between studying in English or Greek. There are many programs available in English. 

To start your master’s studies in Greece, Bear in mind that Greece universities do not accept three-year undergraduate degrees. So if you hold one, you may be obligated to attend additional courses when you are accepted into a master’s program.

Doctoral studies (Διδακτορικό) in Greece take about five to six years to complete. In order to be eligible for doctoral studies in Greece, the student must have previously obtained a master’s degree, plus the correct number of European transfer credits.

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Can I study in Greece for free?

Some public universities in Greece are tuition-free for bachelor’s, masters or doctoral programs. However, not all Greek universities are free of charge. Therefore, we made our list of the cheapest universities in Greece for international students. 

In addition, Scholarships and financial aid are among the most common ways to pay for your tuition fees and living costs while studying in Greece. 

Most Greek universities offer scholarships for international students, which may cover tuition fees and/or accommodation and/or monthly stipend. Therefore, after checking our list of the most affordable universities in Greece, visit their websites and look for offered scholarships for international students, as you might get your chance to cover your full expenses. 

Another option to help you finance your studies in Greece is the part-time job opportunities available for you as an international student in Greece. Students can work while studying in Greece for up to 20 hours per week.

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List of the Cheapest Universities in Greece for International Students 2022

Greek universities are among the cheapest universities in Europe for international students from all over the world. However, European Students can study in Greece for free. In addition, the cost of living in Greece is considerably low compared to the rest of the European countries. This makes universities in Greece the perfect institutions to study abroad for many international students. 

For the year 2022, the University of Ioannina is the cheapest university in Greece for international students that offers programs for bachelor, master’s, and Ph.D., with no tuition fees for Greek, European, and international students. 

This means that international students don’t pay any fees to study any of the programs at the University of Ioannina, such as health sciences, engineering, and others

Generally, all Greek universities mentioned in our list are affordable universities with low tuition fees compared to other universities in Greece.

9. International Hellenic University of Greece

International Hellenic University of Greece (Thermi Campus) is the newest public university in Greece, as it was established in 2005. This affordable public university is located in Thessaloniki and is famous as the only Greek public university where all programs are taught in English. 

This makes International Hellenic University the number one choice for most international students. The university focuses mainly on Master’s programs.

International Hellenic University is considered one of the best European universities in the fields of economics, business administration, and technology. It consists of two schools that offer twenty-four (24) master programs (only), and as mentioned earlier, all of these programs are taught in English:

The cost of studying at International Hellenic University of Greece

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Master’s programs: 4000-9000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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8. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

In 8th place in our list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students is National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. It is known as the National University of Athens, located in the Greek capital, Athens, and was founded in 1837. This affordable public university is the oldest higher education institution in Greece. The National University of Athens is one of the best Greek universities, and it ranks among the top 600 universities in the world.

The National University of Athens is one of the largest universities in Europe, with more than 70,000 enrolled students! 45,000 students enrolled in undergraduate programs, 15,000 study master programs, and around 10,000 are doing their PhD studies. 

The university includes 9 faculties and a large number of departments, according to the following:

The cost of studying at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 800-5000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 6000-8000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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7. Athens University of Economics and Business

Another affordable public university was founded in 1920 and located in the Greek capital, Athens. It was established to provide comprehensive education and a deeper understanding of the field of commerce and business. The university is well-known for many programs offered entirely in English, and it ranks among the top 800 universities in the world. It has one of the best business schools in Greece.

The number of students at the Athens University of Economics and Business is around 11,000 enrolled students, and a high percentage of them are international students. The most common programs chosen by international students are: Masters in Business Administration, Marketing, Accounting, Finance.

Athens University of Economics and Business has 3 major faculties and 8 departments:

The cost of studying at Athens University of Economics and Business

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 2000-6000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 3000-8000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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6. University of Macedonia

This affordable public university is the second-largest university in Thessaloniki after Aristotle University. It was established as a school for higher industrial studies and then was approved as the University of Macedonia in 1957.

The University of Macedonia has around 16,000 enrolled students, where 13,000 of them are studying undergraduate programs and nearly 3,000 are enrolled in graduate programs. The university focuses on important disciplines such as social, economic, and political sciences. The University of Macedonia consists of 4 faculties divided in 8 departments:

The cost of studying at University of Macedonia

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 1000-4000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 1500-4000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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5. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is a public university established in 1925, located in Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece. It is the largest university in Greece, with more than 40,000 enrolled students (31,000 studying undergraduate, 9,000 enrolled in graduate programs, including 3,952 doing their Ph.D.), and 3,000 of the total enrollment are international students.

The Greek language is the language of instruction in most university programs. However, it offers few programs that are taught in English or other European languages ​​such as French, German and Italian. It is a good option for international students who would like to study in a language other than Greek. 

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has 11 faculties with 36 departments and more than 150 study programs are offered for bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. Therefore, it is considered one of the best options on our list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students.

The cost of studying at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 500-3000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 500-3000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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4. Athens School of Fine Arts

Theatrical arts are part of the history of Greece, so if you would like to study this field with low tuition fees in Greece, the Athens School of Fine Arts is the right choice for you!

It is the oldest art school in Greece, founded in 1836, and its foundation coincides with the history of the modern Greek state. This affordable public arts school offers many programs related to Fine Arts, for undergraduate and graduate levels:

Department of Fine Arts consists of three departments: the Department of Painting, Sculpture, and Printing. The duration of this program for undergraduates is five years (or 10 semesters). Students are awarded a “Diploma in Fine Arts” (Bachelor of Arts) upon completion.

Department of Art Theory and History seeks to enhance the quality of human studies in Greece, through research and teaching in art history, philosophy of art, aesthetics, museums, history of architecture, anthropology of arts, etc. The undergraduate program duration is four years (or 8 semesters). Upon completion,  students are awarded a BA in Art Theory and Art History

Athens School of Fine Arts offers four graduate Programs (PSP), leading to a graduate Specialist Diploma or Master’s degree:

• Master in Digital Art Forms.
• Master in Visual Arts.
• Master in Plastics and Contemporary Art: Specialized Arts and Technologies.
• Master in Art Theory and Art History.

The cost of studying at Athens School of Fine Arts

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 500-1000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 500-1000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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3. University of Patras

University of Patras is in 3rd place on our list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students. It was founded in 1964 and is located in the city of Patras in western Greece. University of Patras is the third-largest university in Greece. It has more than 35,000 enrolled students (31,000 studying undergraduate programs and 4,000 enrolled at the graduate level). 

Although it is a newly founded university, it is ranked among the top 200 universities in the world in various fields, including health care sciences. The university consists of seven faculties, and thirty-five departments:

The cost of studying at University of Patras

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: 400-1000 Euros per year.
• Graduate programs: 800-1500 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

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2. University of Crete

The University of Crete is a public research university established in 1973, and located on the Greek island of Crete. It is considered one of the best and most important Greek universities. It ranks among the top 500 universities in the world.

Most of the University of Crete students are enrolled in undergraduate programs, as they exceed 20,000 enrolled students, with approximately 2500 students enrolled in graduate programs.

The University of Crete has  5 faculties and 16 departments;

The cost of studying at University of Crete

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: Tuition-free.
• Graduate programs: 0-3000 Euros per year.
• Scholarships: Available.

Check: With Fees.. Cheapest Universities in Greece for International Students

1. University of Ioannina

On the top of our list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students is the University of Ioannina. It is a public research university located 5 km southwest of Ioannina, Greece. It was founded in 1964, as a charter of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and became an independent university in 1970.

The university has more than 25,000 enrolled students, including around 21,900 students enrolled in undergraduate programs and 3,200 students studying graduate programs. 

The University of Ioannina consists of seven faculties and fifteen departments:

The cost of studying at University of Ioannina

• Check university tuition fees on their official website.
• Bachelor’s programs: Tuition-free.
• Graduate programs: Tuition-free.
• Scholarships: Available.

This was a full list of the 9 cheapest universities in Greece for international students and the tuition fees in each one of them. If you are planning to study in Greece on a limited budget, I am sure that you will find the right choice between these affordable Greek universities!

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