PhD Study in Greece - A Guide for 2024

When it comes to academic heritage, Greece is hard to beat. The ancient Platonic school at Akademia in Athens (established circa 387 BC) was one of the first and most significant institutions of higher learning in the world. Modern higher education in Greece draws on this classical heritage, making it a unique and striking option for international PhD study.

This page details everything you will need to know as an international student choosing to study your PhD in Greece this year. It includes an overview of the country’s university history, the types of Greek institution, how much it will cost to study for a doctorate and what you will need to do to successfully apply for one.

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With a Mediterranean climate, beautiful landscapes and an unrivalled selection of UNESCO-world heritage sites (18), Greece is a spectacular place to live during a doctorate. With the academic heritage and vibrant research centres, Greece is popular amongst international students.

These are a few reasons to consider a PhD in Greece this year:

• Academic heritage - Greece founded the Western tradition of academic scholarship over 2,000 years ago and was home to the likes of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates
• Unique research opportunities - It does without saying that Greece offers unparalleled potential for research in Classics and Ancient History, as well as related fields such as Heritage and Tourism
• Affordability - the cost of living in Greece is significantly lower than other countries in Europe, and many student cities offer student flats and hostels reducing accommodation costs
• The Greek Islands - with some of the most magnificent landscapes and white beaches in the world, you wont ever be short of a holiday destination for a PhD break

Greek universities

Greek higher education is rich with history, with famous Ancient Greek schools like Aristotle’s Lyceum originally founded in the city of Athens.

Today Greek universities use a more modern infrastructure, but Athens is still the major student hub in the south of Greece. Higher education is not limited to Athens, however, there are many higher education institutions across the Greek mainland and islands for you to choose from.

The University Sector and the Technology Sector

The Greek university system is organised into two different pathways:

• University sector - these 24 insitutions include general universities and specialised technical universities. They are where the bulk of academic training and research takes place.
• Technical sector - these 14 insitutions are more concerned with professional and vocational training.

As a PhD student you will be interested in the University Sector, postgraduate education is offered by the Technology Sector, but tends to be restricted to Masters-level degrees.

Accreditation

The institutions in the Greek University Sector are publically run and state accredited. The Greek Ministry of Education is responsible for establishing guidelines and provisions for universities, with periodic inspection and advisory work conducted by the Hellenic Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

International branch campuses

The prestige of Greece’s scholarly heritage and its growing popularity with international students has lead to several foreign universities setting up overseas campuses there.

The Greek government allows these to operate freely, subject to registration with the Greek Ministry of Education.

Most are typically small colleges specialising in fields that benefit from their Greek location. Not all branch campuses offer doctoral programmes, but they can be an attractive option for students looking for English language.

The Hellenic Open University

The Hellenic Open University is located in the city of Patras. It was founded in 1992 and is the only distance learning university in Greece.

As an international PhD student, it is likely you will choose campus-based study over distance learning. However, the Hellenic Open university can award doctoral degrees in line with the regulations of higher education institutions set by the Greek Government.

Greek university rankings

There are only a small number of universities within Greece, but a high proportion of them are recognised within global rankings. Below is a table of the highest-ranked Greek universities:

Greek university cities

The city of Athens has historically been the most important student hub in Greece (since roughly 367 BC, that is); however, there are other modern university cities in Greece:

• Study in Athens
• Study in Thessaloniki
• Study in Heraklion

Higher education in Greece is divided into four scientific fields: Humanities, Law and Social Sciences; Natural and Technological Sciences; Health and Life Sciences and Sciences of Economy and Informatics.

Types of PhD in Greece

There are two types of PhD in Greece, which one you choose will be dependant upon your previous qualifications:

• Traditional PhD programme - A 3-year pure research period with no taught element.
• "American system" PhD programme - A 4-5-year course incorportating the Masters into the PhD. These programmes have taught elements.

The traditional PhD programme is more common. However, the majority of Greek institutions won’t advertise projects, instead it is more common for students to apply with a research proposal setting out their own project ideas.

Programme length

The Greek academic year runs for a full 12-months from September-August. The academic period is divided into two semesters similarly to the UK, with holiday periods at Christmas and Easter and a long summer vacation during June and July.

To conform with the European Bologna Process System the minimum length of study for a PhD is set at 3-years full-time.

The actual length of time for a PhD varies significantly depending upon your academic departments. For Technical and Applied Science subjects this is typically 3-years, whilst in Social Sciences and Arts average times for doctoral studies are 4-6 years.

The Greek PhD process

For the “American system” PhD programmes within Greece you will spend the first three years completing lectures and seminars related to your research. Your research project will begin in your second year, with the first year being similar to a Masters course, awarding a Masters qualification. Your research project will end via submission of a thesis.

Students researching a traditional PhD will focus on their research and will spend the 3-years working towards a thesis, without additional teaching components.

Supervision

The Department’s General Assembly will appoint one supervisor for each doctoral candidate. Your supervisor’s main duty is to provide mentoring and guidance during the writing of your dissertation.

Your supervisor will be one of three members of the Academic Advisory Committee appointed for the assessment processes of your PhD.

Occasionally higher education institutions collaborate with research centres like the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens for supervision of dissertations.

Assessment and examination

The main outcome of a Greek PhD is an independent doctoral thesis, detailing your original research. Upon completion you will be required to submit a request to your Advisory Committee for the public support and evaluation of this work.

If accepted your Advisory Committee will submit an introductory report to the Department’s General Assembly asking for the appointment of a seven-member committee to evaluate your thesis.

The public support requests the presence of 4-members of the committee, the other 3-members may attend over a teleconference call. The committee asses the quality of your thesis, inclusiveness, originality and contribution to science. You must acquire the assent of five-members to accredit your Degree with the qualitive description: Good, Very Good or Excellent.

Students following “American system” PhDs will also be assessed as they complete taught units during their first three-years. This will be measured using the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). After this the assessment follows the same pattern as a traditional PhD.

Scholarships

If your PhD incurs no fees (or you are entitled to a partial waiver) you may still need funding to support your living costs . Thankfully a range of funding options exist for international students:

• Alexander Onassis Foundation – for students studying Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics and Arts. The scholarships offer €300-600 per month for 6-24 months, and an additional one-off payment of up to €5,000 to cover tuition fees and relocation costs.
• Greek Government Scholarship for Foreign Students - a monthly allowance of €450, a settlement bursary of €550, €150 annually for transport and free medical treatment.
• State Scholarships Foundation - awards €600 monthly funding for 1-3 years support to foreign students and operates with the Erasmus+ programme.

Language requirements

Most university teaching is carried out in Greek and candidates who are admitted must hold a certificate in proficiency of the Greek Language.

If you don’t hold a certificate you can complete the Greek Language exams in Greece:

• Athens - exams are held twice a year in June and September at the University of Athens Modern Greek Language Centre
• Thessaloniki - exams are held twice a year in June and October at the University of Thessaloniki’s Modern Greek Language Centre

However, a push towards internationalisation has resulted in English-language programmes becoming increasingly common at postgraduate level. If you are to complete your thesis in English as a second-language you will have to complete an English proficiency test .

Application process

All Greek institutions will have their own application procedure and it is best to check this in advance. Most will require you to submit some or all of the following:

• Academic documents - your full academic transcript and degree certificates, these must be translated in Greek using the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Service or a lawyer certified for translations
• Application form - a completed application form identifying your proposed research title, the language the thesis will be written in and your suggested supervisor
• A CV - this must be up to date and must include two academic reference details from professors you have worked with
• Thesis draft - this is a short research proposal outlining your suggested original project
• Recognition - qualifications from outside the European System must be confirmed - your institution should be able to help you with this.

You should submit your application to the Secretary of the department you are applying to research your PhD within.

Interviews

Interviews are often a formal requirement for PhD applications in Greece. The department you apply to will appoint a committee to assess prospective doctoral candidates. They will examine your application materials before potentially inviting you to an interview.

This will be conducted in front of the whole committee and will give you the opportunity to discuss your research ideas.

International interviews may be conducted in person or over a web chat service such as Skype.

Application requirements

The consulate of Greece requires applicants to apply directly at their local Greek embassy for a visa. You will be required to provide the following:

• Medical documents - a signed medical certificate and letter from a physician stating you have no communicable diseases and a proof of insurance with minimum coverage €30,000.
• Personal document - a passport with 6-months validity beyond your studies in Greece with two blank pages and a recent passport photograph.
• University documents - an official Letter of Acceptance from your institution and a tenancy agreement showing secured accommodation.
• Proof of funds - for the duration of stay you will need to have accesss to €400 (per month) and a signed affidavit from parents/guardian stating they will cover expenses if you cannot.

Healthcare

All students at higher education institutions in Greece are entitled to free healthcare coverage. This includes medical examinations, hospital treatment, dental care and physiotherapy.

For this you will need a personal health insurance booklet which will be issued to you when you register at university.

Next steps

The Greek education system is committed to internalisation and participates fully in the European Higher Education Area. As a result, you will stand in good stead for an academic career at universities around the world.

Can I work in Greece after my PhD?

The regulations for working in Greece vary depending upon your nationality. Members of the EU/EEA have the right to live and work in Greece without restriction.

Students of other nationalities will need a work permit to work in Greece. You should apply for this as soon as possible as permits can be difficult to acquire and student visas cannot typically be extended.