Structure of Higher Education in Greece

University education mission is to ensure a high level of theoretical and comprehensive training of young people.

Higher Technological Education in Greece: the role of the Higher Technological Education should contribute to the country’s development and progress in science and applied research. In Greece there are 14 TEI, composed of at least two Faculties, each Faculty has two or more branches.

Greek Open University: Greek Open University provides an opportunity for open and remote forms of training. The main mission of the University is to provide a great educational foundation for a range of interested people and age groups, provided that education – the right to life. The university was established in 1998 and is located in the city of Patras.

The higher education system also includes various institutions that provide training in the areas of religion, art, tourism, Navy, Army and public order.

According to the Greek Constitution, the Institute of Higher Education – a legally legitimate institutions that are fully self-governing under the supervision of the State, and funded by the State.

Entry Requirements

The basic requirement for admission to higher education in Greece – the presence of the certificate of secondary education. Applicants for admission need to pass common entrance examination for 9 subjects. Examinations take place in two stages: a written examination and oral. (30% and 70% respectively). A more detailed list of requirements you can look at the site of Greek Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. Some Higher Education Institutions have their own system of admission and participation in public examinations are required.

Finally, students who received secondary education abroad, on the basis of a certificate of secondary education in the country of origin. Naturally, this depends on the number of seats allocated to foreign students by Greek Universities. It also requires a high level of knowledge of the Greek language. To do this, students must pass a language exam at the University. You must perform certain financial requirements, if they wish to study in Greek universities.

Universities

Education at the University lasts 4 years, except in some departments where training lasts 5 – 6 years. The academic year consists of two semesters of 13 weeks of full training and examination of three weeks. After 4 years of study, students take exams in compulsory and optional subjects. In the case of successful completion of all required exams, students receive a diploma or degree, depending on the faculty.

Greek Open University: a curriculum based on the method of distance learning. Students are responsible for arranging their time to fulfill the requirements imposed by this method of training.

Open University Diploma equivalent of “traditional” universities. Finally, most universities and TEI are coordinating employment agencies that help young graduates in finding jobs.

Postgraduate studies:

The overall objective of postgraduate training is to enable students to specialize in certain areas. Greek Universities offer a total of 213 post-graduate courses, Greek Open University offers 12 graduate courses. Postgraduate studies are available for graduates of TEI and the University. Candidates are selected on the results of examinations. Those who wish to continue their education in graduate school should know perfectly at least one foreign language.

Gymnasium-Γυμνάσιο (level 2)

Gymnasium covers three final year of compulsory education and a basic level of secondary education. Grammar school attended by children aged 12 – 15 years.

Students who do not pass the exams translated at year-end, are able to re-rent in September. If a student is not re-exams, it is left for the second year.

Graduates receive a certificate of secondary education, which gives the opportunity to continue their studies at the Lyceum. Gymnasium graduates who are 18 years of age can apply for a Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), some departments, where they study for two semesters and receive a certificate of professional training.

Joint Lyceum-Ενιαίο Λύκειο (level 3)

Joint High School consists of three classes, the training lasts three years. Graduates of high schools who pass the exams are taken in High School without examinations.

Each school year ends with examination period for which students are transferred to the next grade. Upon completion and successful passing of the final examinations graduates receive a certificate of secondary education.

One of the functions of the Ministry of National Education and Religious worship is to develop appropriate conditions for foreigners learning in primary schools. In this regard, some public schools (having enough students) create helper classes and extracurricular group to address the issue of language teaching foreigners. Council of Teachers of schools can propose a helper classes for students who do not speak Greek and have serious difficulties in attendance. Teaching these classes is another teacher while studying in a regular classroom.

Special attention is paid to the study of Greek language, students with no exempt from attending other classes. A student may attend some lessons in their regular classroom.

Students who possess the Greek language, but lagging in other subjects may attend optional group, if the school offers such a program. Classes are held in extracurricular groups after regular school hours and is 8 hours a week. The student attends the lessons, the study of which is difficult, but in most cases, elective units provide lessons Modern Greek language and history.

In public schools, the second stage of education (high school ) also are helper classes and extracurricular groups that provide additional assistance that goes beyond conventional training programs. Despite the existence of these programs, the student may be retained in the same grade for another year for grade repetition, in future, to be translated into the following classes.

Intercultural school

In order to ensure a gradual adaptation of foreign students to the Greek educational system and to overcome language and other learning problems in some areas of Greece functioning intercultural education. Education programs in the schools are adapted to the specific needs of foreign students. Intercultural schools are educational institutions of primary and second levels of education: dimotika, gymnasium and lyceum.

Night school

Employed persons can attend evening school “Liceo and gymnasium” or vocational schools (Engineering Epaggelmatika Ekpedeftiria – TEE) in the following cases:

1) when he was 14 years old;
2) with a certificate issued and signed by the employer, confirming the fact of their employment during the day.
Evening classes at the above institutions are held from 18.30 to 22.00. Evening classes, both in school and in high school lasts 4 years (not 3 years) due to the smaller number of daily hours of instruction.

Technique Epaggelmatika Ekpedeftiria – TEE. Vocational schools (level 3)

Vocational school is part of the basic training. High school graduates are accepted into these schools without examinations. Vocational schools combine general education with vocational training of various specializations. Education lasts 2-3 years and has two stages. The first phase lasts two years. Students after graduation exams receive a certificate II level.

With this document, they can:

•  to obtain a license to engage in labor activity in accordance with existing regulations;
•  to continue learning the second level in TEE;
•  to enter into the second class of the Lyceum;

The second phase of training in TEE lasts one year. Graduates after passing state exams receive a certificate III level. With this document, they can:

•  to obtain a license to engage in labor activity in accordance with existing regulations;
•  use of the right of priority for admission to technical institutes (institutes of vocational education);
•  enroll in technical institutes, with Work Experience 18 months after passing the required exams set by the Institute.

The Greek education system consists of three levels-levels:

• Beginner
• intermediate
• advanced cycles of education

The initial cycle of education is generally divided into two stages:

• Preschool education – kindergarten;
• Compulsory primary education – elementary school.

Average cycle also presented in two stages:

• Compulsory basic secondary education – school;
• After finishing high school, students can continue their studies in vocational and technical schools, or to obtain a certificate of secondary education at the Lyceum.

Higher cycle is divided into

• University education
• Higher Technical Education – Higher Institute of Technology and the Institute of Higher Education.
• Master’s,
• Graduate school
• Doctorate, then job

In 1997, UNESCO adopted the international classification of levels of educational systems:

•  Level 0 – Προσχολική Εκπαίδευση (early childhood education)
•  Level 1 – Πρωτοβάθμια Εκπαίδευση (primary school)
•  Level 2 – Κατώτερη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση (high school)
•  Level 3 – Ανώτερη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση (upper secondary)
•  Level 4 – Μεταδευτεροβάθμια, μη πανεπιστημιακή Εκπαίδευση (vocational)
•  Level 5 – Πανεπιστημιακή Εκπαίδευση (university)
•  Level 6 – Μεταπτυχιακές Σπουδές (Postgraduate)