Student Visas in Greece
Studying there, and whether study leads to residency
Study permits are granted for accredited programmes, public university tuition is free or nominal for EU students and modest for others, and a growing number of English-taught programmes exist. Study time counts at half value toward the residence needed for citizenship.
| Permit | Student residence permit, renewed annually |
| Public tuition, EU students | Free at undergraduate level, with fees for some master's programmes |
| Non-EU tuition | Commonly EUR 1,500–6,000 per year |
| Work rights | Part-time work permitted |
| Counts toward citizenship | At half value |
Applying
- Acceptance from a recognised Greek institution.
- Proof of funds, benchmarked to a published monthly minimum.
- Health insurance covering Greece.
- A criminal record certificate and a medical certificate, apostilled and translated.
- On arrival, a residence permit application to the migration authority within the visa's validity.
English-taught programmes
Greek public universities have expanded English-language undergraduate and master's programmes, particularly in classical studies, medicine, business and engineering, partly to attract international fee-paying students. Tuition for these is charged and sits well below UK, US or Australian levels.
Undergraduate teaching outside these programmes is in Greek, and the entrance system for domestic places is separate and highly competitive.
The half-value rule
For naturalisation purposes, years spent in Greece on a student permit count at half weight. A four-year degree therefore contributes two years toward the seven required. This is worth knowing before treating a Greek degree as a shortcut to a passport.
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Official sources
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.