Education in Greece: school stages, the Panhellenic Examinations and university entry

In short

Education in Greece is run centrally by the national ministry responsible for education, and the same curriculum, textbooks and national exams apply in every region. Compulsory schooling covers two years of kindergarten, six years of primary school and three years of lower secondary school, and most young people then continue to the Lyceum for three more years. At the end of the Lyceum, students who want a place at a public university sit the national university entrance exams, known as the Panhellenic Examinations. Places are then given according to the results and the preferences listed on each student's application form. Vocational routes and apprenticeships offer another path after the Gymnasium or the Lyceum.

School stages

1. Nipiagogeio (kindergarten): Pre-primary education for children from the age of four, with the final two years compulsory. Children learn through play, early language, numbers and creative activities.
2. Dimotiko (primary school): Six years, from about six to twelve. Pupils study Modern Greek, mathematics, history, geography, science, a foreign language, music, art and physical education.
3. Gymnasio (lower secondary school): Three years, from about twelve to fifteen. It completes compulsory education and ends with a school-leaving certificate that gives access to the Lyceum.
4. Lykeio (upper secondary school): Three years, from about fifteen to eighteen. The General Lyceum prepares students for higher education, and the Vocational Lyceum combines general subjects with technical training.
5. Vocational training: Institutes of vocational training, known as IEK, and apprenticeships give practical qualifications for work and are open to school leavers who do not go to university.

The Panhellenic Examinations

The Panhellenic Examinations are the national exams taken at the end of the General Lyceum. They are written under the same conditions across the country, at the same time, and with the same papers for everyone. Students sit exams in subjects that belong to the study path they chose in the last years of the Lyceum, together with some common subjects such as Modern Greek language and literature. A mathematics paper tests calculus, including limits, derivatives, integrals and the main theorems about continuous and differentiable functions. The Modern Greek paper asks students to read a text, summarise it, analyse its language and write an essay. History papers ask students to explain the causes and the results of important events in Greek and world history.

The way subjects are grouped has been changed several times in recent years, and further changes have been announced, so students should always check the current rules and the list of subjects on the official website of the ministry. Results are given as a numerical mark. Each department of each university also sets which subjects count most for admission, so the same exam can lead to different admission marks for different courses.

University and college entry

Public universities and technical institutions in Greece are the main route into higher education. After the Panhellenic results are announced, students complete an electronic application form and list the departments they would like to enter, in order of preference. Each department has a limited number of places. Places are given to applicants in order of their admission mark, and the lowest mark that won a place in a department in a year is published as its admission base. Popular courses such as medicine and law normally have higher bases than others, and a student with a lower mark can still be placed in a course lower down on their list.

Some applicants use separate routes, for example candidates with disabilities or serious health conditions, applicants from Greek communities abroad, and graduates of vocational schools who follow special arrangements. Tuition at public universities is free for the first degree, although students pay for living costs and some study materials.

Studying in Greece as an international student

Students with foreign school-leaving qualifications usually need to have them recognised before applying, and the process depends on the qualification and the country that issued it. Most courses are taught in Greek, so universities generally ask for proof of Greek, while some master's courses are taught in English. Rules change, so contact the university or the ministry before planning an application.

State Certificate of Language Proficiency (KPG)

The State Certificate of Language Proficiency (Kratiko Pistopoiitiko Glossomatheias, or KPG) is Greece's national examination system for certifying foreign language proficiency, administered directly by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. Designed in alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), KPG examinations assess proficiency levels from B1/B2 (independent user) to C1/C2 (proficient user) across four key language competencies: reading comprehension and language awareness, writing production and mediation, listening comprehension, and speaking production and mediation. KPG English certificates are officially recognized across Greek public administration (ASEP) for civil service recruitment, by Greek universities for postgraduate admissions, and by private sector employers nationwide.

Practising on GetMyMockTest

These are practice questions we wrote for study. They are not the official exams, and we do not claim they match an exam's current format. Free practice for Greece:

• Panhellenic Examinations: mathematics, Modern Greek language and literature, and history of Greece, with timed tests and flashcards, along with the older mathematics bank.
• KPG English (State Certificate of Language Proficiency): practice in grammar and usage, vocabulary and collocations, reading comprehension, and critical reading with error analysis, accompanied by timed mock tests and vocabulary flashcards.
• Greek general knowledge: in-depth question banks covering history and politics, geography and nature, and science, arts and culture, with detailed fact-based explanations and flashcards.
• IELTS, Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma: international exams that many Greek and international applicants also take.