25 Best Universities In Greece For International Students 2024

If you are looking to study in Greece, you are surely making a great choice. This location has a lot to offer for international students, including world-class universities and exciting student experiences. With more than 28 universities and colleges in Greece, you’ll surely have a wide range of choices.

Out of 28 universities in Greece, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki are the top-performing schools in Greece. This list covers both public and private institutions in Greece.

To help you narrow down your school options, we’ve compiled the best universities in Greece. We based our rankings on academic reputations from reputable sources and the number of international students. By doing this, you’ll have an efficient way of comparing your target universities and choose your host university in Greece.

How do I get admission to the best universities in Greece?

Applying to the universities in Greece involves submitting requirements and following specific admissions procedures set by your chosen university. The requirements often include a student visa, application packages, and language scores. Check out our guide for international students who want to study in Greece to learn more about applying for admission in this country’s universities!

How much are the tuition fees at the best universities in Greece?

Tuition fees at Greece’s universities can vary depending on which university, degree, and program you will be enrolling in. Generally, tuition fees for the bachelor’s level range from 0 Euros to 11,300 Euros , while tuition fees for the master’s level range from 0 Euros to 11,700 Euros. If you are interested, check out the affordable universities in Greece!

As we cover the best universities in Greece for international students, feel free to check out the university’s information on Admission, Tuition, Courses, and Language Requirements by looking at the individual university pages.

Top Universities in Greece for International Students

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has some significant accomplishments. It is one of Greece’s top universities, one of the oldest in its region, and one of the largest in Europe. By these alone, it’s apparent what a significant role the University of Athens has played in shaping academic tradition and culture in the country. It has contributed a lot in the past, and it’s only expected to give more in the future.

Besides being the home to more than 80,000 students, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is the most prominent university in Greece because of its high quality of education. The programs it offers are diverse, ranging from economics to medicine. Each is geared towards research, excellence, inclusivity, and more, as reflected in the institution’s vision and mission. AUTH also values international presence by making valuable connections to global institutions and offering programs in foreign languages of instruction, such as English and Italian. These are just a few things that have made AUTH top the national charts, and it only promises to do more in the future.

The National Technical University of Athens, which is also referred to as the Athens Polytechnic, is the best place for aspiring engineers in Greece. Its teaching prowess in the field is unmatched in the country and is among the best worldwide. This is evidenced by global rankings, such as the QS World Ranking for Civil and Structural Engineering, in which the university placed 50th. NTUA also fared well in the US News rankings for chemical, civil, electrical, and electronic engineering.

The island of Crete, one of Greece’s most populated regions, hosts the prestigious University of Crete, a world-renowned institution that offers programs encompassing multiple disciplines and study levels. Students may study on either of the two campuses: Gallos in Rethymnon and Voutes in Heraklion. Besides honing their academic knowledge and skills, students are also involved in the university’s advocacy, which is quality research. Such is the institution’s dedication to research that it collaborates with universities worldwide to expand techniques, resources, and opportunities.

The University of Patras stands in the ranks of Greece’s most prestigious universities. It is especially renowned for its chemical engineering program, which ranked 251st in the QS Ranking By Subject 2022. Based on US News rankings, the institution also fares well in other engineering fields, chemistry, medicine, computer science, geosciences, and material science. But the university’s degree offerings aren’t limited to those subjects. Indeed, the University of Patras offers courses that encompass the humanities, arts, business, and sciences and make them available at undergraduate and graduate levels.

The University of Ioannina, one of the world’s best for medical education, ranked 451st in the QS University Rankings by Subject and 662nd in the US News ranking for clinical medicine. However, UoI’s expertise goes beyond the medical field. Indeed, its selection of courses displays diversity, encompassing the fine arts to the technical sciences.

Such excellence may be traced to the fact that UoI began as a charter of another prestigious Greek university: the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. It was only in 1970 that the University of Ioannina became an independent institution.

The Athens University of Economics and Business is one of Greece’s most specialized institutions. Since it was founded in 1920, it has focused on business studies and was appropriately named the Athens School of Commercial Studies. Such a choice of expertise may be because its origins are traced back to a merchant academy.

Besides specialization, another aspect that sets the AUEB apart is that it provides English-taught programs, albeit for the graduate level. It is a step towards internationalization and globalization, which are essential concepts in business.

Focusing on the youth, research, and innovation, the University of the Aegean is a public school with schools and departments on six islands in the Aegean sea. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies. All undergraduate programs are taught in Greek, but students may take up language programs in Greek, Chinese, and French. While integrating and developing local and international students are essential, the university goes beyond expectations by contributing to scholarly research. Research conferences, events, and scientific journals are regularly conducted and produced in the university, with a mission to innovate education for all.

The University of Thessaly offers undergraduate and postgraduate education at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate levels. It has around ten schools that handle programs in different fields of study. Most of these programs are interdepartmental, allowing students to receive multidisciplinary education. Aside from the traditional academic programs, internships and foreign language programs are also available for those who seek them.

The Democritus University of Thrace was named after a Greek philosopher who hailed from Xanthi, a city where one can find a DUTh campus. When the university first opened, it only offered two disciplines: civil engineering and law. Now, the institution has expanded to offer diverse courses across multiple campuses. It has locations in Xanthi, Komotini, Alexandroupoli, and Orestiada.

The number of campuses and diversity of programs allowed the university to grow to more than 29,000 students. This figure makes it one of the most prominent in Greece. Meanwhile, its impressive worldwide assessment rankings make it one of the most prestigious.

The Technical University of Crete is a university that focuses on high-quality education in the region of Kounoupidiana, Greece. This university was founded in 1977 based on the need for a new university with innovative methods of teaching that could attract both domestic and international students. Compared to others, the main advantage of this university is that it focuses on professional directions that can make students experts in any desired field of study.

One of the younger universities in Greece, the University of West Attica is a reputable educational institution founded in 2018. It is a public university with around 26 undergraduate and 67 graduate programs. Student services such as accommodations, restaurants, and healthcare are available to ease campus life. The university also sees research as an integral part of its function, with laboratories, committees, and projects specifically made for it.

The University of Piraeus was established in 1938 in a port city in Greece’s Attica region. This university’s study programs are very diverse, with courses such as economic and business strategy, maritime, and tourism studies available. The institution intends to improve its ranking and attract more international and domestic attention.

The University of Macedonia is a public research university in Thessaloniki, Greece. This university was established in 1957 and continues to serve as the primary university in this region, where domestic and international students can study in various accredited programs such as law, economics, and art. This university is unique because it serves as a focal point for the country’s identity and educational development, and for that reason, it attracts a large number of domestic students.

As stated by its name, the Agricultural University of Athens is in Athens, Greece’s capital. This institution of higher education was founded around 100 years ago, more precisely in 1920, and it is among the oldest universities focused on this field of study. Crop science and biotechnology are this university’s main areas of study and attract the largest number of students.

The International Hellenic University stands out among Greek academic institutions for several reasons. It was the first public university to teach all courses in English only and continues to implement such. Also, it primarily caters to graduate students, specifically those pursuing master’s studies. However, it plans to launch a sole, English-taught bachelor’s program.

IHU also offers master’s programs in collaboration with other universities. This opens many opportunities for its students and has the potential to spark impactful partnerships between involved institutions.

Harokopio University is a research university that is relatively young in its journey. This university was established in 1990 and focused on many different fields, making it a perfect location for the educational growth of many students. Some of this university’s most popular study programs are informatics and telematics, geography, health science, and education.

Last 2019, the University of Western Macedonia underwent a significant change when it merged with the former Technological Education Institute of Western Macedonia. But instead of impeding progress, such a combination of elite institutions promoted the university’s growth. The merger also allowed UoWM to welcome more students and provide them with excellent education and opportunities.

As UoWM moves on bigger and better, it strives to achieve its goals, which are to develop education and culture, contribute to economic advancement, and enable a just and open society.

The University of Peloponnese is a public educational institution established to provide world-class programs to contribute to the academic development of the region. The university is also committed to conducting scientific research and regularly modifies its courses based on recent discoveries. It is also internationally recognized for producing numerous outstanding publications in the natural sciences, engineering, and technology.

Find the balance between Western and European education at the American College of Greece. What began as a primary education school for girls has become a prestigious private college for American education. Besides offering liberal arts, sciences, business, and fine arts courses, ACG also plays a critical role as the intermediary between Northern America and Europe. After all, it is the oldest and largest US-accredited institution on the continent.

Panteion University is a public higher education institution that offers interdisciplinary political and social sciences programs. It was established in 1937 and has played a vital role in the country’s social, economic, and political development. The university is also dedicated to conducting scientific research to understand different national and international issues further and formulate solutions to address them.

Ionian University is a public educational institution dedicated to promoting intellectual and cultural cultivation and development in Greece. It offers degrees in different areas of social sciences, technology, and art. The university also encourages international mobility among its students and faculty and provides various opportunities for studying, training, and working abroad. 

Having served quality education for almost two centuries, Athens School of Fine Arts is a reputable university open to everyone. It has two departments: one for the fine arts and the other for the history and theory of art. These departments handle all Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs offered at the university. All students receive good services in healthcare and housing.

The Anatolia College or American College is comprised of different sub-divisions. Each one provides a certain level of education, and one such unit is the American College of Thessaloniki, which offers tertiary programs primarily to students of Anatolia College. It is an excellent place in Greece to pursue a US-accredited degree. Besides the quality of education, this school allows students to experience a multicultural environment. They get exposed to Greek tradition and heritage while staying connected to American philosophy and practices.

Technological Educational Institute of Central Greece is committed to providing professional education to students. The scope of education covers multiple disciplines, such as health, welfare, and management. It also promises its constituents various cultural, sports, and social activities. All students are afforded different social benefits, including dental care, housing, and scholarships.