Greece is home to some of the most famous historical philosophers, such as Hippocrates, Archimedes, and Aristotle. Because of this, the country has long enjoyed the moniker ‘the cradle of Western civilization.’ Meanwhile, Greek universities are not so stuck in the country’s past academic glory as they continue to grow and keep up with the ever-changing modern world.
Public universities in Greece offer free education to Greek nationals, but some extend such benefits even to international students. Private universities, on the other hand, offer relatively cheaper education compared to their European counterparts. In addition, international students can also benefit from numerous scholarships. Here, we will go over the most affordable universities in Greece for international students.
As part of the EU, Greek universities also participate actively in the Erasmus Mundus exchange program and other national and international collaboration projects, which help students and teaching staff learn in a more global setting.
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Cheap Universities in Greece
1. University of Crete
- Tuition Fees for Undergraduate Programs: free
- Tuition Fees for Graduate Programs: €2,400 – €6,000
The University of Crete is a young public university, which opened in 1973. It is currently home to over 20,000 students—part of which are Erasmus Mundus program participants.
This affordable university in Greece does not charge tuition fees for any undergraduate or Ph.D. courses for domestic and international students. However, it does charge tuition fees on a few postgraduate courses under the School of Medicine, such as Oncology, Optics & Vision, Biomedical Engineering, and Emergency & Intensive Care for Children Adolescents, & Young Adults.
In addition, it also charges tuition for the Economics program: Technology, Innovation, Management & Entrepreneurship (TIME MBE), which it conducts in partnership with the University of Cyprus and Wageningen University. Some Primary and Preschool Education programs also charge tuition fees.
2. University of Macedonia
- Tuition Fees for Undergraduate Programs: $1000 USD (estimated)
- Tuition Fees for Graduate Programs: $1000 USD (estimated)
The University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki was founded in 1948 but started operations in 1957. It used to be known as the Graduate School of Industrial Studies of Thessaloniki. Today, the university continues to strengthen its postgraduate programs by adapting to the labor market demands and, in turn, generating high career opportunities and success for its alumni.
The University of Macedonia also collaborates with large companies and organizations for the further professional growth of its research staff and faculty.
It currently has around 12,000 students studying under eight departments spread into four schools: Business Administration, Economic & Regional Studies, Information Sciences, and Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts.
3. Athens University of Economics and Business
The Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) began operating in 1920, tailored after the University of Lausanne’s School of Economics. It is one of the oldest universities in Greece and stands out among other business schools in the country.
This affordable university in Greece hosts over 11,000 students and provides multiple English-taught courses to cater to its international students—many of which are from Erasmus+ exchange programs. It also has collaborations with renowned universities outside of the EU.
In addition to the university’s good academic reputation, its location in Athens also makes it an attractive destination for international students. They can enjoy the blend of historical and modern architecture in a vibrant city rich in culture and growth.
4. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), founded in 1837 as part of the Greek Revolution, is another cheap university in Greece. Its long history has made it adept at changing with the times to meet the demands of modern society and the world.
NKUA aims to expand its influence and connections globally by attracting international talents in its student body and teaching staff.
Today, the university boasts of a wide array of programs ranging from arts to sciences to cater to its large number of active students—over 68,000, including 7,600 international students. It also has Master’s Programs in various languages to promote diversity in the university.
5. Technical University of Crete
The Technical University of Crete was officially established in 1977 but began operations in 1984 with 120 students under the Production Engineering and Management Department. TUC’s emblem shows Daedalus, a symbolic representation of the university’s specialty in architecture and engineering.
This affordable university in Greece offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in each of its five schools: Architecture, Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mineral Resources Engineering, and Production Engineering & Management.
TUC conducts and delivers high-quality research in cooperation with domestic and international organizations and companies where the students can acquire significant training for a future career in research and the industry.
6. University of Patras
- Tuition Fees for Graduate Programs: €5,000 (estimated)
The University of Patras ranks high in national and global university rankings in various areas of studies, such as Engineering, Life Sciences, Management, and Natural Sciences. It is no surprise as the university puts equal emphasis on the importance of education and research.
This affordable university in Greece was founded in 1964 and began operations two years later. It started with the aim of providing high-quality higher education to contribute to the modernization of the Greek education system, and it was able to do so successfully. Now, the university hosts among the biggest student population in Greece, with almost 35,000 students.
7. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
- Tuition Fees for Graduate Programs: €5,000 (estimated)
The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki began providing education under the Faculty of Philosophy in 1926 in the midst of political upset in the country, followed by the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics a year later. Today, it is one of the most prestigious universities in Greece and has 41 schools under 11 faculties for undergraduate students.
It offers scholarships for Greek language courses and international students registered full-time in any of the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, domestic and international students with financial difficulties can benefit from the university Student Club’s free meals, counseling, and accommodation.
