Information on Greece; its place geographically, history, government, climate, security, tourism and foreigners living in Greece…

Geography

Greece is located in south-eastern Europe, at the meeting point of three seas: the Ionian Sea to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea to the east.

The Greek Archipelago takes up 7,500 Km of the country’s total of 16,000 Km coastline, offering a highly diversified landscape of both sand and pebble beaches, sheltered bays and coves, coastal caves with steep rocks, and dark sand typical of volcanic soil and coastal wetlands.

Most of Greece’s islands are found in the Aegean Sea, and are divided into seven groups (from north to south): the north-eastern Aegean Islands, the Sporades, the prefecture of Evia which lies to the east of Athens and the mainland peninsular, the islands of Argosaronic, the Cyclades (a group of 56 islands), the Dodecanese and Crete

Beyond the Aegean, in the Ionian Sea the main islands, from north to south are Corfu, Lefkada, Ithaca, Kefallonia and Zakynthos, while Kythira is situated to the south of the Peloponnese peninsular.

Climate

Greece enjoys one of Europe’s warmest climates, with April, May, September and October being ideal times to visit. Southern Greece can be up to four degrees warmer than the north.

Greece has a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and a limited amount of rainfall. Due to the country’s geographical position, its rugged relief, and its distribution between the mainland and the sea, there is great variation in Greece’s climate.

In summer, the dry hot days are cooled by seasonal winds called the meltemi, while mountainous regions have generally lower temperatures.

The winters are mild in lowland areas, with a minimum amount of snow and ice, yet the mountains are usually snow-covered. Moreover, a common phenomenon is the occurrence of different climactic conditions during the same season (for instance, mild heat in coastal areas and cool temperatures in mountainous regions).

History

The first traces of human habitation in Greece date back to the Palaeolithic Age (approximately 11,000-3,000 BC). During the Bronze Age (3,000-1,200 BC) the advanced Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations flourished. This was followed by a dark age marked by invasions, but by the 6th to 4th centuries BC, Greece was enjoying a cultural and literary revival, known as The Classical Period, or Golden Age. This was followed by a long period of internal strife and power struggles, culminating in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) in which the Spartans defeated the Athenians. Both were later overshadowed by Macedonia, under the guidance of the twenty year old King Alexander, who united the Greeks in Asia Minor and conquered Greece’s enemy Persia, as well as Egypt and India. By then he was known as Alexander the Great and this era became known as the Hellenistic Age.

Roman incursions into Greece took place from 205 BC and Greece and Macedonia became Roman provinces by 146 BC. After the sub-division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western empires in 395 AD, Greece came under allegiance of the city of Constantinople, leading to the illustrious Byzantine age, during which time the foundations for Orthodox Christianity were laid. By 1500 almost all of Greece had fallen to the Ottoman Turks, but by the 19th century, as the Ottoman Empire was in decline, the Greeks fought the War of Independence (1821-1832). Britain, France and Russia intervened, installing Otto of Bavaria as king. His ambition, The Great Idea, was to reunite all the lands of the Greek people to the Greek motherland, but in 1862 he was peacefully ousted and the Greeks elected George I, a Danish prince, as their king.

In WW1 Greece’s prime minister Venizelos allied with France and Britain, which resulted in George’s son, King Constantine, who was married to the Kaiser’s sister Sophia, leaving the country. After the war The Great Idea was resurrected and Venizelos sent forces to occupy Smyrna (Izmir in Turkey), which had a predominantly Greek population. The army was repulsed and in 1923 there was a brutal population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

By 1930 George II, Constantine’s son, was reinstated as king and he appointed General Metaxas as prime minister. In refusing Mussolini’s request to allow Italian troops to cross Greece in 1940, he put Greece on the side of the allies. However, Greece fell to Germany in 1941, and resistance movements sprang up, divided into Royalist and Communist factions. This led to a civil war which lasted until 1949 and left the country in chaos. Political instability continued and in 1967 King Constantine fled the country. There followed a period of brutality and repression under the US-backed Regime of the Colonels, and after a failed assassination attempt on Cyprus’s leader Archbishop Makarios, he was replaced with convicted murderer Nicos Samson. This prompted mainland Turkey to occupy North Cyprus, whose continued occupation remains one of Greece’s most contentious issues. By 1974 the regime had crumbled and Greece became a republic, with the right-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) in power.

In 1981 Greece entered the European Community.

Politics and Government

Since 1975, democratic Greece has been a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state, elected for five year terms. The president and parliament, which has 300 deputies, have joint legislative power. The government is made up of a cabinet which includes a prime minister and 22 ministers.

The Greek two-party system is dominated by the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND) and the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). Other significant parties include the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) and the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS).

Greece is divided into regions and island groups. The regions of the mainland are Central Greece (officially called Sterea Elladha), Epiros, Macedonia, the Peloponnese, Thessaly and Thrace.

The island groups are the Argo-Saronic, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian, the North-Eastern Aegean, and the Sporades. The large islands of Evia and Crete do not belong to any group. For administrative purposes these regions and groups are divided into prefectures.

Economy

Traditionally Greece was an agricultural country, but today the importance of agriculture is declining, and tourism is Greece’s biggest industry, with shipping second, accounting for 4.5 percent of GDP. The Greek-owned maritime fleet is the largest in the world, with 3,079 vessels accounting for 18 percent of the world’s fleet capacity.

Greece has the lowest income per capita of all the EC countries other than Portugal. The financial crisis of the late 2000s hit Greece particularly hard; high public spending and widespread tax evasion, along with the credit crunch and the resulting recession, has left the country with a crippling debt burden.

Fearing defaults on debt payments, the eurozone countries have agreed on aid packages worth billions of euros to rescue Greece’s economy. This has led to huge cuts in public spending and tax increases, prompting fears of social unrest and instability.

Tourism

An important percentage of Greece’s income comes from tourism. In 2009, Greece had over 19.3 million tourists, and in 2011, Santorini was voted as ‘The World’s Best Island’ in Travel & Leisure Magazine, with Mykonos, its neighbouring island, taking fifth place.

Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, the Dodecanese and the Cylades are some of the famous and popular islands and island clusters in Greece.

Away from the beaches, Greece is also renowned for its archaeological sites, of which Delphi, Knossos, the Acropolis and Olympia are the most popular:

Delphi, in central Greece, is set on Mount Parnosos, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. It was believed by the ancient Greeks to be the centre of the world, and its grandest building, the Temple of Apollo, was the most important oracle, with kings, generals, politicians and pilgrims consulting it during the nine warmest months of each year.

Knossos is the most magnificent of Crete’s Minoan sites. In 1900 its ruins were discovered by the British archaeologist Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941), who subsequently spent a fortune reconstructing some of the buildings. The site consists of a vast palace (22,000m2), which was both a royal residence and the political and ceremonial centre of Minoan culture, and includes courtyards, banquet rooms, private living quarters, religious areas and storage rooms.

The Acropolis in Athens was rebuilt during the city’s golden age in the 5th century BC. South of the entrance stands the temple of Athena Nike, built in commemoration of the victory of the Greeks against the Persians. The Parthenon was completed in 438 BC and dedicated to Athena, patron of the city of Athens.

Olympia, on the Peloponnese peninsular, is the shrine of Zeus, in whose honour the Olympic Games were held every four years.

Security

The crime rate in Greece is one of the lowest in the European Union, but while violent crime is rare, petty theft, car theft and burglaries are on the rise, mostly in central Athens.

Foreigners/expats

Greece’s large coastline and multiple islands mean that policing the entry of migrants is difficult, but it is believed that Albanian migrants make up about 70 percent of foreigners living in Greece, while recent immigrant groups have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and the former Yugoslavian countries.

The most popular places for expatriates to live include Athens, the Peloponnese peninsula and Thessaloniki, as well as the islands of Corfu, Crete and Rhodes, which are popular with retirees.

Located on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is the place which lies at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. This historic nation is a hub for philosophers, thinkers and historians. For such a long affiliation with education, Greece is regarded as one of the leading spaces of global learning and study abroad destination. It is also known as the birthplace of academia. Moreover, Greek history proves that the country always values and invests in education. The first European institution described as a university was founded in Greece and is known as the University of Constantinople

 The country is broadly divided into nine regions and includes 227 residential islands. This created the longest coastlines with an enjoyable Mediterranean summer. 

Education System in Greece

The Greek government offers free public education to all citizens, including immigrants living in Greece permanently. According to a recent estimation, above 90% of schools in Greece are public and similarly more than 90% of pupils attend a public institution in Greece. There are also private institutions in Greece. These institutes render curriculum in Greek as well as in other languages and educational programs. However, only 7% of pupils attend compulsory education in private institutions. Similar to other countries, primary and higher secondary education is completed in12 years. Tertiary education, however, is grouped into the non-university level, university level first stage, university-level second stage and university level third stage.

Higher Education in Greece 2021

Higher education is governed by state laws. Some private institutions also provide tertiary education to both national and international students. There are branches of foreign universities and colleges in Greece, especially from the United States and the UK. These institutions offer degrees accepted by the education system of the parent country. Public institutes in Greece are generally free but private schooling charge a higher amount as tuition fees. There is a set grading system in Greek institutes. It is based on the numeric scale 1-10 where 10 is excellent, and pass/fail borders at 5

The Degree Levels

The first level of university study will render the undergraduate degrees to students which are natively called the Ptychio degrees. The course of study generally consists of a four-year program. However, in some particular or professional fields such as medical sciences and engineering, it could take five years. For a medical doctor program, it could exceed twelve years. These study programs allow students to pick some electives along with their compulsory courses. After the bachelor’s program students can continue their study to seek a masters degree. The education system in Greece also allow some hours of part-time employment for students

The second stage means entry into the first level of postgraduate studies. This will take a minimum of two years to complete and the student then achieves the Metaptychiako Díploma Exidíkefsis, (Postgraduate Diploma of Specialization).

The third stage in Greece education system will grant a doctoral degree to prospective student. This doctorate degree is called Didaktoriko in Greek. It is mandatory to submit a thesis based on original research to gain the third level degree from a Greek university

Nearly all graduate programs in Greek universities charge no tuition fees, however, masters and PhD programs are offered in affordable costs.

Universities in Greece for Students 2021

Greece homes around 24 main universities and 16 technical universities. Most of these universities are public. As an EU-nation, Greece is a member of the Bologna process so students can easily transfer ECTS credits. Moreover, Greece resides in popular high-ranking institutions such as the University of Crete and the University of Loannina. Some of the highly ranked universities in Greece include

• University of Crete

• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

• Athens University of Economics and Business

• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

• University of Ioannina

• The University of Patras

Courses to Study in Greece

Greece is a popular study destination for subjects like engineering and aviation. Besides these scientific studies, Greece is popular for its unconventional courses. Students who want to deviate from the norm and choose some unique subjects in their study courses should consider studying in Greece. These study courses include Environmental Studies, Urbanism Sustainability, Archaeology, History, Philosophy, Religion, Classical & Modern Literature and languages, Art s& Architecture etc.

Language of Instruction

Most of the study courses are offered in Greek language especially in graduate programs .However, there are many English taught programs at Masters and Doctoral level. To take admission in any of these courses a prior language proficiency certification is necessary

Student Cities in Greece

There are three most popular student cities in Greece. It includes Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion (Crete). Athens is the capital city of Greece. This busiest European city resides around 4 million citizens. Renowned universities in Athens include the National Technical University of Athens, Athens University of Economics and Business and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Athens is also listed in the QS Best Student Cities and it is also known as the most affordable city for students. Thessaloniki is Greece’s second-largest city, it is also known as the administrative capital of Macedonia. Thessaloniki resides the second highest-ranked university in Greece, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Another renowned university in Thessaloniki is the University of Macedonia. The third student city is Heraklion (Crete). It is the administrative capital of the island of Crete (the largest Greek island). Crete, in fact, is the fourth-largest city in Greece. Heraklion homes one of the two campuses of the University of Crete .the second campus is located in the town of Rethymnon. The Technological Educational Institute of Crete is also located in Heraklion.

Scholarships in Greece

There are many scholarships and financial aids offered to international students, especially from developing countries. Though most of these scholarships are offered at masters level, yet students can search for meaningful scholarships at the graduate level also.

Part-time Jobs for Students

International Students can work Part Time in order to finance education and other requirements. This part-time employment helps student to get exposed to the practical world and gain a positive experience. Greek colleges and universities also provide internships to the students as a part of the study program. Thus, students can also earn through these paid internships

Life in Greece

Greece is selected as the study destination because it is one of the cheapest countries in Europe for international students and tourists. According to a recent estimation around 400-700 EUR/month is required to spend an average living. This includes reasonable accommodation and other necessities. This living cost is quite affordable as compared to other European study destinations like Germany or France. Average monthly living costs In the stated countries is no less than 1,000 Euros.

Greece is known for its rich history. The scenic beauty of Greece includes sandy beaches and lively islands. The picturesque countryside and pleasant weather make the destination a tourist favorite.

Greece also offers tempting cuisines. International students can get the opportunity to taste the mouthwatering souvlaki and gyros, with a savor of famous tzatziki sauce. The blend of cucumber, yoghurt, garlic and olive oil is unique and matchless. The Greece public health care is available in low cost. However students have to buy a health insurance while living in Greece. The country also offers miscellaneous sightseeing and adventure-seeking, activities. Shopping malls, swift transportation as well as entertainment opportunities make Greece the favorite study destination for international students.

The academic year in Greece generally begins in early September every year and ends in August of the following year.

The academic curriculum per year is set in two semesters

• The fall semester

• The spring semester,

Each semester comprises nearly 13 weeks of teaching and about two to three weeks of exams.

At the end of each semester prior to the beginning of exam students are allowed to evaluate their study courses and teachers. This is done to bring improvement in the teaching strategies and course content.

Admissions of International Students In Greece Universities 2021

The Greek education policy for admission of a foreign student who wants to study abroad in Greece, strictly focuses that the candidates can only be admitted to Higher Education in Greece if neither the candidate nor his/her parents have the Greek nationality or citizenship. These international candidates have to submit their documents to the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. Moreover, they will fill in the candidate’s application online entry form. The form should clearly mention the preferred Faculties and the Departments in which the international student want to take admission.

Before filing the application form, all foreign candidates must follow the general instructions for the admission to Higher Education in Greece for foreigners including graduates of non-E.U. Lyceums and graduates of lyceums or equivalent schools of member states of the E.U.

The Application Procedure for Admission to Greece Universities

The application procedure for admission to Greece universities of foreigners of non-Greek origin is carried out electronically by a valid information system. The system is however available electronically during the specified dates. Students can check the official website 

 The application submission should be done prior to the given deadline

The students are also required to submit the required documents along with the application

The documents must be translated into Greek. These documents are then verified by Greek diplomatic authority abroad like consulate in your home country or by the Translation Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Greece

Remember that after the deadline, the electronic system is locked and no applications will be accepted.

The Ministry of Education website will announce the results of selected candidates. Students can check their names via their Candidate Code and their initials.

Admission in Bachelor’s Program in Greece Universities 2021

To pursue study for a first cycle Greek degree, that is a bachelor’s program, the student has to complete the course in eight to ten semesters, however, a medical school student complete his/her graduate degree course after twelve semesters.

The Documents required for taking admission in a Greek bachelor’s program 2021:

• One signed soft copy of Application PRINTED BY THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

• One signed soft copy of the Official Statement PRINTED BY THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

• A photocopy of the graduation/high school certificate with official translation approved by, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy or the Consulate of the foreign country in Greece

• One (1) photocopy of the certificate of equivalence and correspondence of the candidate’s high school certificate, approved by the Directorates of Secondary Education or by the Counselors at the Education Offices of the Greek Embassies.

• One (1) ID card type photograph

• Transcript of records with your GPA;

• Language proficiency certification either in Greek or in English

• Bank statement or other financial proofs

• One photocopy of passport or ID card or other documents with photographs that certifies the identity of the candidate

• Application-entry form will be then submitted along with the other documents to the secretariat of the preferred university where the student gets admission. The university authorities then check the documents in order to proceed the registration formalities.

Once your admission is confirmed and the student receive the acceptance letter, he/she has to apply for a Greece Student Visa for all bachelor’s Master’s or PhD program

Applying for a Masters in Greece Universities 2021

The postgraduate studies provide students with the option to specialize in their relevant academic field. The master courses are available for both national and foreign students, especially who graduates from Greek higher education institutes or accredited equivalent institutes from abroad. Generally, most masters programs begin in autumn, therefore, deadlines for application lie in May-July. Master’s degrees take two years to complete. Similar to the first cycle plan, the academic year in Greece consists of two semesters, with 16 weeks duration in which teaching continues for 13 weeks while 3 weeks period is taken for the conduction of exams.

Students who are not studying on scholarships have to pay the tuition fee of around €11,000 to €16,000 per year.

There is no set admission policy regarding the Master’s admission of international students in Greece. Each institution has established its own regulation regarding the admission criteria. Obviously, an authorized Bachelor’s degree or equivalent first cycle qualification is required. Moreover, the achieved grade will define where the student stands in the competitive scenario

The European Commission’s National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) in Greece helps with the validation of foreign qualifications. The international and admissions offices at your prospective institution may also be helpful for international students

Language requirements

Generally, first cycle study programs are offered in the Greek language, however, many English-taught masters programs are available for international students. Students, therefore, have to provide a language proficiency certification like IELTS, TOEFL,GRE,GMAT or ACT scores for the English language prior to taking the admission.

Documents required for a Master’s degree program admission in Greece Universities

• Online Application Form available at the institution’s website

• The first cycle or bachelor’s degree with an equivalency is mandatory along with its translation.

• One or two specified size Photographs

• An Application Fee usually 50 Euros

• Previous academic Records;

• Proof of English or Greek language skills

• Personal Statement

PhD Courses and Requirements For Greece Universities

A third-cycle study program leads to a Ph D degree. The policies of admission are the same as the academic system adopted across Europe through the Bologna Process.

Greece Tertiary education is divided into four scientific fields: Humanities, Law and Social Sciences; Natural and Technological Sciences; Health and Life Sciences and Sciences of Economy and Informatics.

Types of PhD in Greece

There are two types of PhD degrees awarded in Greece,

• Traditional PhD program is a 3-year pure research period with no teaching or lectures

• American system PhD program” It is a Masters turned PhD program which takes 4-5 years to complete. In this program, students have to attend lectures and seminars for one year

The traditional PhD program is more common. Students generally apply with a research proposal with their own project ideas.

PhD Program Duration

The Greek academic year for PhD programs runs for a full –year that is from September to August. The academic year comprises two semesters.

According to the European Bologna Process System, the minimum length to complete a PhD program is 3-years full-time.

However, this period of PhD varies significantly depending upon r academic departments And field of study. Technical and Applied Science subjects take 3-years to complete, while 4-6 years are required to complete a PhD degree in Social Sciences and Arts.

The PhD process in Greece Institutes

In the “American system,” PhD programs lectures and seminars are conducted in the first year rendering a masters degree. The research project will begin in the second year. Your research project is not completed without the submission of a thesis.

However, in case of a traditional PhD, students entirely focus on their research and the whole 3-years is taken to complete a thesis

For the “American system” PhD programs within Greece, you will spend the first three years completing lectures and seminars related to your research. In the second year of the PhD program, the research project will begin, with the first year being similar to a Masters course, awarding a Masters qualification. The research project is however concluded after the submission of a thesis.

Moreover, in a traditional PhD program, students will focus on their research and will spend the 3-years in completion of the thesis.

A relevant supervisor is appointed for each doctoral candidate. The supervisor will guide the student about thesis writing. This supervisor will be one of three members of the Academic Advisory Committee appointed for the assessment processes of the student’s PhD.

Generally, Non-EU students, who are not admitted on a scholarship program, have to pay around €1,500 per year as PhD tuition fee

Entry requirements

Greece universities have set their own admission requirements for doctoral candidates

General Requirements and Documents

• Application form with proposed research title, the language of the thesis and your suggested supervisor

• Masters or second cycle degree from Greece or recognized foreign university

• All previous academic transcripts and degree certificates translated in Greek via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Service or a lawyer certified for translations

• PhD. Students from countries outside of the EU will need equivalency certificates of their qualification

• Language proficiency certification

• Bank statement or other financial proof

• Reference letters if employed

• Personal statement

• CV with two academic references from professors you have studied under

• Thesis draft. This draft is simply a research proposal

The applications are submitted to the Secretary of the department you are applying to research for your PhD degree.

Living in a foreign country is fairly expensive especially in a European country. The current recession in Greece has increased the prices of general living for both local and international residents. The study abroad students, studying in Greece has also encountered such inflation. The following are the study and living cost; a non-EU international student has to bear in Greece.

Study Cost in Greece

Application fees

If you are applying to a Greece university, you might not have to pay any applicable processing fees. Though it is not mandatory some private universities might charge the student. The amount is set by each individual institution.

Language certification Charges

To take admission in Greece, the student has to show his/her proficiency in either Greek or in English. For this, the student has to pass certain tests. To take some courses for learning either Greek or English courses the student needs some tuition fees. This is around 120USD Rs. However the test like IELTS, TOEFL etc also costs around  150USD

Registration Fees:

Once your admission is confirmed the University might ask you to deposit some Registration fees. The amount varies according to the course and institution.

Financial Deposits:

Sometimes especially for the master’s program the university authorities might ask a student to show certain saved amount in your bank account. Though the student does not spent it, yet he has to show it as his financial stability proof

Student Visa Fees of Greece for Students

Next step is to apply for a Greece student visa. Each category of visa implies some visa fees. This is around Euro 60.

Additional charges include photocopy charges, scanning charges, printing charges translation and registration charges of various documents.

Air Fare

The one-way air route to Greece costs around1lac Pakistan Rs. There might be some cheap options depending upon the route of flight.

Tuition Fees

Master programs Greece generally charge tuition fees from both local and international students. For the Bachelor’s program, there is no tuition fee for local and other EU countries students. However, students from non-EU countries have to pay a tuition fee of around 1500€ every year for all study programs plus course textbooks. the tuition fees vary depending on the course and degree program

Latest Scholarships in Greece for Students 2021

There are not many scholarships available to study in Greece for Pakistani or non-EU students, especially at the bachelor’s level. Available scholarships might or might not fully -funded and does not cover accommodation and health insurance.

Cost of Living in Greece

It is estimated that the cost of living in Athens is approximately €700 per month for all expenses. In big cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki, the international students generally, reside in private rental flats and student hostels. The prices of these are different but the minimum rates are €300 per month. The cost of renting a 1-bedroom apartment is a little bit low as within the city area it costs around €275 while in the suburbs the cost is €241. A furnished or well-equipped apartment starts from Euro 350 per month

One restaurant meal costs around Euro 10. The other grocery items do not cost very high but due to the currency difference from the home country, it could be a burden for international students from non-EU country.1litre of milk cost around 1 Euro while a dozen eggs are around 3 Euros. A cup of coffee is available in 3 Euros. A bottle of water cost .5 Euros

1 litre of gas is available for 1.6 Euros while the monthly transportation ticket is available at around 35 Euros per month. A cinema ticket can cost around Euro 15 however discounts are available for students at every place. Yet, it is estimated that an international student should have around 750-800 Euros per month to spend on living

Study In Greece Questions