What is the University system like in Greece?

[nadellii]

I know that many European countries are very different than the university and college system in the United States. What is the process for entering into a university in Greece? And are the universities and colleges open to international students? I would love to hear from any Greek students or international student studying in Greece.

 

[ellinasgolfer0320]

In high school you start preparing for panellinies (similar to the ACT/SAT for college) about 1-2 years in advance. Panellinies is a series of 4-5 tests that you're required to take to get into college, but the path you choose to study in high school determines the type of subjects on your tests for Panellinies. Your overall score on panellinies will determine which college and ultimately what career you have. A medical school will say "we only accept a panellinies score of 20" and a school to become a police office might have a score of 15. After you receive your score, in August you will check to see what scores each college is requiring for admittance into the school - each year this score changes because it's based on how everyone does in Greece that year. The max score is 20.

What's different about Greece than other countries like the USA, AUS, or CAN is that you don't need an undergraduate degree to become a doctor or a lawyer. Once you graduate high school, and if your panellinies score is high enough, you can go straight to medical school or law school.

Can international students go to college in Greece? Yes, but most colleges will require you to speak fluent Greek, but there are some colleges that are English speaking (e.g. American College of Thessaloniki).

Ask away with questions. My SO, took panellinies, went to college in Greece, and graduated from a college there. She graduated a few years ago, so she's fairly up-to-date on how the system works.

Also, something random, you can legally drop out of school at 15 in Greece and not finish high school.

 

[Damiano]

I heard that in the last year of high school there is a big final test, there are final tests in the other years too or just in the last one?
Also what university faculties there are in Athens?

 

[acamp7]

I heard that in the last year of high school there is a big final test, there are final tests in the other years too or just in the last one?
Also what university faculties there are in Athens?

Yes, this test is called the "panellinies" that is mentioned above. I'm not sure if it is in the last two years or just the last one...I think they have changed it a few times throughout the years.

 

[acamp7]

In high school you start preparing for panellinies (similar to the ACT/SAT for college) about 1-2 years in advance. Panellinies is a series of 4-5 tests that you're required to take to get into college, but the path you choose to study in high school determines the type of subjects on your tests for Panellinies. Your overall score on panellinies will determine which college and ultimately what career you have. A medical school will say "we only accept a panellinies score of 20" and a school to become a police office might have a score of 15. After you receive your score, in August you will check to see what scores each college is requiring for admittance into the school - each year this score changes because it's based on how everyone does in Greece that year. The max score is 20.

What's different about Greece than other countries like the USA, AUS, or CAN is that you don't need an undergraduate degree to become a doctor or a lawyer. Once you graduate high school, and if your panellinies score is high enough, you can go straight to medical school or law school.

Can international students go to college in Greece? Yes, but most colleges will require you to speak fluent Greek, but there are some colleges that are English speaking (e.g. American College of Thessaloniki).

Ask away with questions. My SO, took panellinies, went to college in Greece, and graduated from a college there. She graduated a few years ago, so she's fairly up-to-date on how the system works.

Also, something random, you can legally drop out of school at 15 in Greece and not finish high school.

I personally completely agree with the fact that people go straight into law school or medical school. Why waste so much time on taking "core classes" like you do in the United States. Some skills are so unnecessary for these jobs but the American schools force you to take them as a part of your first year curriculum. I think it's just a way for American colleges to get money because they're technically businesses and not public universities like in Greece

 

[k_tsoukalas]

This is interesting - sounds so different from the education system in the United States!

 

[Smokestestack]

As I've heard, there are some English-speaking options, like the American College of Thessaloniki, so it's not impossible. Honestly, the whole setup there feels way different from what you'd see in the U.S. or other places, so you'd probably want to get familiar with how things work before jumping in.
If college isn't your thing or you're looking for something more hands-on, there are plenty of other ways to build a career. Like, I know someone who got into locksmithing and went the certification route instead of the whole university grind. You can Get Licensed as an Institutional Locksmith and it can lead straight to solid work without all the extra years of schooling.