Greek Language Requirements for Universities in Greece: the B2 Certificate

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Greek-taught programmes in Greece are free, but they come with a language condition. If you enter through the ministry's route for foreign school graduates, you need a Greek language certificate to enrol. This guide covers what the ministry accepts, how the main exam works and where English-taught programmes differ.

When the requirement applies

The ministry's 2025 instructions for foreign candidates say admitted candidates must hold a certificate showing their command of Greek in order to register. The same condition appears in Law 5094/2024 for non-EU students entering Greek-language programmes outside the normal routes, which requires level B2 or higher. The law also lets universities offer Greek courses in the first year, and courses in other languages that foreign students may attend in the first year.

You do not need a certificate if your leaving certificate comes from a Cypriot lyceum, or from a foreign school and shows that you were taught and examined in Greek.

English-taught programmes do not ask for Greek. They ask for English instead; see bachelor's degrees in English in Greece and IELTS and TOEFL for European universities.

Which certificates count

According to the instructions, the certificate must be one of:

the certificate issued after exams by the University of Athens
the certificate issued after exams by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
a B2 certificate from the Centre for the Greek Language

B2 is the Council of Europe level described in CEFR levels for university. The University of Athens says its proficiency certificate carries no grades and is officially recognised for enrolment in Greek universities and for public-sector recruitment contests.

The University of Athens B2 exam

The School of Modern Greek Language at the University of Athens runs the B2 certification exams in May and September. Details from its pages:

The exam has an oral and a written part, held on two different days, and you must pass both.
Anyone who has finished secondary school abroad, or a non-Greek-language lyceum in Greece, can sit it. Holders of a Greek lyceum diploma cannot.
The fee for a first attempt is €70 for enrolled students and €80 for others. A retake costs €50.
Non-students apply electronically with an application form, an apostilled or certified diploma with a Greek translation, a photo, an identity document or passport and proof of payment.
The page also says a valid entry visa is required, so a non-EU applicant needs the visa before registering.

The ministry's instructions add that the Thessaloniki exams are held in June and October at the School of Modern Greek Language of the Aristotle University, and that the Centre for the Greek Language holds its B2 exam in May. The ministry advises contacting the university at least a month before the exam to check dates. The Centre for the Greek Language published its next certification round as May 2027 on its website, and its October 2026 session covered only A2 and B1 levels.

If you do not have the certificate yet

The instructions are clear: candidates without a certificate may enrol only in the next academic year after admission, and only if they have obtained it by then. Otherwise they are disqualified from enrolling. Plan the exam, and the visa that the Athens exam requires, well before you apply.

Courses can prepare you. The University of Athens runs Greek courses through its School of Modern Greek Language, and the International Hellenic University offers free Greek courses of two hours a week for one semester to its students.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.