Greek Education System Pathway

The education system of Greece is divided into mainly three levels, which includes –Primary level, Secondary level and the Tertiary level of education. It also offers another similar level of post-secondary education which includes the vocational training.

Primary education has two parts, preschool education imparted by Kindergarten lasting for a maximum of two years, and compulsory education imparted by primary level school.

Secondary level of education also comprises of two levels: one is Gymnasio (Junior High School or Middle School), which is for three-year compulsory schooling, after which the students go to Lykeion (it is a high school which are academically oriented) or Vocational courses. The Technological Educational Institutes  and Academies, Universities and Polytechnics provide the Higher Tertiary education.

The Undergraduate courses last for 4 years, postgraduate for a maximum of 2 years and doctorates for 3 - 6 years. And hence, all levels of education are supervised by the Religious Affairs and the Education Ministry.

Primary Education

In Primary level of education, the exams (written) starts in Year 5 and the graduating process becomes automatic from year to the next. The pupils whose performances are poor are also given tutoring. The classes are represented by Years started from the  first year to and end in the sixth.

• Year 6 for the age group of 11 to 12
• Year 5 for the age group of 10 to 11
• Year 4 for the age group of 9 to 10
• Year 3 for the age group of 8 to 9
• Year 2 for the age group of 7 to 8
• Year 1 for the age group of 6 to 7
  

Secondary Education

The secondary education in Greece is also known as Gymnasium and it includes compulsory Lower Secondary School and Post-Compulsory Secondary Education.

Compulsory Lower Secondary School

The secondary education system in Greece consist of three grades from 12 to 15 years.- Students leaving the Gymnasiums are given leaving certificate so that students become eligible for higher secondary education level.

Types of Gymnasiums

Gymnasiums are of six types:

• General Gymnasium (students enter there from primary schools automatically)
• Gymnasium (One has to pass sports exams like basketball, football, gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, polo to enter this type of school)
• Musical Gymnasium (Students are required to pass certain exams on a musical instrument to get admission into Musical Gymnasium)
• Art Gymnasium
• Experimental Gymnasium (to get admission the students must pass exams on Reading & Writing Comprehension, Science and Maths
• Church Gymnasium
  

School Academic Year

The classes start on 11th September every year and it gets over between 15 - 18 June. The lessons get over in May 2nd week.  Ample time is provided to students by way study leaves to prepare for exams which are held between the months of May-June. The classes usually start at 8:15 and end at 13:45-14:15   depending on the type of school student is enrolled. . The class duration is somewhere between 30 - 45 minutes with a break of 5-10 minutes in between.

Post-Compulsory Secondary Education

This level of education involves Vocational Training Institutes (IEK), and accepts students from Gymansio or Lower Secondary School and Lykeio or Upper Secondary School graduates. Candidates are provided certificate which qualifies them to participate in final accreditation examination.

Tertiary Education in Greece

Tertiary education is available by Universities and Non-Universities. The Higher Educational Institutes consists of two parallel sectors, i.e. the Universities and the Technological Educational Institutes (T.E.I.). The universities sector promotes theoretical, comprehension required for applied research and whereas  TEIs  prepares students as per the demands of science and technology prevailing currently in national & international arena.