Universities in Greece | Ranking of the 10 Best Universities in Greece

Greece is known to be the wellspring of academia, the place where the modern Western world has its cultural, linguistic, social, legal, and philosophical roots, among others. Therefore, Greek universities are well-regarded, offering high quality education and reputable degrees. So if you’ve chosen Greece for your next study abroad experience, discover our ranking of the 10 best universities in the country for international students.

Table of Contents

National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Universities in Greece

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens or simply the University of Athens is the first and oldest university in modern Greece. This public self-governed university came into existence in 1837 after the Greek war of independence. The university also was the first institution of higher education to emerge in the Balkan peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean area.

NKUA welcomes around 125,000 students with more than 6,000 of them being international ones. When it comes to ranking, the university ranks 92nd in the world and in the top 20 in Europe. Moreover, NKUA became in September 2020 the very first university in Greece to provide a course exclusively taught in English. It also has a medical degree in English targeting specifically international students.

Learn more about the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Find out about the programs it offers and the application process.

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

The second institution in our list is the largest university in Greece. It has its main campus in the center of the city of Thessaloniki. The campus area covers an area of more than 33 hectares and comprises 10 faculties, 40 schools and 1 school-faculty. The university came into existence in 1925, under the name of the famous philosopher Aristotle. Also, it ranks among the top 600 universities worldwide. Moreover, it welcomes more than 45,000 students at all levels, with more than 2,300 international ones.

Another fact that makes the institution stand out is that AUTh holds more than 140 international scientific agreements with other universities in Australia, Canada, Russia, USA, the Near, Middle and Far East. It also has about 60 inter-university cooperation with institutions from more than 29 countries.

Find out more about the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

National Technical University of Athens

NTUA is the oldest technical university of Greece, established around the same time as the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in 1837. Located in the lively historic capital city of Greece, the institution has several campuses throughout the city. It was initially established through royal decree as the “Royal School of Arts”, a part-time vocational school.

NTUA therefore started as a technical school operating on Sundays and holidays, for those looking to train as builders, craftsmen and master craftsmen. It has since played a significant role in the development and the progress of the country, welcoming more than 23,000 students in all. It’s also in the top 70 technological universities worldwide and in the top 35 by specialty for the School of Civil Engineering.

Learn more about NTUA, the programs it provides and the application process on its official website.

University of Ioannina

The University of Ioannina is the third-oldest public university in Greece, which came into existence in 1964. It became an independent institution in the 70s. And then it grew rapidly in the coming years, earning its place among the top universities in Greece. During its 5+ decades of existence, the university has been committed to creating and transmitting knowledge, to innovation as well as cooperation on a local and international level.

Moreover, the institution’s organization revolves around 10 schools: Agricultural technology, Economics & Management, Education, Engineering, Informatics & Communication, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, Philosophy, Sciences, and Social Sciences. Throughout these schools and their departments, students have the choice between 23 undergraduate programs and 33 postgraduate courses. Furthermore, UoI in all its departments welcomes about 17,000 students.

Find out more on the official website of the University of Ioannina.

University of Crete

The University of Crete is a young public institution in Greece, which came into existence in 1973. It’s in our list of the top universities in Greece as it stands out for its location, in an area rich in ancient and contemporary Mediterranean cultures. All of this offers students an environment favorable to educational acquisition and academic research.

The University of Crete also welcomes over 20,000 students from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. Study programs are offered through its school of Education, Medicine, Philosophy, Sciences & Technology and Social Sciences. As for the university’s international profile, the institution had a track record of cooperation with other leading institutions in Europe and worldwide.

To learn more about the University of Crete, the programs it offers and how to enroll to the institution, visit the university’s official website.

University of Patras

The University of Patras came into existence in 1964 and started to function in 1966-67. It was initially created in order to offer training in business administration, economics, natural sciences, social sciences and technology. It’s part of the best universities in Greece thanks to its international profile and commitment to ensure a quality education.

Therefore, the university was the first HEI in Greece to certify its Internal Quality Assurance System. It also stands out for its contribution to the decentralization of the academic education in the country. As for the important figures, the University of Patras hosts more than 30,000 students, with around 1,600 international students.

Find out more about the University of Patras by visiting its official website.

University of Thessaly

Thessaly University has its roots back to 1984, as a multi-site public institution serving the central districts of mainland Greece. It’s also the third-largest university in the country with 8 schools, 37 departments and 14 institutes. Moreover, it provides more than a hundred study programs to more than 43,000 undergraduate, 4,300 postgraduate and 1,500 PhD students.

As for its international profile, UTH has more than 600 bilateral agreements with more than 40 countries. This comes alongside other academic exchanges and research collaborations with other European and international institutions.

Find out more by visiting the website of the University of Thessaly.

Harokopio University

The Harokopio University of Athens is located in the capital city of Greece close to the Acropolis World Heritage Center. This public university has earned its spot among the best universities in Greece for promoting learning and research in a small, well-focused intellectual setting. It was founded in 1929 but has gained the university status only in 1990. Its name is from its main national benefactor Panagis Harokopos.

On the institution’s organization, Harokopio University features 3 schools: Environment, Geography & Applied Economics, Health sciences & education and Digital technology. As for its international profile, the institution has research collaborations with US institutions over the years such as the University of Texas in Austin or the University of New Jersey among several others.

Find out more about Harokopio University.

University of the Aegean

The University of Aegean provides a unique natural, cultural and human atmosphere for modern studies in the place of origin of academia. It came into existence in 1984 with the purpose to provide a response to the limitations in terms of educational approach and organizational structures in Greece. In less than 30 years of existence, the university has involved into a research institution with international reach.

For its scientific profile, the university is organized around 6 schools: business, environment, engineering, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Moreover, the university has joined international programs and PhD in a wide range of study fields.

Learn more about the University of the Aegean on its official website.

Democritus University of Thrace

The last in our list is among the biggest universities in Greece when it comes to active student population. It’s the Democritus University of Thrace, which roots trace back to 1973. It got its name after the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus. Likewise, it welcomed its first students at the Department of Law and the Department of Civil Engineering in 1974.

The university is based in Komotini, the capital city of the East Macedonia region, and in Thrace, one of the main administrative, financial and cultural center in Northeastern Greece. Moreover, DUTH has also been the first Greek regional multi-campus university that not only serves educational objectives, but also has greatly contributed to upgrading the area’s life and social development.