International Hellenic University

About International Hellenic University

IHU is an independent state university within the Greek higher-education system. It was initially established by Law 3391/2005 and took its present expanded form after the 2019 integration of the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, the Technological Educational Institute of Central Macedonia, and the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Technological Educational Institute. This history explains why the institution combines an internationally oriented postgraduate center with a broad network of established regional departments. The university’s official English homepage currently describes eight schools and 25 departments. Its headquarters and largest concentration of units are in the Thessaloniki area, including facilities at Thermi and the Alexander Campus in Sindos. Other departments operate in Serres, Katerini, and Kilkis. Campus experience, available services, and travel requirements consequently vary by department. The academic organization covers economics and business administration, social sciences, health sciences, engineering, design sciences, geosciences, and the internationally focused schools associated with the University Center of International Programmes of Studies. IHU remains operational in 2026: it publishes current student information and issued an official call for 2026–2027 postgraduate applications. Prospective students should use the central site to identify the responsible school, then confirm details on the relevant department or program page because calendars, teaching language, facilities, and selection rules are decentralized.

Admissions depend on study level and applicant category. Entry to regular Greek-taught undergraduate departments generally follows Greece’s centralized higher-education process rather than a US-style holistic application. Domestic candidates normally enter through the national Panhellenic Examinations. For foreign applicants without Greek nationality in the relevant special category, the official Study in Greece portal provides a Ministry-run application route, document legalization and translation requirements, and a 2–9 July 2026 submission window for 2026–2027. Successful candidates then complete university and departmental registration requirements. Postgraduate admission is program-specific. IHU’s School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics issued a 2026–2027 call covering several master’s programs, while individual announcements specify eligible prior degrees, supporting documents, language evidence, selection methods, tuition, and deadlines. One program’s requirements must not be generalized to another. Applicants with foreign qualifications should pay close attention to the Greek recognition or national-register conditions stated in the relevant call. Doctoral candidates apply under the regulations and research availability of the responsible school or department. Prospective international students should distinguish the Admissions Office from the International Students Support Unit: the former handles application questions, while the latter assists with visas, residence permits, and settling in Greece after or alongside admission. Because undergraduate teaching is usually in Greek and many international postgraduate programs are in English, applicants must verify the required language directly with their chosen program.

IHU offers first-, second-, and third-cycle study, but its portfolio is not academically or linguistically uniform. Undergraduate departments span fields such as business administration, economics, supply-chain management, accounting and information systems, early-childhood education, health disciplines, engineering, agriculture, food science, creative design, and interior architecture. Program length and award structure depend on the discipline. For example, the Civil Engineering department identifies its program as a five-year course leading to an integrated master’s qualification. The University Center of International Programmes of Studies in Thermi is especially relevant to international applicants. Its postgraduate portfolio includes English-taught study across humanities, social sciences, economics, law, management, science, and technology. The broader university also lists postgraduate programs administered by its individual departments. The official 2026–2027 call from the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics demonstrates that applicants can choose among current program-specific routes rather than one institution-wide graduate application. Doctoral study is also active. The School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics lists doctoral opportunities in areas including accounting and finance, business analytics, archaeology, history, legal studies, ecology, and sustainable agriculture. Other departments maintain their own doctoral regulations and research fields. Students should review the curriculum, delivery mode, language, recognition requirements, and thesis expectations of the exact program. The database label stating English as the language of instruction should not be interpreted institution-wide: the national Study in Greece portal states that Greek public universities’ regular undergraduate programs are generally taught in Greek, while IHU’s international postgraduate center provides the clearest concentration of English-medium options.

Key Highlights

• Public Greek university established by law in 2005 and substantially expanded in 2019
• Official university structure currently comprises eight schools and 25 departments
• Headquartered in Thessaloniki, with departments in Thessaloniki, Serres, Katerini, and Kilkis
• Official 2026–2027 calls confirm continuing postgraduate admissions

Student Life & Environment

Student life differs across IHU’s distributed campuses. The university’s policies provide for study advisers, a Student Ombudsman, accessibility measures, and support for students facing social or economic disadvantage. Libraries, dining services, sports facilities, career support, internships, and Erasmus services are available, but the precise mix should be checked with the student-welfare office or host department. At the Alexander Campus in Sindos, official student-care information describes a residence, dining facilities, medical support, and a university gym. Residence places are intended particularly to support students with financial need and should not be assumed to be available to every applicant. Serres also provides campus services, though an official departmental page specifies that its student residences serve Erasmus students; this illustrates why housing eligibility must be verified by location and student category. The University Center of International Programmes of Studies organizes social clubs and activities for its students and alumni. International students in Thessaloniki can use a dedicated support unit for help with visas and residence permits, housing searches, health insurance, banking, tax registration, utilities, and integration into university life. Free Greek-language courses are also advertised for enrolled international students. These services can ease arrival, but the international support office directs admissions questions to the separate Admissions Office.

Location & Surroundings

IHU is headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece’s major urban center in the north, but it is a multi-site institution rather than a single downtown campus. The Thermi campus, home to the University Center of International Programmes of Studies, lies on the 14th kilometre of the Thessaloniki–Nea Moudania road. The Alexander Campus is in Sindos, west of central Thessaloniki. Additional schools and departments operate in Serres, Katerini, and Kilkis. This geographic spread is academically important. A student’s daily environment, commute, housing market, and access to central Thessaloniki depend on the department’s actual location. Applicants should not select accommodation based only on the database city field. Thermi and Sindos are separate peripheral locations, while Serres, Katerini, and Kilkis are distinct cities requiring their own living arrangements. International students based at Thermi can obtain practical arrival support from the university’s international-student unit. Before accepting an offer, candidates should confirm where all compulsory teaching occurs, whether any modules use another campus, and what transport is practical for evening or weekend classes.

Costs & Career Outcomes

There is no reliable single IHU tuition figure. The official Study in Greece portal states that Greek-taught undergraduate programs at state-funded universities are offered without tuition, whereas fee-charging international programs may follow different rules. IHU postgraduate fees vary by program and intake. Applicants should rely on the exact 2026–2027 call for their chosen course rather than older brochures or a university-wide estimate. Some postgraduate scholarships, fee exemptions, and reductions are available, but eligibility differs by school, academic record, citizenship, and socioeconomic criteria. Housing and living costs are also campus-specific. IHU provides some residence capacity and need-based support, but official pages do not establish guaranteed housing for every student. At Sindos, residence provision prioritizes welfare needs; at Serres, an official department page describes residence accommodation for Erasmus participants. Students should budget for private housing unless they receive written confirmation of a place. International applicants should also account for immigration-related expenses; IHU’s 2026 international-student guidance lists a €90 Type-D visa fee and required medical-insurance coverage of at least €30,000, though applicants should verify consular rules when applying. Career support includes individual guidance, CV and interview assistance, workshops, employer presentations, internship links, and an annual Career Fair. The university describes recruiting connections for full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities, but it does not publish sufficiently supported institution-wide placement or salary outcomes. Career prospects should therefore be assessed by discipline, professional-recognition rules, Greek-language ability, and the labor market relevant to the student’s intended location.