National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Greece's oldest, largest university: Greek-taught degrees entered via the national exams, plus three in English.
- Students
- 66,366
- 40,472 undergraduates
- International
- 12%
- of students
- Tuition
- €6,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1837
About NKUA
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) was founded by royal decree in 1837 as the Othonian University, the first university of the modern Greek state and of the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean. It opened with four schools, Theology, Law, Medicine and Philosophy, and 52 students. Its historic Propylaea building on Panepistimiou Street forms part of the Athenian Trilogy with the National Library and the Academy of Athens. Today it is Greece's largest university, with about 40,500 undergraduates, 16,900 master's students and 9,000 PhD candidates.
NKUA offers 41 undergraduate programmes across schools including Theology, Law, Economics and Political Sciences, Philosophy, Science, Health Sciences, Education, Physical Education and Sport Science, and Agricultural Development, Nutrition and Sustainability. Its health sciences are especially strong: the School of Health Sciences oversees 74 clinics and departments and three university hospitals.
Be clear about access. Almost all undergraduate degrees are taught in Greek, and entry to them is not by application to NKUA but through Greece's national (Panhellenic) exams run by the Ministry of Education, so they are realistic mainly for students schooled in Greece with fluent Greek. For international students, NKUA runs three English-taught programmes open only to foreign nationals: a six-year Medical Degree, a BA in the Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece, and an integrated M.Pharm in Pharmacy. These have their own applications and tuition fees.
Why students choose NKUA
A six-year Medical Degree in English, for foreign nationals, taught by a School of Medicine that NKUA says is in the ShanghaiRanking top 100 for Clinical Medicine.
The BA in the Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece, the first Greek undergraduate programme designed for international students, with visits to sites such as the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.
Scale and history: Greece's oldest university, whose students include Nobel laureates Giorgos Seferis and Odysseas Elytis.
International students can take free Greek language courses at the Modern Greek Language Teaching Center, which NKUA says is the largest of its kind in the world.
Admissions
2027-28 entry
Selectivity
No admission rate is published. Places on Greek-taught degrees are allocated through the national admission system set by the Ministry of Education; the English-taught Medicine, Archaeology and Pharmacy programmes select foreign nationals by academic record, admissions tests (Medicine) and English.
Typical entry requirements
| Greek Apolytirio (Greek-taught degrees) | Admission through the national exams run by the Greek Ministry of Education; teaching is in Greek |
|---|---|
| A-levels (Medical Degree in English) | AAA in Chemistry, Biology and another science; standard offer likely A*AA with the A* in Chemistry or Biology |
| IB Diploma (Medical Degree in English) | 36 points with three HL subjects, two of them from Physics, Chemistry and Biology |
| IB or high-school diploma (BA in Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece) | Indicative average of 70% or equivalent |
| English language | IELTS 7.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 Medical Degree in English: TOEFL 80, IELTS 7.5 with 6.5 in each component, or Cambridge FCE (B2). BA in Archaeology: TOEFL 88 (L17, W17, R18, S20), IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each component, or FCE (B2); native speakers exempt. Greek-taught degrees require fluent Greek. |
Deadlines
- Medical Degree in English (2026-27 intake) Non-binding Passed30 April 2026 (past)
Application platform open 18 December 2025 to 30 April 2026; the 2027-28 dates are not yet published.
- BA in Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece (2026-27 intake) Non-binding Passed1 August 2026 (past)
Same deadline for applicants who do and do not need a D1.1 student visa; 2027-28 dates not yet published.
Dates shown are for 2026-27 entry and have passed. Based on that cycle, expect the Medicine application window for 2027-28 to open around December 2026, but check medicen.uoa.gr.
How to apply
Greek-taught degrees: through Greece's national admission system (Ministry of Education), not directly to NKUA. English-taught programmes: apply online through each programme's application platform with passport, diploma and transcripts for the last two years (with official English translation), predicted grades if not yet final, and an English certificate. Admitted Medicine students pay a 5,000 euro deposit to secure a place.
What admissions looks for
- For Medicine in English: strong science grades in Chemistry and Biology, plus UCAT, MCAT or AP/SAT results.
- Proof of English at the required level (IELTS 7.5 for Medicine, 6.5 for Archaeology).
- High passing grades in the high-school diploma, with official predicted grades if results come after the deadline.
- For Greek-taught degrees: results in Greece's national exams and fluent Greek.
Tips for applying to NKUA
- 1 Unless you were schooled in Greece and speak fluent Greek, focus on the three English-taught programmes; the other 40 or so degrees are taught in Greek and filled through the national exam system.
- 2 For Medicine in English, sit the UCAT or MCAT in time: only the 2024-2025 UCAT and 2024-2026 MCAT sittings were accepted for 2026-27 entry.
- 3 Note that the English Medicine programme is only for foreign nationals who completed their last two years of school abroad, or at a recognised foreign school in Greece (in that case neither you nor your parents may be Greek nationals).
- 4 Budget for the Medicine deposit: 5,000 euros, non-refundable except if you miss predicted grades or are refused a visa.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
The English-taught Medicine programme lists scholarships on its site and takes tuition in two instalments (early September and mid-January) after a 5,000 euro deposit. NKUA offers students halls of residence, a meals service, a Student Support Fund, and scholarships and awards; Greek-taught degree places are allocated through the state system.
- 5,000 euros, deducted from tuition
- Medical Degree in English deposit
- Two instalments: end of June and end of January
- Archaeology BA payment schedule
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; most degrees last eight semesters (Medicine twelve)
Medical Degree in English
A six-year programme since 2022-23 for foreign nationals, at 17,000 euros a year, taught by NKUA's School of Medicine.
BA in the Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece
Launched in 2020-21 as Greece's first undergraduate programme designed for international students, entirely in English, at 6,000 euros a year.
Integrated Master in Pharmacy (M.Pharm), in English
Offered by the Department of Pharmacy from 2025-26, the third English-taught undergraduate programme.
Dentistry
NKUA says its School of Dentistry has been in ShanghaiRanking's top 100 for Dentistry and Oral Sciences four times between 2017 and 2023.
Informatics and Telecommunications
One of the School of Science departments NKUA highlights in its subject rankings analysis.
Law
One of NKUA's four founding schools of 1837; its students recently celebrated success in international moot court competitions.
Research
- 23 university research institutes, 15 centres of excellence and 297 university laboratories.
- Three university hospitals and 74 clinics and departments under the School of Health Sciences, plus 18 centres of expertise in rare diseases in the School of Medicine.
- Member of CIVIS, a European civic university alliance, and of networks such as UNICA and the European University Association.
Schools & faculties
- School of Theology
- School of Law
- School of Economics and Political Sciences
- School of Philosophy
- School of Science
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Education
- School of Physical Education and Sport Science
- School of Agricultural Development, Nutrition and Sustainability
Student life
NKUA spreads across Athens: the historic Propylaea is in the city centre, there is a large University Campus in Zografou, and the School of Medicine has its own campus on Papadiamantopoulou Street. Student services include halls of residence, a meals service, the University Gym and Sports Center with a swimming pool, a Student Cultural Society, a Career Office and an International Students Support Unit. The University Club has two libraries, and the university runs a History Museum and 17 thematic museums.
- The Propylaea, part of the neoclassical Athenian Trilogy with the National Library and the Academy of Athens.
- University Gym and Sports Center, including the University Swimming Pool.
- Free Greek courses for international students at the Modern Greek Language Teaching Center.
- Orientation Day for Erasmus and international students in the university's Great Hall, and CIVIS exchanges across Europe.
Housing. NKUA lists students' halls of residence and a student meals service among its student facilities.
Location
Athens is Greece's capital and largest city. NKUA's historic Propylaea stands on Panepistimiou Street in the city centre, while the University Campus is in Zografou and the School of Medicine's campus is on Papadiamantopoulou Street, so students often commute across the city.
Nearest airport: Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH)
Notable alumni
- GS Giorgos SeferisPoet, Nobel Prize in Literature (1963)
- OE Odysseas ElytisPoet, Nobel Prize in Literature (1979)
- GP Georgios PapanikolaouPhysician, inventor of the Pap test
- EV Eleftherios VenizelosPrime Minister of Greece
- NK Nikos KazantzakisWriter and philosopher, nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in nine years
- CC Cornelius CastoriadisPhilosopher
- JP John P. A. IoannidisMedical researcher and professor; MD (1990) and DSc (1996)
- HA Helene AhrweilerByzantinologist
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study at the University of Athens in English?
Yes, but only in three undergraduate programmes for foreign nationals: the Medical Degree in English, the BA in the Archaeology, History and Literature of Ancient Greece, and an integrated M.Pharm. All other bachelor's degrees are taught in Greek.
How much does the English Medical Degree at NKUA cost?
Tuition for 2026-27 is 17,000 euros a year for both EU and non-EU citizens, with a 5,000 euro deposit on admission that is deducted from the fee.
How do you get into the Greek-taught degrees at NKUA?
Through Greece's national (Panhellenic) exams: places are allocated by the Greek Ministry of Education, not by direct application to the university, and teaching is in Greek.
Does NKUA require the UCAT for Medicine?
The English Medical Degree accepts the UCAT or MCAT, or AP science courses with a high SAT, alongside strong school grades in Chemistry and Biology.
When is the application deadline for NKUA's English programmes?
For 2026-27 entry, Medicine applications closed on 30 April 2026 and the Archaeology BA on 1 August 2026; the 2027-28 dates are not yet published.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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