University of Crete
Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης
Greece's research-strong island university, entered through the national exams, with one English-taught medicine degree.
- Students
- 21,000
- 18,000 undergraduates
- Tuition
- €15,000
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1973
- QS World Ranking
- #649
- 2027 edition
About UoC
The University of Crete was established in 1973 and took its first students in 1977-78. Its seat is the Gallos campus in Rethymno, home to the Schools of Philosophy, Education, and Social, Economic and Political Sciences; the Voutes campus in Heraklion hosts the School of Sciences and Technology and the School of Medicine, alongside the University General Hospital. It has over 18,000 undergraduates and about 3,000 postgraduates across 16 departments, taught by around 450 faculty.
Research is its strongest card. The university sits in a regional cluster with the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture and the University General Hospital, and it runs the Skinakas astrophysics observatory with FORTH and the Finokalia atmospheric observatory. It was the first Greek university to sign the EU Charter and Code for the recruitment of researchers.
Be clear-eyed about access: the undergraduate degrees are taught in Greek, and new students are admitted through Greece's National Examinations, with places allocated by the Ministry of Education. For international school-leavers the realistic route is narrow: the English-taught International Program in Medicine in Heraklion, a six-year, 15,000-euro-a-year programme with its own selective admissions. Otherwise, international students usually come for English-taught master's programmes, exchanges or summer schools.
Why students choose UoC
The English-taught International Program in Medicine offers clinical training at a 700-bed University Hospital and a curriculum that covers USMLE material.
The university reports ranking first in Greece and Cyprus in QS subject rankings for Computer Science and Life Sciences.
Students can join research at FORTH and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology next to the Heraklion campus.
Two campuses on Crete, in Rethymno and Heraklion, the largest island in Greece.
Admissions
Entry September 2027
Selectivity
Greek-taught undergraduate places are filled through the Greek National Examinations (Panhellenic exams) and allocated by the Ministry of Education; the university publishes no acceptance rate. The International Program in Medicine is selective: only about four times as many applicants as places are invited to interview.
Typical entry requirements
| Greek Lyceum / National Examinations | Successful candidates in the National Examinations register online through the Ministry of Education's eregister system, then complete registration with their department. |
|---|---|
| International Program in Medicine (non-Greek citizens schooled abroad) | Last two years of secondary school outside Greece, plus IB with three HL subjects (two of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics), or A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and one more science, or a national diploma with at least 80% in Biology and two of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics; alternatives include MCAT, UCAT, SAT, AP or a relevant BSc. |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 79 For the International Program in Medicine: English at B2, TOEFL iBT 79 or IELTS 6.5. Greek-taught degrees require Greek. |
Deadlines
- International Program in Medicine, Early Application Non-bindingNovember 2026 (exact date announced by the programme)
Limited places for outstanding candidates who have finished school or hold a BSc, or final-year students with A-levels, UCAT, MCAT or similar; unsuccessful early applicants roll into the regular round.
- International Program in Medicine, Regular Application Non-bindingMarch 2027 (exact date announced by the programme)
A late round is sometimes announced if places remain.
The programme states only that the early deadline falls in November and the regular deadline in March; check imed.med.uoc.gr for exact dates. Greek National Examinations follow the Ministry of Education's national calendar.
How to apply
Greek-taught bachelor's: sit the Greek National Examinations; successful candidates register online through the Ministry of Education and then with their department. International Program in Medicine: apply online with passport, school certificate or proof of final-year enrolment, final-year grades, English certificate, motivation letter and CV; shortlisted applicants have one or two online interviews, and admitted students accept within 10 days and pay a 3,000 euro non-refundable deposit.
What admissions looks for
- For medicine, strong grades in Biology and Chemistry plus another science or mathematics.
- A clear motivation letter and CV showing why you want to study medicine.
- Performance in an online interview, sometimes a second one.
- English at B2 level or above.
Tips for applying to UoC
- 1 If you are not in the Greek school system, the International Program in Medicine is effectively the only undergraduate entry route; the other bachelor's degrees are Greek-taught and filled via the National Examinations.
- 2 Apply in the November early round if you already have final results or tests such as A-levels, UCAT or MCAT.
- 3 Budget for the 3,000 euro deposit within days of an offer and the 6,000 euro first-semester payment by the end of June.
- 4 Arrange housing early: the International Program in Medicine says there are no dormitories for its students (student residence places go to Greek-route undergraduates through Student Welfare), though the Welcome Office helps find flats in Heraklion.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
The International Program in Medicine offers merit support through its Teaching Assistantship programme, 2,000 euro tuition reductions for the three best-performing students in each year, and need-based scholarships in the last two years. Greek-route undergraduates can apply to Student Welfare for free meals and free student-residence places or the state housing allowance.
- 2,000 euro tuition reduction
- Top-3 students per year (Medicine)
- About 300 euros a month (programme estimate)
- Rent, 1-bedroom flat outside Heraklion centre
- About 40 euros
- Monthly bus card
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; academic year starts in late September
International Program in Medicine
Six-year English-taught MD in Heraklion with basic, pre-clinical and clinical cycles and 16-week clerkships in internal medicine and surgery.
Computer Science
The university reports ranking first in Greece and Cyprus in Computer Science in the QS 2025 subject rankings (301–400 globally).
Biology
Part of the Life Sciences area the university reports as first in Greece and Cyprus, next to the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.
Physics
Taught on the Heraklion campus near the Skinakas Observatory partnership with FORTH and the university's Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics.
History and Archaeology
A Rethymno department whose graduates include archaeologist Yannis Hamilakis.
Research
- Skinakas Observatory, run jointly with FORTH for astrophysics.
- Finokalia Atmospheric Observatory, monitoring the eastern Mediterranean atmosphere.
- In April 2026 the School of Medicine was designated a WHO Collaborating Centre on Quality of Care and People-Centered Health Policies.
- The medical school has 50 research laboratories and over 2,700 medical graduates since 1984.
Schools & faculties
- School of Philosophy
- School of Education
- School of Social, Economic and Political Sciences
- School of Sciences and Technology
- School of Medicine
Student life
Student life is split between Rethymno, the university's official seat, and Heraklion, the island's capital, where the sciences and medicine are based. The Welcome Office supports international students with visas, residence permits, housing searches, tax numbers and Modern Greek courses, and the university runs summer and winter schools. Student Welfare offers free rooms in student residences (applied for online each year) and meals to undergraduates on the Greek route, but the International Program in Medicine says it has no dormitories for its students, so they rent privately, at about 300 to 350 euros a month for a one-bedroom flat.
- Welcome Office for international students and researchers.
- Modern Greek language courses year-round.
- Summer schools such as 'Crete Past and Present' and Regenerative Medicine.
- Campuses in two Cretan cities.
Housing. Greek-route undergraduates can apply to Student Welfare for a free place in the student residences (new students apply in September when they register); International Program in Medicine students rent privately with Welcome Office help, at about 300 to 350 euros a month for a one-bedroom flat.
Location
Crete is Greece's largest island, in the eastern Mediterranean. Heraklion, its capital, has a lively student scene and Greece's second-busiest airport; Rethymno is a smaller coastal city. The programme estimates everyday costs such as a 40 euro monthly bus card and 12 euro meals at inexpensive restaurants.
Nearest airport: Heraklion International Airport 'Nikos Kazantzakis' (HER)
Notable alumni
- LK Lydia KavrakiComputer scientist, Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science at Rice University; undergraduate studies at the University of Crete
- CK Christos KozyrakisComputer architecture and systems researcher and professor; bachelor's from the University of Crete
- EG Eleftherios GoulielmakisLaser physicist, professor at the University of Rostock; bachelor's and master's in physics and optoelectronics
- ED Emmanouil DermitzakisHuman geneticist, President of the Qatar Precision Health Institute; biology degree (1995) and MSc (1997)
- NP Nikos ParagiosProfessor of applied mathematics at CentraleSupélec and computer vision researcher; BSc and MSc in computer science
- YH Yannis HamilakisArchaeologist, Joukowsky Family Professor at Brown University; BA in History and Archaeology (1988)
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study at the University of Crete?
For a bachelor's, the main option is the English-taught International Program in Medicine. Other undergraduate degrees are taught in Greek and filled through the Greek National Examinations, so international students more often come for master's programmes, exchanges or summer schools.
How much does the International Program in Medicine cost?
15,000 euros a year. First-year students pay a 3,000 euro deposit on acceptance and 6,000 euros before each semester.
What are the entry requirements for medicine in English at Crete?
Secondary schooling completed outside Greece, strong science results (IB, A-levels, 80%+ national diploma, or tests like UCAT, MCAT or SAT), English at B2 (TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5), a motivation letter, CV and an online interview.
When are the application deadlines?
The International Program in Medicine has an early round with a November deadline and a regular round with a March deadline; exact dates are posted on the programme website.
Is the University of Crete taught in English?
Undergraduate teaching is in Greek, except the International Program in Medicine. Several master's programmes are English-taught.
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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