Greece, popular for being a scenic place and one of the world’s oldest civilizations, is a European country which is situated in the said continent’s Southeastern region. Its capital is Athens. Furthermore, the nation is officially named the Hellenic Republic. As of 2021, there are around 10,702,000 individuals residing in the country.
The land’s official language is Greek, while English is also widely spoken. Other languages used by the residents include Albanian and Turkish. When it comes to religion, the majority of the population are Greek Orthodox Christians. On another note, in Greek literature and mythology, the country is often dubbed the “Land of the Gods.”
Due to the fact that Greece has an extremely rich historical background, it is only natural that it has tons of spectacular tourist attractions. Such landmarks include the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, Santorini, Mykonos, and Delphi. Aside from this, tourists should not skip trying out Greek cuisine as it is bursting with flavor and some of the most well-known dishes are souvlaki, moussaka, kolokythokeftedes, tzatziki, as well as galaktoboureko.
Presently, there are approximately 30,000 students from overseas who have chosen to pursue their tertiary studies in Greece. With that being said, take a look at some of the best cities to study in Greece for international students in our guide below:
Top Cities to Study in Greece for International Students
1. Athens
It should not be a surprise that Greece’s capital and largest city is at the top of this list of the best cities to study in Greece for international students. Athens is a breathtaking destination with a population of 3,154,000 as of the year 2022. It is deemed as Western civilization’s birthplace as a lot of artistic and intellectual individuals throughout history hails from the said area. In fact, the Great Schools of Philosophy such as the Academy of Plato, was established in the city.
Today, the most visited landmarks in Athens include the Ancient Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Temple of Hephaistos, Hadrian’s Library, and Olympieion or the Temple of Olympian Zeus. As for higher education institutions, the most eminent ones are the University of Athens, National Technical University of Athens, Athens University of Economics and Business, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens School of Fine Arts.
For prospective students who are on the lookout for a distinguished engineering school in the country, then the National Technical University of Athens is a great option. It is one of Greece’s oldest centers of learning and it specializes in the aforementioned field. On the other hand, future business students should consider the Athens University of Economics and Business. Having been founded in 1920, it is the country’s oldest economics-focused educational institution.
2. Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is a cultural hub and a place with a beyond interesting history. It is also a well-loved tourist spot due to the fact that it gives visitors a beautiful glimpse into the past, and it also has what every modern-day city can offer. At present, around 814,000 people are living in the area.
When planning a trip to Thessaloniki, one should not forget to drop by the Rotunda of Galerius, Archaeology Museum of Thessaloniki, Byzantine Walls, Mount Olympus, and Ano Poli. On to the students who wish to move to this city, the universities to choose from are Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, CITY College, University of York Europe Campus, University of Macedonia, American College of Thessaloniki or ACT, and Mediterranean College of Thessaloniki.
The largest university in Greece is the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. It is also one of the oldest and most prestigious centers of excellence in the nation. Another reputable institution is the University of Macedonia. It specializes in the following disciplines: Business Administration, Economic and Regional Studies, Information Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts.
3. Patras
Located in Western Greece, Patras is a wonderful city that is filled with exciting sites. Furthermore, it has a minuscule population of only 168,000. When in Patras, it is a must to go to the Roman Odeon, Agios Andreas Cathedral, Castle of Patras, Rio-Antirrio Bridge, and the Patras Lighthouse or Faros Patras.
In Patras, the best-known universities are the University of Patras and the Hellenic Open University. The former, which is a public tertiary education institute, is the country’s third-largest university. Additionally, it was established in 1964. It has seven schools, namely the School of Agricultural Sciences, School of Economics and Business, School of Engineering, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and School of Natural Sciences. As for the latter, it is considered a special center of learning as it is Greece’s only university that utilizes an online or a distance learning type of approach. These make Patras an excellent city to study in Greece for international students.
4. Heraklion
Heraklion or Iraklion is situated on Crete island. In the olden days, the said island is where the Minoan civilization thrived. Today, it is a popular travel spot as it has an impressive geographic location. It is on the north coast and many a visitor’s goals is to take in the view of the waterfront, but there’s more to do in the city. A few other noteworthy landmarks, include the Palace of Knossos, Venetian Fort of Koules, Natural History Museum of Crete, Koules Fortress, and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
For colleges and universities, the most esteemed ones in Heraklion are the University of Crete, the Technological Educational Institute of Crete, and the MBS College of Crete. More on this, the University of Crete was founded in 1973. Now, it has more than 20,000 students spread out across the fields of education, medicine, philosophy, social sciences, and sciences and technology.
5. Larissa
Located in Greece’s Thessaly region, Larissa is a city with a population of about 144,700 individuals. It has a number of tourist spots such as the Diachronic Museum of Larissa, Archeo Theatro Larissa, Larissa Ancient Ruins, Kalipso Waterfall, and the Folklore Museum of Larissa.
It is considered a main commercial center in the country and with that being said, it is also among the best cities to study in Greece for international students. Two of the top universities in the area include the University of Thessaly and the Technological Education Institute of Larissa. Both are public institutes of tertiary education, the former having been established in 1984 and the latter having been founded just ten years earlier.
We hope that you found this article on the best cities to study in Greece for international students informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
