Greece, as a country with amazing tourist destinations, is one of the best places to study law. It has some of the oldest universities dating back to the Greek Revolution. The law programs offered in the country are LL.B., LL.M., and Ph.D. The LL.B. programs usually have four years of studies while the LL.M. programs can be taken in either one year (full-time) or two years (part-time). Greece offers a lot of opportunities for its law graduates. Let’s take a look at the list of the five best law universities in Greece.
Top Law Universities in Greece
1. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is one of the best law schools in Greece and is considered the oldest and largest university in the country which was established on April 14, 1837. It is also considered the first university in both the Balkan Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean region. As a public university funded by the state, it ensures that students have a right to free education. Moreover, the university promotes equality by supporting students with disabilities through different assistance programs.
Currently, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has over 68,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. It consists of nine schools including the School of Agricultural Development, Nutrition, and Sustainability, School of Law, and School of Economics and Political Science.
The School of Law is among the earliest schools established in the university and is the only Law School in Athens. The undergraduate students are required to take the degree for four years while the postgraduate students have one year of compulsory study. Lastly, Doctoral studies only employ pure research in a specific subject. The university’s internal collaborations are through Erasmus+.
2. Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) – Greece
The Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), previously known as the London Hospital Medical College, was established in 1785 and is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. As a public research university that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion, it has been catering to students from over 160 countries. It has five campuses spread throughout East and Central London and international branches in France, China, Malta, and Greece.
The undergraduate law programs at the Queen Mary University of London in Greece are one of the top-leading programs that include Global Law, English, and European Law, and Law and Politics. These programs have two to four years of study. Meanwhile, the postgraduate program can either be taken in a one year full-time or two years part-time. The Ph.D. programs consist of research degrees in Law and can be taken three years full-time or six years part-time. The university provides opportunities for students after graduation through different career events such as law fairs and workshops.
3. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki was the second school to be established in Greece and is founded in 1925. It is one of the largest public universities funded by the state. Like the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki prioritizes the students’ welfare and aims to provide education to all kinds of students including those with disabilities. The university is composed of eleven faculties, some of which are the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Faculty of Law, and School of Fine Arts. It has a total of 36 departments.
The Faculty of Law is one of the first five faculties established in the university and is known to offer an excellent law program in Greece. It began its operations in 1931 while the graduate program in law started in 1962. It aims to produce lawyers in the country who are socially responsible and can contribute to its legal culture. The university also offers programs for exchange and international students.
4. Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh)
The Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh) was established on July 27, 1973, and among the top law schools in Greece. It was named after the Greek philosopher Democritus of Abdera. It is one of the biggest universities and has more than 25,000 undergraduate students, 5,000 postgraduate and Ph.D. students, and over 900 staff. It is also funded by the Greek State. Aside from the quality education and research it provides, the university has also contributed to the economic growth of Thrace. It further aims to strengthen the national and cultural identity of the region.
The university has campuses in Xanthi, Komotini, Alexandroupolis, and Orestiada. It is composed of 33 departments and eight schools including the School of Engineering, School of Classics and Humanities, School of Law, and School of Economic, Political, and Social Sciences.
The Department of Law is known for offering an excellent law program in Greece and was among the first to operate in the university since its establishment. The department was officially founded in 1974 along with the Department of Civil Engineering. The undergraduate studies under the low program take four years. Some of its graduate programs include Business and Labor Law, Public Law and Political Science, Private Law, and Criminal and Forensic Sciences.
5. International Hellenic University
The International Hellenic University was first established in October 2005. It was re-established in 2019 and currently has nine schools, 33 departments, and eight branches located in Thessaloniki, Serres, Kavala, Drama, Katerini, Edessa, Kilkis, and Didymoteicho. Some of its schools are the School of Geosciences, School of Design Sciences, School of Economics and Business Administration, and School of Engineering. The university prides itself as the first public university in Greece where English is used as the medium for teaching courses.
The School of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Economics under the University Center of International Programs of Studies (UCIPS) offer the LLM in Transnational and European Commercial Law, Banking Law, and Arbitration/Meditation. These programs can be taken in one year (full-time) or in two years (part-time). All the courses in the programs are taught in English. The graduates are expected to have intensive knowledge in commercial law, banking law, and alternative dispute resolution in various international contexts.
We hope that his article on Best Law Universities in Greece was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Law Programs for International Students!
