Student Visa

You have heard one or two quotes from Aristotle, Plato, or Socrates and it has changed your life for the better. But it all started in the great civilization of Greece. You will find it fascinating to continue your education in one of the great civilizations of the ancient world. You just need a Greece student visa to achieve your dream.

This article explains all you need to know; requirements, the application, and FAQs.

Greece student visa requirements

The list of requirements for a Greece student visa is as you see below:

Application form 

You need a long-stay application form or type-D visa to study in Greece for the long term. Complete it with your personal information and write N/A if a section doesn’t apply to you.

You need to state the purpose of your visit on the application form. Pick the section with the following information:

STUDIES, RESEARCH, PRACTICAL

TRAINING, VOCATIONAL

TRAINING

Also, include the following information about your course of study:

1. Name of institution
2. Address
3. Telephone number and email address
4. Intended start date
5. End of study date

Passport 

Greek officials accept a passport that is valid for at least 3-6 months after the date you will leave Greece. Holding two blank pages and not being older than 10 years ago is a must.

Photos 

You need two new passport-sized photos.

Insurance 

Purchase valid insurance in Greece and the entire EU that covers your expenses for 30.000 EUR.

Cover letter 

Write a letter and explain the purpose of your visit to Greece to the officials.

Financial independence 

Provide proof that you have enough funds or money to cover your expenses. It could be bank statements or bank balances.

In case you have received funds r scholarships from the Greek university, provide proof and subtract it from the total costs of living in the country.

Proof of accommodation 

Explain to the officials where will you stay; in the dormitory or a rented apartment.

Admission letter/Accepetcne letter 

Submit the acceptance letter from a Greek university or education center. It must include the student number and the name of the university in its heading.

Also, proof of enrollment and paid tuition are required.

The Greek Ministry of Education must verify the education center.

Paid deposit proof 

If the university requires a deposit and you pay it, keep the receipt and submit it along with the other list of requirements.

Educational certificate 

The latest educational certificates you have received from your home country or anywhere else and are accepted by the university are required.

A Passenger Locator Form

Every traveler who wants to enter Egypt needs this form. It’s an online form and you have to complete it 48 hours before arrival.

Covid-19 

You need a negative test for COVID-19 or proof of vaccination. The second one exempts you from the first one.

language proficiency proof 

You need to determine the language of the course and provide a language proficiency test to the university. If the university accepts the test, the embassy is fine with it but you need to submit the documents to the embassy:

• The Certificate of Attainment in Greek, or Ellinomatheia
• IELTS
• TOEFL
• PTE

Clean record certificate

Submit a criminal record certificate from the police or Ministry of Justice in your home country.

 Greece student visa application

The way you need to apply for a student visa is as follows:

Step 1. Admission to a Greek university or education center

The first step to applying for a Greece student visa is to receive acceptance from a Greek university or education center.

You have to visit the university’s website and find the requirements of your program. The general requirements are as follows;

• Your latest education certificate BA or MA
• Transcripts
• Language proficiency test. Whatever the university finds appropriate:
  • The Certificate of Attainment in Greek, or Ellinomatheia
  • IELTS
  • TOEFL
  • PTE
• Application fee
• Statement of Purpose or study plan
• Sample of writing
• Proposal
• Etc.

When you gathered the requirements and applied, the university provides you with an admission letter. Now you can apply for a Greek student visa.

The following are some of the most famous Greek universities you can attend as an international student.

Visit their website and find the requirements out:

Best universities in Greece

1. National technical university of Athens
2. University of Crete
3. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
4. National and Kapodistrain University of Athens
5. Athena university of economics and business

Cheapest Universities in Greece for International Students

1. University of Crete
2. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
3. University of Patras
4. University of Piraeus
5. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
6. Hellenic Open University
7. International Hellenic University

Undergraduate Programs in Greece for Free

1. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
2. University of Patras
3. Athens University of Economics & Business
4. DEI College
5. Perrotis College

Master’s in Greece for Free

1. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
2. International Hellenic University
3. Athens University of Economics & Business
4. ALBA Graduate School at the American College of Greece

Ph.D. in Greece for Free

1. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
2. University of Patras

You might find another appropriate university; the choices are yours.

Step 2. Schedule a visa meeting with the Greek embassy or consulate

Find the nearest Greek embassy or consulate in your home country. For instance, the US citizens can find Greek embassies or consulates in the following cities:

1. Atlanta
2. Boston
3. Chicago
4. Houston
5. Los Angeles
6. New York
7. San Francisco
8. Tampa
9. Washington DC

The Greek embassy in Iran is located in the capital city, Tehran and the one in India is in New Delhi.

Schedule a meeting with them and bear in mind the exact date and time.

Step 3. Gather all of the supporting documents

There is a list of supporting documents for a Greece student visa. You need to gather all of them and submit them to the embassy.

You can find a list of them in the above section. Also, the Greek embassy in your home country might require further documents. Ask them about the checklist or find it out on their website.

If you can find a fellow citizen who has applied for a student visa, you can get valuable experience.

Step 4. Attend the visa meeting with the embassy

Get to the embassy in person on the booked date and bring all the gathered requirements. You should not miss any piece of documents.

You would better get there about an hour early as passing through the security could take you time.

In case you need copies, prepare them in advance as the embassies are unlikely to offer copy services.

When you meet the officials in person, submit the documents, pay the fees, and keep the receipt. Then you have to answer the questions regarding the purpose of your visit which is studying or research.

Be honest with the messy and give true answers. You would better find information about the city, university, the course and the reason for picking them and practice your answers.

When the meeting ends, the officials will tell you what to do next or an approximate processing time.

Step 5. Waiting time and visa processing

It takes some time until the embassy works on your student visa application and decides on it. In case they reject your application, the officials send a letter and explain the reason. You can appeal to a court of law or apply again by removing the reason for the decline.

When they approve the visa, the embassy informs you to pick up your visa.

Step 6. Moving to Greece and applying for a residence permit

When you arrive in Greece, you have to apply for a residence permit. While a student visa is a permit to enter the country and a residence permit is a permission to stay in the country for longer than one year. Bear in mind that you have to complete the procedure and receive the permit in 40 days of arrival.

You need the following residence permit requirements:

• Application form 
• Medical Insurance Certificate
• A medical certificate,
• Receipt of the Residence Permit Fee payment
• Student’s registration letter
• Proof to have enough funds

You need to visit the immigration officials and the police in your city to get a residence permit.

Within the 40 days, you have arrived in Greece, you will need to apply for a residence permit. It is mandatory if you’ll be staying in the country for more than a year.

Greece student visa requirements for Indian citizens

The Indian citizens who want to apply for a Greece student visa need to submit the requirements mentioned on this page.

Further requirements for Indians are up to the embassy’s decision and the applicant’s conditions. Each greek embassy decides on the list of requirements considering different factors.

If you are not sure about the list, you would better ask the Greek embassy in New Delhi.

Greece student visa interview questions

The interview questions for a Greece student visa mostly includes the question regarding:

• The major or course you have chosen
• Citiy you will mvoe to
• University you have picked
• Plans after your graduation
• How you will cover your expenses
• Future job market
• Plans when returning to your home country
• How the education in Greece helps your future
• Income differences after graduation
• Parents’ education and financial ability
• Background and education history

If you prepare an answer for the above topics, you can cover the questions the embassy will ask you.

You would better have a plan for every move. If you are going to stay in Greece after graduation, you would better not mention it and explain that you will return to your home country.

Let’s sum up…

If you want to continue your education in Greece, you need a Greece student visa.

This article provided all you need to know: requirements, application, and FAQs.

If you have questions regarding a Greek study visa, write them in the comment section.

You can find out about other countries’ visas from the top menu.