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How your diploma will be recognized in Greece

In this article you can find information on how you can get your academic degree or diploma recognized in Greece. This applies for qualifications which are the degree or diploma which certifies that the holder has successfully completed a higher education studies program. The recognition concerns degrees, postgraduate diplomas, and PhD diplomas.

In Europe, there is no automatic EU-wide recognition of academic diplomas and this is the case for the recognition of qualifications by equivalent universities abroad, outside the countries of the European Union. You may therefore need to go through the national procedures to get your academic degree or diploma recognized in another EU country, if you seek admission to a further course of study there. If you already know that you will eventually want to pursue further studies in a different country, check before you start whether your diploma will be recognized there.

In Greece, the responsible bodies for diploma recognition are the Hellenic National Academic Recognition and Information Center (DOATAP) for university degrees and the National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) for technical and vocational institutes degrees.

The applications for DOATAP are made online using the link for the DOATAP web platform:
To apply, you need to have TAXISnet codes. In the "form and instructions", you can download the documents you need for your applications based on the degree level and some general documents for all applications. 

The procedure of recognition is the same for everyone, with exceptions only in cases of severe vulnerability (refugees, asylum seekers, and temporary protection beneficiaries with incomplete documentation). In cases of missing important documents, e.g. the degree itself, DOATAP proposes to interested parties the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. To find out more about it, click here.

If you are an asylum seeker, you will probably be able to have your diploma or certificate recognized, but maybe you will be asked to submit additional requirements. - If you cannot provide certificates or diplomas of your qualifications (degree or diploma), the relevant Greek authorities should facilitate the process. However, the procedure for asylum seekers is more complicated, and thus it is common to take more time.

 

Conditions for the Recognition of Qualifications

The qualifications from foreign-recognized educational institutes are recognized following the below criteria:

  • The duration of studies,
  • The teaching and learning process,
  • And the terms of evaluation, advancement and graduation of students

Based on them they examine if they fulfil the requirements of universities and technological institutes of higher education in Greece. This does not apply to the "open university", "distance learning", and "external degrees".

The whole duration of studies has been attended in equal educational institutes and at least 1/2 of the program has been attended in the institute granting the qualification. The duration of the studies is calculated in academic years, semesters or credits, or a combination of those.

More specifically: Especially for the recognition of qualifications from abroad, acquired after a three-year period of studying, when the respective programmes domestically provide for four or five-year periods of studies, the person who applies for recognition must successfully be examined in the principal subjects of the equivalent domestic studies programme.

The higher education institutions must accept, within the two following exam periods a number of candidates (referred by the Center for Examination in additional subjects) equal to 10% of the enrolled students in the respective Departments in the current academic year.

In cooperation with universities and technological institutes of higher education, the Centre executes specially written examinations to evaluate the required additional subjects and examine the knowledge acquired when it deems necessary. The exams may be executed by multiple choice questions and the grading of candidates'' essays may be executed electronically. The subject matter under examination is defined a priori, is valid for one year, is publicly announced and is of a similar scientific level as the exams organized by the domestic higher education institutions for the acquisition of the respective degree. After the announcement of the results, the candidates examined have the right to request that their paper be shown to them by the Center''s competent bodies and its review if there is an error or omission in the initial grading.

The same procedure of exams applies to medical and dentistry degrees regardless of the years of studies in the country where the degree was granted. The degree holders of medical schools and dentistry schools must necessarily give exams and pass them successfully to get their degree recognized in Greece.

The postgraduate (Master) and PhD qualifications are only recognized as equivalent.

The institutions that are responsible for the procedure and the documents needed is The National Organization for the Accreditation of Qualifications and Professional Orientation (Ε.Ο.P.P.Ε.P.).

The Ministry of Education recommends the following agencies for official translations: