Cost of Studying in Cyprus for Non-EU Students: Tuition, Living and Fees
Real prices from current university fee sheets and the Cyprus Migration Department, plus the mandatory costs most budgets forget.
The cost of studying in Cyprus for a non-EU student starts at about €6,834 a year in tuition at a public university and €9,000–11,820 a year for a bachelor's at a private one. Add roughly €7,750–15,500 a year for rent, food and books, plus one-off visa, insurance and bank guarantee costs.
The final figure depends on three choices: public or private university, your city, and your passport. Nationality alone moves the bank guarantee from €350 to €850.
All figures below come from official current university fee sheets and the Cyprus Migration Department. Universities have not published next year's prices yet, so treat them as a baseline and expect updates before the next intake.
Tuition fees at private universities in Cyprus
Private universities are where you find full English-taught degrees in Cyprus. Bachelor's tuition at the main private universities sits between €8,970 and €11,820 a year for non-EU students. Medicine is a separate price category at €23,000–24,000 a year.
| University (city) | Bachelor's, per year | Master's, whole program | Medicine (MD), per year |
|---|---|---|---|
University of Nicosia (Nicosia) | €10,320–11,820 | €14,490–15,750 | €24,000 |
European University Cyprus (Nicosia) | €9,240–10,980 | not in fact sheet | €23,000 |
UCLan Cyprus (Pyla, Larnaca district) | €9,000 | €9,500 | not offered |
A few details change the real number:
- University of Nicosia (UNIC): business and humanities start at €10,320, IT and engineering cost €10,800, law €11,700 and architecture €11,820 a year. Pharmacy is €10,800 a year over five years.
- European University Cyprus (EUC): business, IT, psychology and pharmacy cost €9,240 a year; biomedical sciences, physiotherapy and law cost €10,980. Some EUC programs run only in Greek, so check the language first.
- UCLan Cyprus: €9,000 a year already includes a €950 discount, and the price is the same for local, EU and non-EU students. Academic scholarships of 40% and 50% bring the bill to €5,970 or €4,975 a year, but published grade thresholds cover only Cyprus, Russia and the IB. For Pakistan, India, Nigeria and other countries, the university assesses each case.
Public universities: cheaper, but mostly in Greek
The two public universities, the University of Cyprus (UCY, Nicosia) and the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT, Limassol), charge non-EU bachelor's students €6,834 a year. This is the latest published rate; the pages do not state an academic year, so it needs rechecking before each intake.
The catch is language. UCY teaches bachelor's degrees in Greek, with only English Studies taught in English. CUT states that all its bachelor's programs are in Greek. For most international applicants, a public bachelor's degree is not a realistic option without strong Greek.
Master's programs are where public universities become attractive:
- UCY: regular master's programs cost €5,125 for the whole program (three semesters). Self-funded programs cost more, for example €10,250 for the MBA and €7,500 for Human Resource Management.
- CUT: regular master's programs also cost €5,125 for the whole program, for EU and non-EU students alike, plus a one-time €40 registration fee. Interaction Design costs €9,600.
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Hidden cost of studying in Cyprus: guarantee, insurance and visa fees
Tuition is only part of the bill. Every non-EU student also pays for a bank guarantee, health insurance and residence permit fees, and some of these are due before you fly.
Bank guarantee. Cyprus requires a bank guarantee that covers possible repatriation costs. The amount depends on citizenship:
| Bank guarantee | Examples of countries |
|---|---|
€350 | Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey |
€550 | Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Albania |
€850 | India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China |
A university can post a group guarantee for its students, so ask your university how it handles this. A personal guarantee must be valid for at least 10 years, and electronic money institutions (EMIs) cannot issue one. Do not confuse it with UNIC's €400 International Student Guarantee: that is a refundable university fee, not the state guarantee.
Health insurance. After arrival you need medical insurance covering inpatient and outpatient care and repatriation. Universities sell it: UNIC charges €175 a year (€180 for medical students) and UCLan Cyprus lists €150.
Government fees. The Migration Department charges €140 for the entry permit, residence permit and registration card together, and €55 for each renewal. You must register within 7 days of arrival.
University visa and admin fees. These vary. UNIC charges a €60 application fee and a €150 visa application fee. EUC charges €80 to apply (€200 for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine) and €70 registration per semester. UCLan Cyprus lists a €50 application fee, a €100 Student Pass per year, €210 for the visa application and alien book, and €60 for medical tests. Frederick charges €200 for visa processing, €55 to apply and €110 per semester.
What you pay, and when
Application fee — €50–200, non-refundable, paid with your application.
Deposit or first semester — Cyprus migration rules require non-EU students to pay at least the first semester before entry. EUC asks for a €3,000 deposit toward tuition before visa documents are sent; for a regular CUT master's program, the deposit plus first installment is €1,925.
Proof of funds — the official list sets no fixed sum, but universities do: EUC and CUT ask for a bank statement of at least €7,000, and UNIC asks for at least the first year's tuition.
Bank guarantee — €350, €550 or €850 by citizenship, unless your university posts a group guarantee.
Entry permit — your university files it with the Migration Department; you pay the university's visa fee.
Arrival — register within 7 days, pay the €140 government fee, buy health insurance, repeat the medical tests in Cyprus and show a Cypriot bank letter confirming funds in your account. EUC also asks students to arrive with at least €2,000 in cash.
Living costs in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca
Universities publish their own estimates, and they are the most reliable numbers available. EUC, for example, estimates €600–1,000 a month for rent and €600–900 for everything else.
| Source and city | Rent | Other living costs |
|---|---|---|
UNIC, Nicosia (per academic year) | €4,000–6,000 shared, €6,000–10,000 private | Food and personal €3,350–5,000; books €400–500 |
UNIC medical school, Nicosia | — | Minimum €12,000 per year in total |
EUC, Nicosia (per month) | €600–1,000 | €600–900 |
UCY, Nicosia (per month, 2022 estimate) | not included | €600–770 |
CUT, Limassol (per month) |
Nicosia is the capital and home to UNIC, EUC and UCY. Based on UNIC's figures, a student sharing a flat spends about €7,750 a year, and one living alone can reach €15,500.
Limassol is known as the island's most expensive rental market. CUT has its own residences at €350 or €550 a month, but places are limited. Foreign bachelor's students are not guaranteed a room, and foreign master's students compete for up to 50 rooms at the standard rate.
Larnaca is home to UCLan Cyprus, whose campus is in Pyla. The Student's Nest residence sits next to the campus, but prices are not published, so ask the university for a quote before you budget.
Sample first-year budget
A first year for a student from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or Nigeria (bank guarantee €850), at current prices:
| Item | Private bachelor's: UNIC business, Nicosia | Public master's: CUT, Limassol |
|---|---|---|
Tuition | €10,320 per year | €5,125 for the whole program |
University fees | €60 application, €150 visa, €60 registration, €40 student fee, €30 technology fee | €40 registration |
Refundable university guarantee | €400 | — |
Health insurance | €175 | not in fact sheet |
Government entry and residence fees |
These totals exclude flights, the medical tests in your home country and document translation. They also assume no scholarship.
Sample first-year budget in Cyprus
EUR, first year at current prices, with an €850 bank guarantee
- Approximate first-year totalabout €20,000–27,700
- Tuition€10,320
- Living costs€7,750–15,500
- Bank guarantee (held, not spent)€850
- Refundable university guarantee€400
- Health insurance€175
Can part-time work cover living costs?
Part-time work helps, but it will not pay for your studies. Non-EU students may work up to 20 hours a week during semesters and up to 38 hours a week in holidays.
The work is restricted. A ministerial order lists the permitted sectors and occupations, and the district labor office must approve your employment contract first, with your class timetable attached. EUC's own FAQ says non-EU students can work only six months after first entering Cyprus; this condition does not appear on the government page, so check with your university. Plan to fund your full first year from savings or family support.
What to know before you apply
- This is the Republic of Cyprus, not North Cyprus. All prices on this page are for universities in the EU member state. North Cyprus is a separate system: it is recognized only by Turkey, and its diplomas are not directly recognized in the EU or the Republic of Cyprus. Check which side a university is on before you pay anything.
- Financial requirements depend on your passport and your university. The bank guarantee ranges from €350 to €850 by citizenship. The official document list sets no fixed bank balance, but EUC and CUT ask for at least €7,000 and UNIC for at least one year's tuition.
- Public universities teach bachelor's degrees in Greek. The €6,834 public tuition is realistic only for Greek speakers. For an English-taught bachelor's, budget for a private university.
Documents and legalisation: a checklist for nine destinations
Where an apostille is enough, where consular legalisation is required, and what separate recognition step each destination asks for — with the order of steps and timings.
- The basic document pack needed everywhere
- Apostille or consular legalisation — a table by destination
- Denklik, homologación, CIMEA, NCEQE: what they are and how long they take
- Three mistakes that cost applicants a year
Send us your field, preferred city and passport country, and we will build your real first-year budget for Cyprus: tuition, fees, bank guarantee and rent, program by program. The first consultation is free and includes an honest assessment of your chances. Start with the form on our contacts page, or message us on WhatsApp or Telegram. For the bigger picture, see our guide to studying in Cyprus.
