Universities in Cyprus: Choosing a School and Getting Admitted
Which Cypriot universities teach in English, what they ask for, and how the entry permit works for non-EU students.
For most international applicants, the realistic choice among universities in Cyprus is a private university that teaches in English, such as the University of Nicosia, European University Cyprus or UCLan Cyprus. Public universities charge less, but their bachelor's programs are mostly taught in Greek.
Admission itself is the easy part: a recognized school-leaving certificate and an English test are usually enough for a bachelor's degree. The harder part for non-EU students is the entry permit. The university files it for you, and it needs a full document pack, proof of funds and a bank guarantee that depends on your nationality.
This page, part of our study in Cyprus guide, covers the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, and the upcoming intake.
Public and private universities in Cyprus
Public universities, such as the University of Cyprus (UCY) in Nicosia and the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) in Limassol, have lower fees. Private universities teach most programs in English and handle most international students.
All degrees at the University of Nicosia are accredited by the Republic of Cyprus, and programs are evaluated by CYQAA, the national quality agency registered in EQAR. European University Cyprus is also a private university accredited by CYQAA.
The table compares published fees for non-EU students. All figures are current; fees for the next academic year have not been published yet.
| University | Type, city | Bachelor's tuition (non-EU) | Medicine (per year) | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Private, Nicosia | €10,320–11,820 per year | MD, 6 years: €24,000 | English | |
Private, Nicosia | €9,240–10,980 per year | MD, 6 years: €23,000 | English; some programs only in Greek | |
Private universities: where most international students go
At UNIC, bachelor's fees run from €10,320 a year (business, humanities) to €11,820 (architecture). A UNIC master's costs €14,490–15,750 for the whole 90-ECTS program. Some EUC programs, such as nursing, law and education, are taught only in Greek, so check the language of the exact program.
UCLan Cyprus charges €9,000 a year for a bachelor's degree and €9,500 for a full master's program. It offers merit scholarships of 40% and 50% of the base fee for strong school grades.
For medicine, UNIC and EUC both offer a six-year MD in English. The details, including clinical placements and extra fees, are on our page about medicine in Cyprus.
University of Cyprus and other public universities
Public universities charge non-EU bachelor's students €6,834 a year, according to the Ministry of Education's higher education portal. A standard master's at CUT costs €5,125 for the whole program, not per year, for EU and non-EU students alike. Recheck fees before you apply.
The catch is language. At the University of Cyprus, bachelor's programs are mostly in Greek. International bachelor's students usually take a one-year Greek course at the School of Modern Greek first, up to level B2. Some programs, such as English Studies, run fully in English, and part of the master's and PhD offer is in English.
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Cyprus university admission requirements
Requirements depend on the university and the level of study. The figures below are the published minimums; some programs ask for more.
| Requirement | UNIC | EUC |
|---|---|---|
School certificate, bachelor's | Recognized certificate, grade 7.5/10 or 15/20; lower grades may be accepted with first-year support | Completed secondary education, documents in English |
English, bachelor's | IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 72 | IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79 or PTE Academic 66 |
Master's | Accredited bachelor's; IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79 (waived if your first degree was taught in English) | Accredited bachelor's; English certificate |
Medicine (MD) | School average 90%, biology plus chemistry, physics or math; IELTS 6.5; online interview | Average 90% or higher, biology plus chemistry, math or physics; IELTS 6.5; interview if shortlisted |
Note that EUC's internal English test is not available to non-EU visa students, so you need an official certificate such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Documents, apostille and the entry permit
Non-EU students need an entry permit before they travel. The application is filed by the university, not by you. You can only apply from outside Cyprus or with a valid residence permit; you cannot switch from a tourist visa inside the country.
The official checklist from the Civil Registry and Migration Department asks for:
Documents for the entry permit
- a passport valid for the whole stay or for at least 2 years from the application date;
- a letter from a bank in your home country confirming you can cover living costs, tuition and your return, plus a bank statement, or a scholarship certificate;
- an original police clearance certificate;
All documents must be officially translated and certified. Cyprus is part of the Hague Apostille Convention. If your country is also a member, as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain are, you get an apostille at home. Nigeria, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are not members, so documents from these countries need consular legalization instead.
Universities add their own conditions. UNIC asks for a bank statement showing at least the first year's tuition. EUC asks for bank documents of at least €7,000, a €3,000 tuition deposit before visa documents are sent, and at least €2,000 in cash on arrival. Cypriot rules also expect full-time study and payment of at least the first semester before entry. Full details are in our Cyprus student visa guide.
How admission works, step by step
Shortlist programs — check the language of instruction and the fee for your exact program.
Take IELTS or TOEFL — non-EU applicants to EUC need an official certificate.
Apply online and pay the application fee — for medicine, prepare for an interview.
Receive your offer — conditional or unconditional.
Collect, translate and certify documents — apostille or consular legalization depending on your country.
Pay the deposit or first semester and arrange the bank guarantee — the university then files the entry permit.
Intake dates and timeline
Universities admit students in fall and spring. Exact deadlines for the next intake have not been published yet; universities announce them closer to the intake.
UNIC gives its general deadlines as late June for the fall semester and late October for spring. For non-EU visa students, EUC's published deadlines are 31 August for fall and 15 January for spring, and visa documents are due at least 3 months before the semester. Check these dates again before you apply.
The entry permit officially takes 1 month with a complete file; EUC says 3–4 weeks is typical. A safe plan for a fall start is to have your offer and English score by spring and your document pack ready well before summer.
When to apply for a fall start
Fall intake, based on the deadlines universities used for the previous intake
Spring
Offer and English score in hand
A safe plan for a fall start: have your offer and English score by spring and your document pack ready well before summer.
Late June
UNIC fall deadline
UNIC's general deadline for the fall semester; the spring deadline is late October.
3 months before the semester
EUC visa documents due
EUC asks for visa documents at least 3 months before the semester starts.
1 month
Entry permit review
The official processing time with a complete file; EUC says 3–4 weeks is typical.
31 August
EUC fall deadline
EUC's published deadline for non-EU visa students for fall; the spring deadline is 15 January.
Exact deadlines for the next intake have not been published yet; check these dates again.
Degree recognition in the EU and at home
Cyprus is an EU member, and accredited Cypriot degrees are degrees of an EU state. KYSATS is the national body for recognizing higher education qualifications and the national information center; it belongs to the ENIC, NARIC and MERIC networks.
Recognition in your home country is a separate question, especially for regulated professions. For medicine, UNIC's MD is accredited by CYQAA under WFME standards and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. EUC states that its MD graduates are eligible for ECFMG certification. Neither school publishes confirmation from national regulators such as the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council or India's National Medical Commission. If you plan to practice at home, check your regulator's current rules before you apply.
What to know before you apply
Some details surprise applicants. Here is how to handle them.
Risks and how to handle them
- This is the Republic of Cyprus, not North Cyprus. North Cyprus has different universities, rules and recognition, so check which side a university is on before you pay anything.
- The bank guarantee depends on your passport. It is €850 for citizens of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, and €350 for citizens of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon. Students can use a group guarantee paid by the university; ask your university whether it offers one.
- Public bachelor's programs are mostly in Greek. To start in English right away, choose a private university; otherwise plan a year of Greek first.
AcademGo helps you choose a program in the right language, checks your grades and English against each university's requirements, and prepares your document pack so the university can file a complete entry permit application.
Motivation letter: template and a paragraph-by-paragraph guide
A ready skeleton in English with a note on what each paragraph has to do, plus the mistakes that make a letter useless.
- Where a letter is really required and where it is not
- A five-paragraph template with example wording
- How to strengthen it with specifics and numbers
- Seven mistakes and a checklist before you send
Not sure which university fits your grades, budget and English score? Book a free consultation with AcademGo. We will compare programs for the upcoming intake, check the requirements for your passport and plan your document pack step by step. Write to us via the contact page, WhatsApp or Telegram.
