Universities in Cyprus: Choosing a School and Getting Admitted

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.

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.

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.

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;
• medical tests for hepatitis B and C, HIV and syphilis, and a chest X-ray for tuberculosis, done in your home country;
• the university's letter of acceptance;
• a bank guarantee, from you or from the university;
• academic documents and an English 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.

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.

Degree recognition in the EU and at home

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.
• Work is limited. Students may work up to 20 hours a week during semesters and up to 38 hours during holidays, only in approved sectors, and only after the district labor office approves the contract. After graduation, only master's and higher graduates can stay up to 12 months to look for work.
• Cyprus is not yet a full Schengen member. Your Cypriot student residence permit does not give you the same travel rights as a Schengen permit. Check visa rules before trips to other EU countries.
• Budget for living costs, not just tuition. UNIC estimates at least €12,000 a year for living in Nicosia. EUC reports rents of €600–1,000 a month near its campus. Limassol is generally a more expensive city to rent in. See our cost of studying in Cyprus page.

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.

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.