University of Crete

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About the University of Crete

The University of Crete was established in 1973 and accepted its first students in the academic year 1977–78. It describes itself as a young public institution committed to excellence in research and teaching, and as the first Greek university to sign the EU Charter and Code for the recruitment of researchers.^[1]

The seat is the Gallos Campus in Rethymno, home to the schools of Philosophy, Education, and Social, Economic and Political Sciences. The Voutes Campus in Heraklion hosts the schools of Sciences and Technology and of Medicine and the University General Hospital.^[1] The university’s home page lists 17 departments in five schools, including a separate International Program in Medicine, while Wikipedia counts sixteen departments.^[8][7] The university is a member of the INGENIUM European University alliance.^[9]

How is the University of Crete ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Crete is 649th. A Greek education news report of 20 June 2026 places it fourth among Greek universities, behind NTUA (378th), the University of Athens (402nd) and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (502nd), and ahead of the University of Patras (771–780).^[2] A second Greek report names Crete, together with Patras, for progress in academic reputation but gives no position.^[10]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so one position is only one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the University of Crete?

The university has five schools. In Rethymno: Philosophy (philology, history and archaeology, philosophy), Education (primary and preschool education) and Social Sciences (sociology, economics, psychology, political science). In Heraklion: Sciences and Technology (mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, computer science, materials science and engineering) and Medicine, which lists Medicine and an International Program in Medicine.^[8]

Most undergraduate teaching is in Greek.^[3] The university’s international pages list English-taught master’s programmes, mostly in Heraklion, among them Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Photonics & Nanoelectronics, Advanced Physics, Neurosciences and Data Analysis & Machine-Statistical Learning, and in Rethymno Ottoman History and TIME MBE (Technology Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship).^[5] The listing page does not describe the International Program in Medicine, so check the university for its language and fees.

How much does the University of Crete cost?

The listing page carries no date, and its programme cards do not always say whether an amount applies to EU or non-EU students or whether it is per year. Check each programme’s detail page.^[5] Vaccines and Prevention of Infectious Diseases is listed at €1,500 for the academic year 2026–2027.^[5]

Greek-taught bachelor’s programmes are free. The Eurypedia description of the system (page updated 28 October 2024) says that first-cycle studies at public universities are free of charge and that fees may be charged for particular postgraduate programmes.^[4] Study in Greece states that Greek-taught undergraduate programmes are free and that English-taught bachelor’s programmes charge roughly €5,000–15,000 per year.^[3] For master’s programmes it gives an average of €3,000–7,000 per year.^[11] Its page on doctoral studies does not mention tuition.^[12]

The European Commission’s country profile (page updated 24 April 2026) lists €5,000–15,000 per year for non-EU/EEA bachelor’s students and €3,000–7,000 for non-EU/EEA master’s students.^[13] We found no official page that states how these rules apply to a non-EU student in a Greek-taught bachelor’s programme at the University of Crete, so confirm this with the department secretariat. For rent and living costs on Crete, see our Greece guide.

How do you apply to the University of Crete?

• Bachelor’s, foreign applicants: Study in Greece describes the route for applicants who, like their parents, do not hold Greek nationality. You prepare your documents with an apostille or legalisation, have them translated into Greek and certified, and apply electronically through the Ministry of Education’s system for foreign applicants (exams-foreigner.it.minedu.gov.gr) during a short window each year. After acceptance you contact the department secretariat for visa documents.^[3]
• Master’s: admission requirements, selection and fees are set by each programme. The university’s master’s listing links the programme pages; the Ministry’s master’s finder and the Study in Greece portal also list them.^[5][11]
• Doctorate: the departments set their own admission requirements, and a postgraduate diploma is normally required.^[12]

The university runs a Welcome Office for the international community.^[8] We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme.

Do you need to speak Greek?

For most undergraduate programmes, yes. Study in Greece notes that courses are generally taught in Greek, so Greek language study may be relevant for foreign applicants.^[3] The pages we read do not name a required Greek level, so ask your department.

For international master’s programmes, Study in Greece says that knowledge of one or more foreign languages is an essential prerequisite; the accepted proof is set by each programme.^[11] The university’s listing marks the programmes above as English-taught.^[5]

More about studying in Greece

• Greece: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Greece

• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
• National Technical University of Athens
• University of Patras