Rankings: The 18 best universities in Greece for 2025/2026
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Greece is not only the birthplace of philosophy and democracy, it’s also a dynamic and affordable destination for modern higher education.
With a rich academic tradition, stunning landscapes, and a growing number of English-taught degree programmes, Greece is attracting more international students each year that are looking for relatively low tuition fees and living costs, warm Mediterranean weather, and a welcoming atmosphere.
This ranking features the best universities in Greece for international students, based on aspects like academic reputation, programme quality, international partnerships, and student experience. Leading institutions include the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the Athens University of Economics and Business, among others. Many Greek universities are part of the Erasmus+ network, offering students opportunities to study and collaborate across Europe.
In addition to strong academics, Greece offers an unforgettable student lifestyle. Cities like Athens, Thessaloniki, and Heraklion combine ancient heritage with lively modern culture. Use this ranking to explore your top options and find the Greek university that’s right for you.
| University | QS Ranking 2026 | THE Ranking 2025 | ARWU Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Technical University of Athens | 355 | 801 | 801 |
| National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | 390 | 501 | 301 |
| Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | 485 | 801 | 501 |
| University of Crete | 628 | 601 | 801 |
| University of Patras | 721 | 1001 | 901 |
| Athens University of Economics and Business | 951 | 1001 | – |
| University of Ioannina | 1001 | 1201 | – |
| University of Western Macedonia | – | 1501 | – |
| University of West Attica | – | 1501 | – |
| International Hellenic University | – | 1501 | – |
| Hellenic Open University | – | 1501 | – |
| Ionian University | – | 1501 | – |
| University of Thessaly | – | 1201 | 801 |
| Technical University of Crete | – | 1201 | – |
| University of Macedonia | – | 1201 | – |
| University of the Aegean | – | 1001 | – |
| Democritus University of Thrace | – | 1001 | – |
| Harokopio University | – | 601 | – |
The QS World University Rankings are among the most important, most-referenced rankings. The QS ranking relies heavily on its academic survey, asking thousands of academics worldwide about the reputation of universities.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings (or the THE Rankings for short) compile a wide range of statistics. Equal weight is put on teaching quality, research excellence, and research impact through citations (meaning how often a university’s research is referenced elsewhere).
The Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (often just Shanghai Ranking, or ARWU) focuses on research output and quality, for example measured by the number of published and cited scientific papers and the number of staff or alumni winning the Nobel Prize or Fields Medal.
Greece is the birthplace of democracy - and home to many great universities with an increasing number of Bachelors and Masters in English. Greece should be on any international student’s map!
Read more about studying in Greece
