Updated July 2016
- Greece
Education is compulsory for all children aged five to 15 years.
One year of compulsory pre-primary education (Nipiagogio).
Six years of compulsory primary education (Dimotiko).
Three years of compulsory lower secondary (Gymnasio).
Three-year post-compulsory phase Eniaia Lykeia (Upper Secondary School) which culminates in the Apolytirio of Geniko Lykeio (previously Eniaio Lykeio).
Post-compulsory secondary education also includes vocational training institutes (IEK).
The second and third years of the upper secondary school allows students to specialise within one of three option streams (see ‘Structure’ below), although there is also a common core of general education.
The Apolytirion is taken in the final year of the post-compulsory phase, with students specialising in one of three pathways (Humanities, Science, Economics & IT). Students also follow a common core of general education. In addition, students choose one elective subject within their pathway.
Overall the students will be assessed in 14 subjects, as a combination of oral and written school-based assessment. Note, only 13 of these subjects count towards a student's average grade for the Apolytirion. Physical education, although a requirement, is not included.
Note: a version of the Apolytirion is now awarded in Greece which does not require assessment at national level. This is made clear on the certificate – see additional information below for wording in Greek and English.
The Apolytirion (graduation certificate) is now based on the performance of the student’s final year marks/results, which includes the average of two oral and one written examination. All subjects are set and examined internally and marked by the individual schools.
| General Education subjects (15 hours per week) | ||
| Biology | Foreign language (*) | Greek literature |
| History | Mathematics & statistical Elements | Modern Greek |
| Physical education (**) | Religious affairs | Social sciences history |
| (*) English / French / German, (**) no final examination is required |
| Three option streams: Humanities, Sciences and Economics & IT (15 hours per week) | ||||
| Humanities | Sciences | Economics & IT | ||
| Ancient Greek | Applications development in programming environment | Applications development in programming environment | ||
| History | Biology | History | ||
| Latin | Chemistry | Mathematics | ||
| Literature | Mathematics | Principles in Economic Theory | ||
| Sociology | Physics | Sociology |
| Electives (2 hours per week) | ||
| Freehand drawing | History of Art | Linear drawing |
| Principles in Business Management | Second foreign language English / French / German |
To receive the Apolytirion, students must achieve a minimum overall average of 9.5/20.
Level 3 – acceptable as group qualification satisfying HE general entrance requirements for undergraduate degrees at a mark of 17 or above and at 14 or above for foundation degree entry.
For further information on the qualification level you may wish to refer to UK NARIC, which is the UK body responsible for providing comparability of overseas qualifications.
Pass mark is 10 out of 20 for each subject. See section ‘Certification Information’ for information on grade distributions.
All subjects have a combination of:
- Oral grade (continuous assessment). The school year is divided into two terms – students are assessed each term for each subject at school level. These assessments are called the ‘oral grades’ and cover a range of aspects of student achievement: participation, learning capacity, diligence and interest, written assignments, homework, overall performance. Oral grades are at subject level and based on the average score of the two terms.
- Written grade (examination). The written grade is the one achieved by students in their final exams at the end of the academic year. These will be internally assessed and marked (13 subjects).
Therefore the Apolytirion itself does not qualify Greek students to access tertiary education in Greece.
The Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio contains an overall grade that is printed on the certificate. This grade is based on the average of the oral and written examinations for each subject, and is out of 20.
The certificate also provides the following information:
- results of school level examinations – 13 subjects, assessed at school level
- a grade for the student’s overall ‘conduct’ – based on a range of assessments of behaviour, punctuality, attitude etc.
Thirteen subjects internally assessed / examined.
13 subjects assessed at school level – subjects studied over one year = 30 hours per week 1576 /10 = 158 hours per subject.
Offers may require an overall mark for the Apolytirion, but often requirements for individual scores on subjects taken through the national (Pan-Hellenic) assessment may also be required. Students following the Apolytirion will have studied a broad range of subjects at a lower level than some UK level 3 qualifications. Additional evidence of study at a higher level may be requested in some cases, or foundation degree level study. Note that national examinations within the specialist pathway are different to those within the general pathway with the same name (more specialised). The certificate will include the subjects examined at school level only from the academic year 2015/16.
Older students holding the Apolytirion with the phrase below have achieved their qualification without the Pan-Hellenic (national) examinations. Apolytirion without Pan-Hellenic examinations does not allow access to Greek universities.
Το απολυτήριο χορηγήθηκε σύμφωνα με τις διατάξεις του Ν.3966 / 2011, άρθρο 59, Παράγραφος 12 – (The Apolytirion was issued according to the provisions of Law 3966 / 2011, Article 59, paragraph 12.).
Pan-Hellenic exams are taken in May.
There is no fixed date for the publication of results for the
Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio. In general, results are announced
between the end of June and early to mid July.
This qualification is current.
% distribution of candidate results by score in Pan-Hellenic (national) examinations 2015
|
|
Score range (%) |
||||
|
Pathway / subject |
18-20 |
15-17.9 |
12-14.9 |
10-11.9 |
<10 |
|
General Education |
|||||
|
Biology |
25.36 |
22.91 |
16.41 |
9.2 |
26.12 |
|
History |
4.68 |
9.93 |
11.05 |
9.36 |
64.98 |
|
Mathematics & Elements of Statistics |
17.31 |
16 |
13.99 |
8.33 |
44.36 |
|
Modern Greek Language |
0.99 |
24.23 |
41.24 |
17.93 |
15.61 |
|
Physics |
45.53 |
26.81 |
11.19 |
4.92 |
11.55 |
|
Theoretical |
|||||
|
Ancient Greek |
0.95 |
9.65 |
20.78 |
18.96 |
49.66 |
|
History |
13.38 |
21.46 |
15.1 |
8.9 |
41.15 |
|
Latin |
11.71 |
20.41 |
18.41 |
11.14 |
38.33 |
|
Modern Greek Literature |
3.16 |
16.85 |
25.04 |
16.28 |
38.67 |
|
Science |
|||||
|
Biology |
20.05 |
30.25 |
23.67 |
9.71 |
16.31 |
|
Chemistry |
34.93 |
23.97 |
13.01 |
6.63 |
21.47 |
|
Mathematics |
4.53 |
18.7 |
23.35 |
14.42 |
39 |
|
Physics |
5.18 |
14.24 |
20.81 |
12.37 |
47.4 |
|
Technological I |
|||||
|
Chemistry - Biochemistry |
20.81 |
19.71 |
16.19 |
8.37 |
34.91 |
|
Electrology |
26.32 |
16.74 |
18.83 |
10.79 |
27.31 |
|
Mathematics |
4.07 |
15.2 |
19.27 |
13.11 |
48.35 |
|
Physics |
5.29 |
13.33 |
16.3 |
10.57 |
54.52 |
|
Technological II |
|||||
|
Application Development in a Programming Environment |
14.93 |
18.54 |
15.76 |
10.72 |
40.06 |
|
Mathematics |
1.3 |
6.22 |
11.77 |
10.74 |
69.97 |
|
Physics |
1.25 |
4.04 |
8.32 |
7.22 |
79.16 |
|
Principles of Business Administration |
35.28 |
18.94 |
15 |
10.81 |
19.97 |
|
Elective |
|||||
|
Principles of Economic Theory |
30.62 |
22.42 |
13.37 |
6.99 |
26.6 |
For access to Greek
- State universities (universities, polytechnics, school of fine arts, HOU)
- State Technological Institutions (TEIs, schools of pedagogical education)
- Military, Police and Naval Academies
- Ecclesiastical schools
- School of Tourism
secondary school leavers must take nationally set examinations (pan-hellenics). Each student is allowed to choose one stream/pathway.
Students can be examined in a minimum of four subjects. If they wish to open their way to more disciplines, they may take one more examination from another stream/pathway. There are three compulsory examinations in each stream/pathway as per below table:
| Humanities | Sciences | Economics & IT |
| Ancient Greek (C) | Applications development in programming | Applications development in programming environment (C) |
| History (C) | Biology | History |
| Latin | Chemistry (C) | Mathematics (C) |
| Literature | Mathematics | Modern Greek (C) (General education) |
| Modern Greek (C) (General education) | Modern Greek (C) (General education) | Principles in economic theory |
| Sociology | Physics (C) | Sociology |
|
(C) Compulsory subjects per pathway |
Students applying to Greek universities will have a Vevaiosi Prosvasis (Certificate of Access to HE). The Vevaiosi Prosvasis uses information from the assessment for the Apolytirion, but weights the average achieved in oral assessments for subjects at 30% and the average of written grades in the Pan-Hellenic subjects at 70%, to provide an admission grade.
www.minedu.gov.gr (Greek Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs)