Education System in Cyprus: Quality, Diversity and Vision

Education System in Cyprus: Quality, Diversity and Vision

The foundation of a successful career path lies in the education one receives as a child. The Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus recognises this principle. Therefore, it places utmost importance in the quality of education in the primary, secondary and tertiary degree.

It has been recognised that Cyprus is one of the leading countries in the EU for education, with the government spending around 7% of the GDP in this sector. As a Member State of the European Union, Cyprus follows the high standards of other European countries, making it easy for students to move into a Cyprus educational institution or move from it to another country.

Education in the Public Sector

Primary education is the initial stage of education, aiming at establishing a basic understanding of various subjects and helping pupils develop their critical and creative thinking. In Cyprus, all children are accepted in public schools with no tuition fees, independent of race, gender or religious beliefs, when they reach the appropriate age to attend a primary school. Children usually can start the school year when they reach the age of 6 by the 1st of September.

In public primary schools, as well as in secondary public schools, most of the classes are taught in Greek. Expat children may be challenged by the language barrier, however, public schools offer supportive language classes for foreign children when they request it. Additionally, if you are planning to stay in Cyprus for a long time, then the children will definitely benefit from attending a public school; this will assist them to familiarize with the Greek Cypriot culture.

Overall, children are offered a holistic educational curriculum. Classes consist of Greek Literature, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Art, Music, Physical Education, Design and Technology, Biology, Geography, History, English and French language and Religious Studies.

While proceeding to secondary education, the pupils can select to attend a general lyceum, where they select a specific direction they wish to pursue. Alternatively, they can attend a technical school, again selecting a specific field and develop the art they like. In a technical school, pupils can select amongst more technical fields, such as cooking, engineering, graphic designs or architecture. After the pupils graduate from any public secondary school, they can sit for exams which will allow them to apply for universities or colleges in Cyprus and Greece. For those who wish to pursue tertiary education abroad, they can apply through the usual procedure for any university in Europe with the ‘Apolytirion’ certificate they obtain when they successfully complete the three years of secondary education. Graduating from a European Union member state school, allows children to pursue higher studies abroad with equivalent status as those who have finished school in the member state of the application, opening up a world of opportunities to the graduates.

For more details on the conditions and requirements of public education in Cyprus, you can visit the official website of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth: Further Information

Private Schools of Cyprus

Due to the diversity of racial background of people who live in Cyprus, there are now many private schools available for primary and secondary education. These schools use English, Russian or French as the main teaching language. This has the effect of making foreign children feel at home while receiving a high-quality education in their native language and preparing them to pursue further studies abroad.

Here is a list of the most popular and prestigious private schools of the island:

• American International School of Cyprus
• American Academy
• Highgate Private School
• Pascal School
• Heritage Private School
• The English School
• Ecole Franco-Chypriote de Nicosie
• The Grammar School
• Xenion High School
• Foley’s School
• TLC Private School & Institution
• Silverline Private School
• International School of Paphos
• The Falcon School

All of the private educational institutions mentioned above have been approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth of Cyprus and they operate under high-quality standards. The examinations that the students are subjected to at the end of their academic years match the high standards of other international and European institutions. During their school attendance, pupils can obtain certificates, such as IGCSE and A’ levels, which allow them to be accepted in British, German or other universities.

You would be happy to hear that the private schools in Cyprus have comparatively affordable prices in comparison to other countries. The prices vary depending on the institution, with a general range from around €4,000 – €8,000 per year. Furthermore, some of the private schools offer scholarships to students with exceptional grades for a partial discount on the yearly fees.

Pursuing a Higher Education

While the private secondary schools can prepare the students for further studies abroad, they also have the ability to attain a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in one of the universities or colleges of the island.

There are three state universities in Cyprus where students can pursue higher education for free, which are the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus University of Technology and the Open University. Access to the state universities is obtained after students have successfully passed the relevant exams of their secondary schools.

Additionally, some of the private universities and colleges of the Republic include, amongst others, University of Nicosia, European University Cyprus, Cyprus International University, Frederick University, Neapolis University, UCLAN University (a branch of the British University of Central Lancashire) and Alexander College (a branch of the University of the West of England).

The above list includes some high rated universities and colleges which have been recognised on a worldwide scale. For example, the World University Ranking created by the Times Higher Education places the Cyprus University of Technology in the 301st place, and the University of Cyprus in the 351st place worldwide.

Some of the most popular degrees offered by Cyprus universities include Business, Tourism and Hospitality Management, General Education, as well as Medicine, Nursing and Health Care studies. However, there is a wide variety of the courses available in higher educational institutions covering from the most practical fields of Economics and Business to the most creative ones of literature, music and fine arts.

Adult Education

Education has no specific age framework; it is an on-going and lifelong project all people must engage in to be able to keep growing in their personal and professional lives. Cyprus has established Adult Education Centres where adults can attend classes of various subjects at an extremely low price. More information on the adult classes can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture: Further Information

The Republic of Cyprus is not only an amazing vacation destination, with its sunny weather and beautiful beaches. It also offers a vibrant educational environment for personal growth and professional flourishing, which will prepare young adults for a successful professional career. Children who attend both public and private schools in Cyprus are fully prepared to pursue further studies abroad, at one of the top universities in the world and thrive. Alternatively, they can stay on the island to pursue tertiary education in one of the high rated universities and colleges which exist there. In case you are considering moving to Cyprus, you can rest assured that education will not be a matter of concern for you and your children.

Written Febuary 2020