Primary and secondary education

In Greece, students conclude primary and lower and upper secondary education with diplomas:

• At the end of primary education, they take exams for an Apolytirio Dimotikou.
• They conclude lower secondary education with exams for an Apolytirio Gymnasiou.
• At the upper secondary education, they take exams for an Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou.

Please note: there are also Apolytirios in Greek secondary vocational education: the Apolytirio Epangelmatikou Lykeiou and the Apolytirio Epangelmatikou Sgoli.

The Apolytirio Dimotikou is the diploma of primary education. Primary education is for pupils aged 6 to 12.

• Duration : 6 years.
• Content: primary education.
• Diploma: Apolytirio Dimotikou / Απολυτήριο Δημοτικού. This is often translated as ‘Primary School Certificate’.

The Apolytirio Gymnasiou is the diploma of lower secondary education. Students go to a gymnasium. Lower secondary education is for pupils aged 12 to 15. After that, compulsory education ends.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: general education subjects.
• Admission requirements: an Apolytirio Dimotikou.
• Function of the diploma: access to upper secondary education (Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou) or secondary vocational education.
• Diploma: Apolytirio Gymnasiou / Απολυτήριο Γυμνασίου. This is often translated as ‘Lower Secondary School Certificate’.

The Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou is the diploma of upper secondary education. Students go to a general lyceum.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: general education subjects. All students take exams in subjects like English, Greek language and religion. They also take exams in 3 or 4 subjects of a specialisation they chose in the final year:
  • the business administration and information technology specialisation (Σπουδών Οικονοµίας και Πληροφορικής) with subjects like computer science (Πληροφορική), economics (Οικονομία) and mathematics (Μαθηματικά);
  • the humanities specialisation (Ανθρωπιστικών Σπουδών) with subjects like ancient Greek (Αρχαία Ελληνικά), history (Ιστορία) and Latin (Λατινικά);
  • the natural sciences and health specialisation (Σπουδών Υγείας) with subjects like biology (Βιολογία), chemistry (Χημεία) and physics (Φυσική).
• Admission requirements: an Apolytirio Gymnasiou.
• Function of the diploma: access to the entrance exams of higher education. Access to secondary vocational education is also possible, sometimes with exemptions.
• Diploma: Apolytirio Genikou Lykeiou / Απολυτήριο Γενικού Λυκείου. This is often translated as ‘Apolytirio of General Lyceum’ or ’Apolytirio of Geniko Lykeio’.