Author
Children beneficiaries of international protection have an obligation to study at primary and secondary education institutions of the public education system, under the same conditions as Greek nationals.[1] Similar to Reception Conditions: Access to Education, the new Asylum Code refers not to a right to education but to a duty for beneficiaries of international protection. In case of violation of this duty, the penalties provided for Greek citizens in similar situations are imposed on the adult members of the minor’s family.[2]
Adult beneficiaries are entitled to access the education system and training programmes under the same conditions as legally residing third-country nationals.[3]
During the 2024-2025 school year, a total of 17,195 pupils with refugee or asylum seeking backgroundwere enrolled in education,[4] to a near identical degree in primary (50.7%) and secondary education (49.3%). Of those, a total of 15,538 children were reported as actively attending school,[5] highlighting a potential drop-out rate of roughly 10%, which was slightly more pronounced at the primary level (87% of those enrolled reported as active, as oppoσed to 93% for secondary education).
Of the total children enrolled to both primary and secondary education (17,195), 57.7% were boys (9,914) and 42.3% were girls (7,281), with dropout rates being reported at similar levels in both cases (roughly 10%, albeit slightly more accentuated for boys).[6]
Overall, children from a total of 70 different nationalities were reported as enrolled to mainstream education, with top nationalities being Egypt (19%), Ukraine (13%) and India (13%), followed by Syria (11%), Afghanistan (10%), Pakistan (8%) and Iraq (6%).[7]
Of the total children enrolled to education (17,915), 66.6% were enrolled to schools with morning reception classes (τάξεις υποδοχής), and 12.9% in afternoon Reception Facilities for the Education of Refugees (Δομές Υποδοχής για την Εκπαίδευση των Προσφύγων / ΔΥΕΠ).[8]
During the 2024-2025 school year, a total of 120 Refugee Education Coordinators were appointed by the Ministry of Education throughout Greece, and 1,405 teachers were appointed for the education of children with a refugee background enrolled in Reception Facilities for the Education of Refugees.[9]
Migrant Integration Centres
Migrant Integration Centres (M.I.C.), which were established by Law 4368/2016 (ΦΕΚ 21 Α’, 2016) and function as branches of Community Centers in municipalities, provide, inter alia, language learning and training (Lessons in Greek language, history, and culture which are offered to adults who are either migrants or beneficiaries of international protection. Intercultural activities which facilitate the co-existence between third-country children/young people and native children/ young people. Activities that facilitate third-country nationals’ access to the job market).
In Greece, there are eleven Migration Centers in: Athens, Piraeus, Kallithea, Thessaloniki, Kordelio-Evosmos, Thebes, Lamia, Andravida-Kyllini, Heraklion-Crete, Lesvos and Trikala.[10]
However, the demand for their services is exceeding their capacity. Suffice to mention that for Athens, where a large part of the refugee population is concentrated, there is only one Migrant Integration Center, which by its nature serves not only beneficiaries of international protection but all third-country nationals.
Recognition of qualifications
According to an ongoing survey conducted by UNHCR since 2022, from 1 January 2025 to 20 November 2025, out of 99 beneficiaries of international protection surveyed, 19% had university level eduction and higher.[11] However, to date, the D.O.A.T.A.P – Hellenic National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (Hellenic NARIC), the official body of the Hellenic Republic for the academic recognition of titles and qualifications awarded by foreign Higher Education Institutions, has not provided any exceptions from its extremely strict requirements for the recognition of university degrees of beneficiaries of international protection.
The following requirements must be met and submitted: a legally certified copy of High School Diploma and translation in Greek; a legally certified copy of the degree to be recognised and its official translation in Greek; a legally certified copy of the official transcript of records (grades from all subjects and from all the years of study, signed and stamped by the University, stating the date of award) and its official translation in Greek; the University Certificate.[12] Moreover, L. 4957/2022 establishes the National Register of Recognised Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries and the National Register of Types of Degrees of Recognised Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries, which includes extremely difficult conditions to be met by the refugees for the inclusion of their universities in it.[13] These requirements are impossible to be met by the vast majority of beneficiaries of international protection. Thus, most of them cannot continue their education in their field of studies.
In 2025, a total of 9,637 applications for recognition of titles and qualifications were submitted to DOATAP and 9,099 acts were issued recognising academic titles,[14] though available statistics do not provide a breakdown based on legal status.
[1] Article 27(1) Asylum Code.
[2] Article 27(1) Asylum Code.
[3] Article 27(2) Asylum Code.
[4] Separate statistics based on exact legal status (refugee status, subsidiary protection, asylum applicant) are not kept. As noted by the Independent Department for the Coordination and Monitoring of Refugee Education of the Ministry of Education, in reply to GCR’s request for information “this is on account of the fact that enrollment of minor students from third countries or stateless minors in public schools is a right of the children and an obligation of the State, regardless of whether their residence status in the country has been regularised”. Information received on 18 January 2026.
[5] Specifically, 7,619 out of a total of 8,716 children enrolled in primary education and 7,919 out of a total of 8,479 children enrolled in secondary education. Information received from the the Independent Department for the Coordination and Monitoring of Refugee Education of the Ministry of Education on 18 January 2026.
[6] Specifically, 8,928 out of 9,914 boys reported as actively attending school (90%), and 6,610 out of 7,281 girls reported as actively attending school (90.8%). Information received from the the Independent Department for the Coordination and Monitoring of Refugee Education of the Ministry of Education on 18 January 2026.
[7] Information received from the Independent Department for the Coordination and Monitoring of Refugee Education of the Ministry of Education on 18 January 2026.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Information received from the the Independent Department for the Coordination and Monitoring of Refugee Education of the Ministry of Education on 18 January 2026.
[10] Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Migrant Integration Centers, available at: https://bit.ly/4dhsrDC.
[11] UNHCR, Greece Inter-Agency Protection Monitoring of refugees in Greece, Key Findings, 01 February 2022 – 20 November 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/k9vtxdwy.
[12] DOATAP website available at: https://bit.ly/3q8RqET.
[13] Article 304 L.4957/2022.
[14] DOATAP website, Statistics, available in Greek at: https://www.doatap.gr/enhmerosh/statistika/.