Your child speaks no Greek: what happens at a state school in Cyprus
Checked: no change to the rule has been established since the check
In short
- Who it applies to
- Parents of a child who came to Cyprus without Greek and is going to a state school — primary, Gymnasium or Lyceum. The ministry calls these children «με μεταναστευτική βιογραφία», and that is the phrase you will see in letters from the school.
- What it costs
- Greek lessons at a state school are free and take place within the school day — there is nothing extra to pay.
- How long it takes
- There is no waiting period: in primary school the Greek diagnostic test is given in September and to every child who arrives later during the year. In Gymnasium and Lyceum the test follows the parents' written consent — for 2026-2027 by 10 September, and on arrival for latecomers.
- Where to apply
- At the school your address assigns — enrolment works the same way as for everyone else. If the Gymnasium or Lyceum of your εκπαιδευτική περιφέρεια has no transitional class, a transfer to the nearest school that has one is requested through the Επαρχιακό Γραφείο Παιδείας.
- If your case differs
- From 2026-2027 primary schools have a parents' guide in eight languages, including Russian and English — with rules, timetables and a section on Greek lessons. We found no such guide for Gymnasium and Lyceum.
Deadlines and conditions
| Condition | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Greek is taught in groups of up to 12 children | The Δ.Δ.Ε. guide for schools outside ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+, 2026-2027 (ypp20376b): «Κάθε ομάδα μπορεί να περιλαμβάνει μέχρι και 12 παιδιά». There are three groups: Year 1 beginners, beginners in Years 2–6, and second-year pupils. |
| support in primary school lasts 2 school years | ypp20376b: «η συμμετοχή των παιδιών στο πρόγραμμα ενισχυτικής διδασκαλίας στην ελληνική γλώσσα διαρκεί μόνο δύο χρόνια». A third year only if the child has not reached B1 and the group has a place (fewer than 12). |
| in a Gymnasium transitional class Greek takes 20 of the 38 weekly periods | Annex Α΄ to ΔΜΓΕ circular ypp20287a of 20.07.2026 (ypp20287b), separate Gymnasium transitional class: «Ελληνική ως δεύτερη Γλώσσα … Α΄ τάξη 20 Β΄ τάξη 14» out of 38 periods a week. |
| in a Lyceum transitional class Greek takes 15 of 37 periods | ypp20287b, «Πρόγραμμα Μεταβατικών Τάξεων Λυκείου», Year Α΄: «Ελληνική ως δεύτερη Γλώσσα» — 15 periods, 37 in total. |
| for 2026-2027 transitional classes run in 27 Gymnasiums | ΔΜΓΕ circular ypp20222a of 23.06.2026, «ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΜΕΤΑΒΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΑΞΕΩΝ ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟΥ»: Nicosia 8, Limassol 9, Larnaca and Famagusta 4, Paphos 6. |
| and in 13 Lyceums | The same circular ypp20222a, «ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΜΕΤΑΒΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΤΑΞΕΩΝ ΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ»: Nicosia 3, Limassol 2, Larnaca and Famagusta 4, Paphos 4. |
| promotion to the next year needs 50% in the final Greek exam | Annex Β΄ (ypp20287c): pupils in the programme «προάγονται στην επόμενη τάξη νοουμένου ότι έχουν εξασφαλίσει τουλάχιστον του 50% της συνολικής βαθμολογίας της Τελικής Εξέτασης στο μάθημα της Ελληνικής ως δεύτερης Γλώσσας». |
Your case
If the child is going to primary school (δημοτικό, Years 1–6)
The child studies in an ordinary class for their age and leaves it for Greek lessons in a group of up to 12 — roughly one lesson a day. Every state primary school works this way, and schools in the ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+ programme offer more. The regulations allow a child without Greek to be placed one year lower — including the pre-primary year — but that is an option, not a rule. Support lasts 2 school years.
If the child is going to a Gymnasium (ages 12–15)
A newly arrived pupil without a Cypriot primary leaving certificate is entitled to a transitional class: in a separate class Greek takes 20 of 38 weekly periods in the first year. Not every school has one — for 2026-2027 there are 27 Gymnasiums with them, plus three schools with short-hours groups of 5 periods a week. Parents must sign written consent. A pupil can stay in the programme for no more than 2 years, and promotion needs 50% in the Greek exam.
If the child is going to a Lyceum (ages 15–18)
A Lyceum transitional class is for pupils without a Cypriot Gymnasium leaving certificate: in the first Lyceum year Greek takes 15 of 37 periods. For 2026-2027 these classes run in 13 Lyceums. Pupils who finish the transitional class move into the first Lyceum year without placement exams; the rules on parental consent, two years and 50% are the same as in Gymnasium.
Not every Gymnasium or Lyceum has a transitional class — and only a ministry circular tells you which do
What follows from this:
- Nicosia: Gymnasiums — Παλουριώτισσας, Αγίου Βασιλείου, Διανέλλου και Θεοδότου, Ακακίου, Πέρα Χωρίου - Νήσου, Σολέας, Αρχαγγέλου, Αγίου Δομετίου; Lyceums — Παλουριώτισσας, Εθνομάρτυρα Κυπριανού Στροβόλου, Ακροπόλεως
- Limassol: Gymnasiums — Νεάπολης, Θέκλειο, Αγίου Ιωάννη, Λινόπετρας, Σχολή Ομόδους, Αγίου Αντωνίου, Καλογεροπούλου, Καθολικής, Τραχωνίου; Lyceums — Αγίου Νικολάου, Αγίου Αντωνίου
- Larnaca and Famagusta: Gymnasiums — Ευρυβιάδειο, Φανερωμένης, Πετράκη Κυπριανού, Παραλιμνίου; Lyceums — Παγκύπριο, Αρχιεπισκόπου Μακαρίου Γ΄, Αραδίππου, Παραλιμνίου
- Paphos: Gymnasiums — Παναγίας Θεοσκέπαστης, Αποστόλου Ανδρέα Έμπας, Αγίου Θεοδώρου, Αγίας Παρασκευής Γεροσκήπου, Αποστόλου Παύλου, Πόλεως Χρυσοχούς; Lyceums — Πόλεως Χρυσοχούς, Αγίου Νεοφύτου, Γεροσκήπου, Αγίου Χαραλάμπους Έμπας
- short-hours groups of 5 periods — Απεήτειο Αγρού and Επισκοπής Gymnasiums (Limassol) and Πολεμίου Gymnasium (Paphos)
- if the school for your address has no programme, the child may ask to transfer to the nearest school that has one — through the Επαρχιακό Γραφείο Παιδείας and subject to places
- without the parents' written consent the child is not placed in the programme and not given the diagnostic test — the school hands out the form
- no more than two years in the programme; afterwards, in the third Gymnasium year, the pupil is excused from French, Religious Studies and Ancient Greek and gets extra Greek lessons
- primary school is different: every school offers support, so there is no need to choose a school for it
Sources
- Δ.Δ.Ε., εγκύκλιος ypp20376a, 02.09.2026 — Ελληνική ως δεύτερη γλώσσα στα δημοτικά σχολεία, 2026-2027enimerosi.moec.gov.cyThe two support schemes — in ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+ schools and in all others; the parents' guide in eight languages.
- Δ.Δ.Ε., οδηγός ypp20376b (παράρτημα της ypp20376a) — σχολεία εκτός ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+, 2026-2027enimerosi.moec.gov.cyGroups of up to 12, about a period a day, two years of support, test dates (September, January, May–June), a test for every child arriving during the year.
- Δ.Δ.Ε., οδηγός ypp20377c — σχολεία ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+, ΣΧΟΛΙΚΗ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ 2026-2027enimerosi.moec.gov.cyIn ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.+ schools: 5 periods a week for a group of 1–5 children, 10 for a group of 6–15.
- ΔΜΓΕ, εγκύκλιος ypp20222a, 23.06.2026 — Λειτουργία των Προγραμμάτων Μεταναστευτικής Βιογραφίας 2026-2027enimerosi.moec.gov.cyThe named list of schools with transitional classes: 27 Gymnasiums, 13 Lyceums, 3 schools with short-hours groups; the programmes' contact.
- ΔΜΓΕ, εγκύκλιος ypp20287a, 20.07.2026, παραρτήματα Α΄–Δ΄ (ypp20287b–e)enimerosi.moec.gov.cyTimetables of transitional classes (20 of 38 and 15 of 37), eligibility, age-based enrolment, transfer to the nearest school, two-year limit, the 50% threshold, written consent, diagnostics by 10.09.2026.
- Οι περί Λειτουργίας των Δημόσιων Σχολείων Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης Κανονισμοί του 2024 έως (Αρ. 2) του 2025sch.cyA child «μεταναστευτικής βιογραφίας» without Greek «δύναται» be placed one year lower, including pre-primary, if age allows finishing primary school and support is provided.
- Οδηγός γονέων/κηδεμόνων δημοτικού — mathaino-ellinika.schools.ac.cymathaino-ellinika.schools.ac.cyThe primary-school parents' guide in nine languages, including Russian and English, April 2026; replaces the 2009 handbook.