Automatic student dismissal after 6 years – Exceptions and extension rules

The Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, liable for Higher Education, Nikos Papaioannou, has signed a Ministerial Decision authorized nether Law 5224/2025, regulating procedural matters related to the implementation of Article 76 of Law 4957/2022 regarding the maximum duration of undergraduate studies.

Key Provisions of the Ministerial Decision:

• Sets the maximum duration of study for students enrolled from the world twelvemonth 2022–2023 onward, arsenic good arsenic those who enrolled successful erstwhile years.
• Defines however the maximum survey clip is calculated successful world years and the consequences of exceeding it.
• Details the extension process nether circumstantial conditions, allowing an further two oregon 3 semesters, depending connected the case.
• Provides for emergency re-sit exam periods for students with up to 2 remaining courses earlier graduation.
• Outlines the dismissal procedure and the close to petition remedial review.
• Defines exceptions to the maximum duration rule, e.g., students with certified disabilities (≥50%).
• Specifies the supervisory bodies liable for due implementation.

A circular with elaborate guidelines connected each of the supra has been sent to each Higher Education Institutions.

Statements

Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki, stated:

“Today’s determination is simply a wide committedness to the aboriginal of our universities and students who strive each day. We privation institutions that run with stable, transparent rules and connection credible degrees portion supporting those who are genuinely trying. No 1 is near behind. We are ending chronic distortions that wounded some students and universities. This is much than a method regulation—it’s a connection that the State acknowledges difficulties, stands by the student, and is gathering universities that animate spot and nutrient graduates with knowledge, strength, and confidence.”

Deputy Minister Nikos Papaioannou added:

“We are implementing a wide and socially just model for the maximum duration of studies. We guarantee world consistency and due assemblage relation portion giving just chances to those adjacent to completing their degrees. We are ending decades-old dysfunctions and enabling institutions to run nether rules that uphold world prime and grade credibility. Greece needs modern, reliable, globally competitory universities—and that’s what we’re moving toward, with students, excellence, and societal relevance astatine the center.”

Practical Guide Based connected the Ministerial Decision

Clarifications for Article 76 of Law 4957/2022, arsenic amended by Law 5224/2025

1. What Is the Maximum Study Duration?

• Programs with minimum 8 semesters → Max = 8 + 4 semesters
• Programs longer than 8 semesters → Max = minimum duration + 6 semesters
• Dismissal: If the pupil exceeds the bounds without graduating → automatic dismissal 2 months aft the September re-exam results are posted

2. When Can a Study Extension Be Granted?

• Extension: +2 semesters, oregon +3 semesters if mandatory internship/thesis is pending
• Requirements (cumulative):
  a) Passed astatine slightest 70% of ECTS
  b) Participated successful astatine slightest 2 world exams successful the past 4 semesters, with astatine slightest 1 pass
• Special case: If lone internship/thesis remains → information (b) is waived
• Application deadline: Within 30 days aft September grades are released
• During the extension:
• Part-time survey is not allowed
• Temporary suspension is not allowed

3. Emergency Re-Sit Exam Periods (Εμβόλιμη Εξεταστική)

• Allowed for students who, aft the extension, beryllium 2 oregon less courses
• Application deadline: Within 10 days of the past exam play results
• Organized by the department, with results owed by December 15
• If the pupil fails again → automatic dismissal

4. Transitional Provisions (Art. 454 §3 Law 4957/2022 arsenic amended)

• New students (2022–23 onward) → Normal exertion of paragraph 1
• Students enrolled earlier Feb 17, 2021 (Law 4777/2021):
• If minimum duration not yet exceeded → number begins from 2021–22
• If already exceeded → allowed lone the minimum programme duration starting from 2021–22, without added semesters

5. Examples of Maximum Study Durations

• 4-year programme (entered 2023–24) → indispensable postgraduate by September 2028–29
• 5-year programme (entered 2023–24) → by 2030–31
• 6-year programme (entered 2023–24) → by 2031–32
• 4-year programme (2017–18 to 2020–21) → by 2026–27
• 5-year programme (2016–17 to 2020–21) → by 2028–29
• 6-year programme (2015–16 to 2020–21) → by 2029–30
• Students who had already exceeded min duration by 17.2.2021:
• 4-year → until 2024–25
• 5-year → until 2025–26
• 6-year → until 2026–27

6. Extension Requirements by Program

• 4-year → astatine slightest 168 ECTS
• 5-year → astatine slightest 210 ECTS
• 6-year → astatine slightest 252 ECTS

7. Obligations of Universities and Secretariats

• Timely merchandise of September exam results
• Mandatory notification of students astir deadlines (via website, email)
• Annual database of dismissals (with: ID, department, enrollment year, reason)
• Anonymous list posted connected the department’s website
• List sent to General Directorate of Higher Education by Dec 31 (email: [email protected])

8. Exceptions and Special Provisions

1. Students with certified disablement ≥50%

• Exempt from dismissal
• Must taxable valid certification (e.g., from KEPAs oregon applicable aesculapian boards)
• If time-limited → indispensable renew
• Periods of disablement do not count toward survey time

1. Serious wellness issues (Article 76 §4)

• Request to exceed maximum duration possible
• Student presumption is suspended (excluding lodging rights)
• Period not counted successful full survey clip oregon extension
• Requires documents arsenic per assemblage interior rules

1. Students from merged oregon abolished Technological Institutes (T.E.I.)

• Granted clip adjacent to the minimum assemblage programme duration from the twelvemonth of transfer

9. When Are Automatic Dismissals Enforced?

• After reaching the maximum allowed duration
• After the extension expires
• After failing the exigency re-sit
• If nary petition is made for hold oregon re-sit

10. University Obligations

• Update interior regulations to align with the caller law
• Inform the world community astir the rules and deadlines