Greek university admission thresholds 2026: Engineering and computer science soar, law and psychology slip

Engineering and computer science surge

Admission thresholds for engineering and computer science departments recorded the steepest rises in the 2026 Panhellenic exams, with 62% of all university departments posting higher bases than in 2025. The Architecture School of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) remained the most competitive programme, requiring 20,995 points, up 615 from last year. Other architecture schools also climbed sharply: Thessaloniki added 995 points, while Volos jumped by 1,125 points. Electrical and Computer Engineering at NTUA reached 18,880 points (+490), and Mechanical Engineering at the same institution hit 18,738 points (+610). The trend extended beyond Athens: Computer Engineering at Patras rose by 945 points, and Mechanical Engineering at the International University of Greece in Serres surged by 2,450 points, one of the largest increases in the general category.

Medical schools rise, law and psychology dip

Medical schools across the country saw moderate gains. Athens Medical School reached 18,900 points (+125), Thessaloniki 18,750 (+175), and Alexandroupolis recorded the largest medical increase at +375 points. In contrast, law schools were largely stable or slightly down: Athens Law remained at 17,875 points, Thessaloniki fell by 20 points, and Komotini stood at 16,700. Psychology departments also edged lower, with Athens dropping 80 points to 17,395 and Thessaloniki losing 110 points to 17,040. Educational analyst Stratos Stratigakis noted that the first scientific field (humanities, law, and social sciences) showed limited movement.

Overall, the first field moved at about the same levels as last year.

Winners and losers: the extremes

The single largest increase was recorded in a special-category programme: the Fire Service Officers Academy for serving firefighters added 7,570 points. Among general admission programmes, the Military School of Evelpidon (Corps) rose by 2,695 points. On the losing side, the Plant Production Science department at the Agricultural University of Athens plummeted by 4,230 points, the steepest drop. Music Studies in Corfu fell from 13,440 to 10,980 points, and Midwifery in Ptolemaida dropped by 1,681 points.

What's driving the shift

Commentators link the surge in engineering and technology fields to Greece's growing role as a destination for infrastructure, energy, and digital investments. The construction of large projects, data centres by international tech firms, and the expansion of renewable energy have sharply increased demand for civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers. The rise of artificial intelligence is accelerating this trend, creating needs not only for computer scientists but also for engineers who can design and support the physical infrastructure of the digital economy. Candidates appear to be responding to these labour market signals, reversing the decline that engineering schools suffered during the financial crisis.

By the numbers: admissions and vacancies

A total of 70,593 candidates participated in the selection process, with 60,584 from general lyceums and 10,009 from vocational lyceums. Of these, 63,609 were admitted to universities, military academies, and other higher education institutions. The success rate reached 97.47% for general lyceum graduates and 63.23% for vocational lyceum graduates. Through the parallel application system, 14,225 candidates secured places in vocational training schools (SAEK), a success rate of 68.03%. The number of unfilled seats was reported as 9,739 by most outlets, though Kathimerini cited 13,187 vacant places, down from 13,803 in 2025.