Primary and secondary education
Primary and secondary education are mandatory in Cyprus. Attendance in the public sector schools is free for all classes from ages 5 to 18, and mandatory from ages 5 to 15. The language of instruction is Greek, while English is taught as a second language from first grade. Additional languages are offered in middle and secondary school years.
There are provisions for free access to state-funded kindergartens, but access to these depends on availability of places. Priority is given to pre-school children aged 5, for whom it is mandatory to be in school. There are many privately owned and operated kindergartens all over the island for toddlers and pre-schoolers, which are not free of charge.
There are a number of private primary and secondary schools all over the island, most of which use English as the language of instruction. Many follow the British curriculum, while others follow the international baccalaureate. These schools charge tuition fees.
See the Ministry of Education’s website for a guide to education in Cyprus in different languages. Click below to view this guide in English and in Arabic:
Higher education
The Council of Recognition of Higher Qualifications (KYSATS) is the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the recognition of higher education qualifications, awarded by recognised institutions of higher education or by evaluated-accredited study programmes by the competent authorities of the country they operate or are offered in.
KYSATS also acts as the Education National Information Centre. It is an independent body funded and administratively supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture. KYSATS recognises qualifications, such as degrees, diplomas or certificates which are issued by recognised Higher Education Institutions, or of programmes that have been educationally evaluated-accredited.
The Cyprus Council of Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications (KYSATS)
Corner of Kimonos and Thoukydidou,
1434 Nicosia
Tel: + 357 22 806357
Fax: + 357 22 800866
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kysats.ac.cy
For more information about KYSATS and the process of recognition of higher education qualifications in Cyprus please see:
For more information about higher education in Cyprus, and the opportunities and scholarships available, visit our section on Integration support > Higher Education.
Adult education programmes
In addition to formal education, the Ministry of Education and Culture also offers adult education programmes (epimorfotika) in the form of afternoon and evening classes in various subjects. These include language courses, vocational skills courses, arts and crafts, cookery and gardening, and many others.
For more information, see here.