To study at a Greek university for longer than 90 days, non-EU students need a national type D visa for studies and, after arrival, a type "H.1" student residence permit. The visa is applied for in person at the Greek embassy or consulate covering your place of legal residence; in Russia that means the consular section of the Greek Embassy in Moscow, because the Greek visa centres there only handle short-stay Schengen visas. For the permit you must show at least $740 (€650) a month and pay a $170 (€150) fee, and since February 2026 it is issued for the full length of your programme.
This guide covers which visa fits your route, where and when to apply, the full document list, how much money to show, the residence permit steps after arrival, work rights and the post-study option. Visa decisions are made by the Greek consulate and residence permits by the migration service; the university only issues proof of admission. Background on the country is on our Greece page.
Which visa fits your plans
| Situation | Entry document | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's, master's or PhD at a public university | national D visa for studies | "H.1" permit for the full programme |
| Greek language course at a university centre before a bachelor's | national D visa based on the centre's acceptance letter | study residence permit: the Migration Code counts university Greek language centres as study programmes |
| Programme at a private college operating under a foreign university's franchise | national D visa | separate "H.5.2" permit for college students |
| Summer school or short course of up to 90 days | short-stay Schengen C visa | no residence permit needed |
A Schengen C visa does not work for a semester or a year: it cannot be converted into a student permit and limits you to 90 days in any 180.
Where to apply
From Russia. National D visa applications are accepted by the consular section of the Greek Embassy in Moscow; appointments are booked by phone or e-mail using the contacts on the embassy's visa page. The network of Greek visa centres in Russia handles only Schengen C visas and plays no part in the decision. Applicants attend in person and are interviewed: under Greek Foreign Ministry rules, national visas are not issued without a personal appearance.
From other countries. Apply to the Greek embassy or consulate whose district covers your place of legal residence. If you live outside your country of nationality, the consulate may also ask for a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality.
Recent EU measures on Russian nationals concern short-stay Schengen visas: in 2022 the Council fully suspended the EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement, and in November 2025 the Commission restricted multiple-entry C visas. A student D visa is issued under Greek national law and is not directly governed by those decisions.
When to apply
You can only apply once you hold proof of admission.
| Route | When proof of admission arrives | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry quota for foreign applicants (free Greek-taught bachelor's) | results usually in late August; in September the Ministry sends lists of admitted students to consulates | NKUA's language course for these students starts on 5 October 2026, leaving little time for the visa |
| English-taught bachelor's or medicine | offer letter in spring or summer, often after a deposit | Aristotle University will not defer a medical place to the next year, even for visa delays |
| Master's | after departmental selection, usually spring to summer | some programmes start in February |
The Greek Foreign Ministry does not publish processing times for national visas in Moscow, so book as soon as your admission letter arrives. The admission procedure itself is explained in applying to Greek universities.
Documents for a national D visa for studies
The Foreign Ministry's general list for national visas, plus the specific requirements for the studies category:
- National visa application form, signed, with a colour photograph meeting ICAO standards. The form is a formal declaration, and false statements carry legal liability.
- Passport valid for at least three months after your planned departure, with two blank pages, issued within the previous ten years.
- Criminal record certificate from your country of residence.
- Medical certificate from a recognised public or private provider confirming that you have no disease posing a public health risk.
- Travel insurance for the visa period, covering emergency treatment, hospital care and medical repatriation.
- Proof of admission: a certificate of registration and fee payment where tuition applies, or confirmation that the university has accepted you onto a programme.
- Proof of means: at least $740 (€650) a month, shown through a bank account, a transfer, a grant or a scholarship.
- Parental consent if you are under 18.
The consular section may request more documents, and a complete file does not by itself mean a visa will be issued: the consulate decides. Translation and certification requirements are confirmed when you book.
Education documents follow their own rule. School certificates and degrees from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and most other CIS countries need an apostille; documents from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan must instead be legalised by a Greek consulate, because Greece objected to those countries joining the Hague Convention.
How much money you need to show
Joint Ministerial Decision 225679/2024 sets the amount: at least $740 (€650) a month for living costs for a study D visa and permit. You can prove it with a bank account, a transfer, a grant or a scholarship, and at renewal also with payslips from part-time work.
| Period | Minimum |
|---|---|
| 1 month | $740 (€650) |
| Academic year, 12 months | $8,860 (€7,800) |
| 18-month master's | $13,290 (€11,700) |
Resources are assessed individually, on a monthly or annual basis. When the permit covers the whole programme, the migration service re-checks means every two years together with your progress report. Tuition is not part of this amount: for a fee-paying programme, the consulate also looks at proof of payment. For a complete budget, see the cost of studying in Greece.
Fees
| Payment | Amount | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Consular fee, D visa for studies | $100 (€90) according to the Greek Foreign Ministry handbook for consulates (January 2022 edition); the consular section confirms the current amount | Presidential Decree 16/2014 and Decision 24235/2014 |
| "H.1" residence permit fee | $170 (€150) | Migration Code, Law 5038/2023, Article 171 |
| Medical certificate, criminal record, translations | provider rates | — |
After arrival: getting your student residence permit
The D visa only lets you enter. Your student status comes from the residence permit, and you must apply while the visa is still valid.
- Apply online. First-time permit applications go through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum's electronic system, filed by the student or by a lawyer with power of attorney. If you do not yet have a permanent address, you can give a temporary one and confirm the permanent address before the permit is issued.
- Upload documents in Greek. The Migration Code requires supporting documents for a study permit to be submitted in Greek: the university certificate, proof of means, insurance and the fee receipt.
- Pay the $170 (€150) electronic fee. Applications without the receipt are not accepted.
- Wait for the decision. The Aliens and Migration Directorate of the relevant Decentralized Administration decides within 60 days of a complete application.
What changed in 2026. Law 5275/2026 rewrote the rules on the length of the student permit:
- the "H.1" permit is issued for the maximum duration of the programme rather than one year, and is renewed when the university confirms you are still studying;
- if the university asks for a year of Greek language study, one extra year is added;
- every two years, students submit a certificate of registration and examinations to the migration service, and the permit is revoked if they do not;
- if a student drops out, the university must notify the authorities within three months;
- after a bachelor's you can renew the same permit for a master's, and after a master's for a PhD, without leaving Greece or obtaining a new visa.
Working while you study
From 2026, holders of an "H.1" permit may work part-time only, outside study hours, and for no more than 20 hours a week. Previously the law set only a minimum number of permitted hours. Work must not get in the way of studies: your academic progress is checked every two years.
After graduation: a year to look for work
Graduates who complete their programme can apply for an "H.11" permit valid for one year to look for work or start a business, without a new visa. Since 2026 the same option is open to private-college graduates holding an "H.5.2" permit.
Private colleges use a different permit
Colleges operating under foreign universities' franchise agreements are not universities under Greek law. Their students receive a separate "H.5.2" permit: part-time work is allowed, but you cannot switch to another permit category while it is valid. Entry requires admission to a programme with regular, not distance, attendance. How colleges differ from universities is explained in our guide to universities in Greece.
Common mistakes
- Booking at a visa centre. Visa centres in Russia accept only C visa applications; the D visa goes to the embassy's consular section.
- Travelling on a Schengen visa and hoping to switch status. The student permit is based on a national visa for studies.
- Applying for the permit too late. The Migration Code requires you to apply after entry and before your visa expires.
- Showing exactly $740 (€650) for one month. It is safer to prove a full academic year, at least $8,860 (€7,800).
- Paying for a language course before the visa and expecting a refund. NKUA's language centre does not refund fees after a visa refusal.
- Forgetting the progress certificate. If it is not submitted after two years, the permit is revoked and the student must leave Greece.
FAQ
At the consular section of the Greek Embassy in Moscow. Appointments are booked by phone or e-mail, and applicants attend in person for an interview. Greek visa centres in Russia do not process national visas.
At least $740 (€650) a month, which is $8,860 (€7,800) for an academic year. It can be shown with bank statements, transfers, grants or scholarships; tuition is assessed separately.
Only on a course of up to 90 days. A bachelor's, master's or longer Greek course requires a national D visa followed by a student residence permit.
Since 2026, for the maximum duration of your programme, with progress and means checked every two years. If the university requests a Greek language year, one more year is added.
Yes, part-time, outside study hours, and for up to 20 hours a week. Your labour market access is recorded directly on the student residence permit card.
A national visa refusal is issued in writing with reasons, and it can be challenged before the Greek administrative courts. Check your university's deposit terms at the same time: at NKUA's medical programme, for example, a visa refusal entitles you to a refund of the $5,680 (€5,000) deposit.
Sources
- Greek Embassy in Moscow: visas, national D visa applications — checked 29.09.2026
- Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs: national visa handbook — general documents, category D.1.1 Studies, consular fees (January 2022 edition, DOCX) — checked 29.09.2026
- Global Visa Center World: study visa information (Schengen C visas) — checked 29.09.2026
- Migration Code, Law 5038/2023, Articles 10, 105–107 and 171 (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- Law 5275/2026 (Government Gazette A' 17/06.02.2026), Articles 30–33: permit duration, work, "H.11" and colleges (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- Ministerial Decision 225679/2024 setting students' sufficient resources (PDF) — checked 29.09.2026
- European Commission: decision on issuing multiple-entry visas to Russian nationals — checked 29.09.2026
- Study in Greece: bachelor's, apostille and legalisation of documents — checked 29.09.2026
- NKUA Modern Greek Language Teaching Center: student visa and acceptance letters — checked 29.09.2026
- ECB rate of 29.09.2026: €1 = $1.1355. Rounding step: $1 below $100, otherwise $10.
Checking your documents against consular requirements, preparing the file, booking and support through to the residence permit are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Visa decisions are made by the Greek consulate, residence permits by the migration service, and admission by the university or the Ministry of Education.
Next steps
- Applying to Greek Universities in 2026–2027: The Foreign-Applicant Quota, English-Taught Programmes and a Step-by-Step Plan
- Cost of Studying in Greece: Tuition, Living Costs and Mandatory Fees for 2026/27
- Universities in Greece for International Students: Public Universities, English-Taught Degrees and Private Colleges
- Studying in Greece for international applicants
- Free Education in Greece: Who Studies Tuition-Free and What the "Free" Route Really Costs
- Master's in Greece for International Students: English-Taught Programmes, Fees and Admission for 2026–2027
