UCY opens up vacant undergrad places to those with A Levels

The University of Cyprus on Wednesday announced that it would open up the remaining unfilled places for students starting undergraduate programmes to those who passed international high school examinations. Those who tookthe traditional Pancyp

By: cyprus-mail.com

Aug 21 2024
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UCY opens up vacant undergrad

The University of Cyprus on Wednesday announced that it would open up the remaining unfilled places for students starting undergraduate programmes to those who passed international high school examinations.

Those who tookthe traditional Pancyprian examinations are always given priority, but any unfilled places can be taken by students who sat either A Levels, the International Baccalaureate, or other recognised equivalent examinations. They will be able to apply to commence their studies at the university until August 28.

Applicants will also be required to submit a certificate of competence in the Greek language and must have completed their high school education in the last three years.

They must also have never failed the Pancyprian or Panhellenic examinations at any time.

Applicants will be informed as to whether they have secured a place at the university by September 9 at the latest.

This process is nothing new to the University of Cyprus, with its final remaining open places having been opened up to students who took international high school examinations for nearly a decade.

However, this year, it comes at a time when the education ministry and MPs are wrangling over whether the university should open its doors to more students who did not take the Pancyprian examinations, amidst a push to introduce English-language undergraduate courses.

At present, the university only offers Greek-language undergraduate courses, and all those courses are offered free of charge to successful applicants who are citizens of either the Republic of Cyprus or another European Union member state.

This may be set to change, however, with the education ministry having submitted a bill to parliament which would allow the university to offer English-language undergraduate courses, and to charge tuition fees for students on those courses.

University of Cyprus rector Tasos Christofides told newspaper Politis earlier this month that tuition fees would be required for students studying at his university in English, as the education ministry had informed him that the state cannot take on the cost of putting on those extra costs and hiring the extra staff required.

He added that while some MPs believe that those courses should be offered free of charge, his personal view was that his university should charge a fee which is lower than those charged by the island’s private universities for equivalent courses.

The bill which has been submitted to parliament stipulates that the cost of tuition fees would be determined by cabinet, and that it will be decided based on the actual cost of the realisation of those courses at the time.

It also stipulates that students would be informed before the beginning of their studies how much they would have to pay for the entire four-year degree programme.

Those eligible can contact the Studies and Student Care Service, tel.: 22 894021, e-mail address: aasw@ucy.ac.cy.