Greece has completed the first phase of a long-planned cleanup of student registries at its public universities, removing hundreds of thousands of long-inactive students whose studies had effectively stalled decades ago.
As of Dec. 31, Greek authorities deleted 308,605 non-active students from university rolls, according to data provided by higher education institutions. The measure applies to students who enrolled in four-year degree programs before 2017 and did not meet the legal criteria for extending their period of study.
The process was carried out under Law 4957/2022, as amended by Law 5224/2025, marking a significant shift in how Greece defines and manages student status in its public universities.
Ending a long-standing anomaly
For decades, Greece’s higher education system allowed students to remain officially enrolled indefinitely, even if they had not attended classes, taken exams or maintained any real connection to their studies. These so-called “forever students” were a statistical reality unique among modern European university systems.
Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki said the status quo was unfair to everyone involved.
“For decades, the regime of inactive students wronged everyone,” she said in a statement. “Universities could not plan effectively, active students who worked hard were treated unfairly, and above all, young people themselves remained trapped, without any meaningful connection to their studies.”
She stressed that the new framework is not rigid or punitive. The law explicitly provides exemptions and flexibility for students who work, face health issues or carry serious family or social responsibilities.
“We are not treating everyone the same,” Zacharaki said. “We are treating each person fairly.”
A “second chance” provision
According to the minister, thousands of students took advantage of a “second chance” offered under the new rules, allowing them to retain their student status if they met specific conditions. Detailed figures on how many students qualified for these extensions are expected to be released in the coming days.
“The fact that so many students used this second chance says a lot about how necessary this intervention was,” Zacharaki said.
She also emphasized that lifelong student status is not recognized in any contemporary European university system.
“We want degrees with real value, degrees that reflect effort, ability and commitment,” she said. “Our goal is a public university that is modern, outward-looking and inclusive. A university that supports students, builds their future and does not leave them on the margins indefinitely.”
Planning, funding and quality
Deputy Education Minister Nikos Papaioannou, who oversees higher education, described the registry cleanup as a necessary step toward rationalizing Greece’s academic system.
“Updating student registries is an essential and substantive reform,” he said. “It enables better policy planning for active students, more accurate funding of universities and the overall upgrading of public higher education.”
With accurate enrollment data, universities can plan more effectively for staffing, infrastructure and resource needs, Papaioannou said. This, in turn, supports improvements in teaching quality, day-to-day academic operations and the criteria used to assess Greek universities in international rankings.
He linked the reform to the broader goal of the current government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to make Greece’s public universities more modern, functional and competitive.
“By relying on reliable data, we are building a higher education system that truly serves active students and ensures the smooth academic operation of our universities,” Papaioannou said.
