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University Of Cyprus

Pre-school education is provided by Greek-language state schools and by Greek-language and foreign-language private schools. It is provided for children aged between three years and five years and eight months.

Attendance is compulsory for children aged between four years and eight months and five years and eight months. Attendance at a private nursery school costs from €1 500 to €3 500 per child per month; the cost at the state schools is lower. There are also state and private child care centres for children up to three years of age.

Primary education is provided free of charge at state schools for children aged between five years and eight months and 11 years and eight months. Age is the only criterion for the admission of children to primary education. From the 2006-2007 school year proof of pre-school attendance (from four years and eight months to five years and eight months) is a condition for enrolment in primary schools. The school year is divided into three terms of three months, with attendance on five days of the week. Primary education is also provided by English-language, French-language and Russian-language private schools.

Lower secondary education is provided free for children aged between 11 years and eight months and 15 years of age. Children are admitted to lower secondary education on the criterion of age and subject to possession of a primary school leaving certificate. The school year is divided into three terms of three months, with attendance on five days of the week. Lower secondary education is also provided by English-language and French-language private schools.

There are also 188 private nurseries, 26 private primary and 31 private secondary schools (Greek-language, English-Language, French-language and Russian-language) operate with Ministry of Education and Culture approval. The cost of attendance is between €4 500 and €6 500 per year.

Upper secondary education is provided free of charge for children aged between 15 and 18 years of age. At this level, too, the school year is divided into three terms of three months, with five-day attendance. Pupils who wish to be trained in a technical occupation can attend a technical school whose diplomas are equivalent to upper secondary education. There are also private English-language and French-language upper secondary schools.

Children who do not speak Greek are given special lessons in the language to make it easier for them to join state schools at which attendance is compulsory and free.

Cyprus has three state university institutions: the University of Cyprus, the Technology University and the Open University and three private universities, the University of Nicosia, the European University of Cyprus and the Frederick University. There is also a large number of private tertiary-level colleges. The Ministry of Education and Culture has approved twenty-five private tertiary schools and evaluates and certifies the academic titles of those schools every two years.

Specific information about the above matters can be obtained from the Ministry of Education and Culture by telephoning +357 22 800 600 and asking to be connected to the Ministry department you need.

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