On this page

1. Main trends in young people's participation in education and training

2. Organisation of the education and training system

3. Main concepts

Main trends in young people's participation in education and training

Based on the Education and Training Monitor 2024 Report for Cyprus, in 2023, the share of young people (18-24 years old) having left education and training prematurely rose compared to the previous year by 2.3 percentage points (pps) to 10.40% (EU average: 9.50%). As it is stated in the report “the gap between native and non-EU born students is the widest in the EU, at -18.6pps in 2023. The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY) works with a group of national stakeholders to identify solutions for retaining and engaging students at risk of school dropout.” 

According to the Cyprus 2024 Digital Decade Country Report, in 2023, less than half of Cyprus’ population (49.50%) had at least a basic level of digital skills, which is below the EU average of 55.60%. The digital skills gap persists across age groups: although 71.80% of young people (16-24 years old) have at least a basic level of digital skills, only 59.60% in the 25-54 age group have at least a basic level of digital skills.

As for young people's participation in education and training in Cyprus, according to the results of the Annual Survey on Education for the school year 2022/2023, 59 926 students were enrolled in secondary schools, showing an increase of 2.90% compared to 2021/2022. In tertiary education during the academic year 2022/2023, 58 public and private institutions operated with a total of 52 936 students, similar to the figures for the academic year 2021/2022. Of these students, 23 397 were Cypriot citizens, while 29 539 were foreign students, with 21 77 coming from EU countries and 8 162 from third countries (Cyprus Statistical Service Database). According to the same source, 42 514 students aged between 17-34.

On the occasion of the International Day of Education, which takes place each year on January 24 throughout the world, the Statistical Service of Cyprus published an Infographic on “Young Adults and Education 2021”. In Cyprus, the percentage of young people aged 25-34 with the highest educational level below High School was 9.90%, with a High School level of 31.80% and a Tertiary Education level of 58.30%. Business Administration and Law, Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences, Journalism and Information were the three most popular fields of study among all Tertiary Education graduates of this age group, according to the relevant press release of the Cyprus Ministry of Finance.

Concerning students' mobility, the Department of Higher Education (DHE) of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth (MESY) has proceeded with the administrative survey entitled “Mapping of the Educational Field of Higher Education of Cyprus for the academic year 2021/2022”. Participation in mobilities for studies or training abroad was explored in one of the study’s sections. According to the findings, a very small percentage of students participated in mobility programs during the academic year 2021/2022. More specifically, only 213 students (0.4%) out of a total of 52 544. The vast majority (211 or 99%) participated in Erasmus+ mobility programmes, with Greece being the first country of choice (108 or 51%), Spain being the second (14 or 7%) and third was Italy (12 or 6%). 

In addition, the official data (Στοιχεία για τα προγράμματα και τις υπηρεσίες μας το 2023), provided by the Youth Board of Cyprus (YBC), reported that 5 252 young people and 790 youth workers participated in youth  mobilities under the Erasmus+ Youth programme in 2023. It should be noted that 21% of the participants were young people with fewer opportunities, based on YBC’s 2023 Annual Report (Οργανισμός Νεολαίας Κύπρου - Ετήσια Έκθεση 2023). 

Based on the Education and Training Monitor 2023 Cyprus Report, some of the main challenges in young people’s participation in education and training in Cyprus are:

• Skills mismatches. Despite measures, a considerable share of people aged 20-64 are overqualified for their current job, 31.80% in 2022, above the EU average of 22.20%.

• Underachievement in basic skills and equity in education; socio-economic status proved to be a strong predictor of reading competence among students from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds in international assessment surveys.

Participation in VET still remains low in Cyprus, mainly due to a strong preference of young Cypriots for entering tertiary education. More specifically, the Education and Training Monitor 2024 Report for Cyprus states that Cyprus has a relatively small VET sector, as in 2022 only 17.90% of pupils of both upper-secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education attended programmes with a vocational focus (EU average 52.40%). In addition, the Report mentions that several projects and initiatives are being implemented to equip learners with essential labour-market-relevant knowledge and skills. Some measures include updating curricula, equipping schools with essential resources, and keeping teachers abreast of recent technological developments. 

Last, a major topic in the Cyprus Education is the integration of children with a migrant background.  The 2023 Annual Report of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth mentions that the Ministry implements the policy for the educational integration of children with migrant background in Cyprus, through the operation of an Interdepartmental Committee, which consists of representatives of all the Directorates of the MESY. The policy aims at the smooth integration of pupils with migrant background into the educational system of Cyprus, offering in secondary education four different programmes for learning Greek as a second language as well as a number of provisions and tools to support them. For more information, please consult section 6.6.

Organisation of the education and training system

The Education system in Cyprus consists of the following stages:

Pre-Primary education is compulsory for all children between 4 6/12 – 6 years old. Children are also accepted over the age of 3.

Primary Education is compulsory for all children over the age of 6 years old and has a duration of 6 years.

Secondary Education offers two three-year cycles of education – Gymnasio (lower secondary education which is mandatory) and Lykeio (upper secondary general education which is optional) – to pupils between the ages of 12 and 18. The curriculum includes core lessons, interdisciplinary subjects and a variety of extracurricular activities. Education is compulsory up to the age of 15 and free of charge for both cycles. Upon completion of Lykeio, pupils receive a school leaving certificate (apolyterion), providing access to Institutions of Higher and Tertiary Education in Cyprus or abroad.

Instead of the Lykeio, pupils may choose to attend Upper Secondary Technical and Vocational Education.

Upper Secondary Technical and Vocational Education (morning classes) offers a wide range of technical and vocational initial training and lifelong training programmes to eligible gymnasium leavers and adults. Formal mainstream upper secondary initial technical and vocational education programmes are offered at technical schools free of charge. They are offered in two directions, the theoretical and the practical direction. Upon completion of secondary technical and vocational education, pupils receive a school leaving certificate (apolyterion), which is equivalent to that awarded by lykeio, providing access to the world of work or to Institutions of Higher and Tertiary Education in Cyprus or abroad.

Evening Schools of Technical and Vocational Education (second chance schools) aim to further promote participation in Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and support the integration of school dropouts in the workplace and society, in general. The programmes offered at the Evening Schools of Technical and Vocational Education are equivalent to the upper secondary technical and vocational education programmes that are offered in the morning. The duration of studies varies from one to three years, depending on the educational level of those interested in attending the Evening Schools of Technical and Vocational Education. Attendance at the Evening Schools of Technical and Vocational Education is free of charge and leads to the acquisition of a school leaving certificate (apolyterion), which is equivalent to that awarded to graduates of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Secondary General Education.

Post-secondary non-tertiary education (Μεταλυκειακά Ινστιτούτα Επαγγελματικής Εκπαίδευσης και Κατάρτισης – ΜΙΕΕΚ) is offered to graduates of secondary education (18+ years old) at the Post-Secondary Institutes of Vocational Education and Training (Public Schools of Higher VET). The education programmes last two years (four semesters), are classified at level Five of EQF/CyQF and ISCED, and they aim to upgrade learners’ professional qualifications and skills so as to satisfy the demands of the labour market. Successful completion of the programmes leads to the acquisition of a Diploma of Higher Vocational Education and Training. A list of the programmes offered in the Institutes of the various districts can be found in the official website of the Ministry (Προγράμματα Σπουδών). 

Adult Education. The institution of Adult Education Centres (AEC) was initially established in 1952, mainly in rural areas. Today it operates in all non-occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus, offering learning opportunities for further personal, professional, and social development to thousands of adults aged 15 and over. The AEC offer a variety of interdisciplinary courses, which focus mainly on the teaching of foreign languages, arts and crafts, cultural programmes, health, and other issues of general interest, as well as on the teaching of professional and vocational skills. Furthermore, every year the AEC organise free of charge learning activities for various target groups, such as people with literacy difficulties, people with special needs, enclaved Cypriots, prisoners, soldiers, mentally ill and elderly people. They also offer free of charge Greek language courses to the children of repatriated Cypriots, political refugees, and Turkish Cypriots. Moreover, Turkish language courses are offered free of charge to Greek Cypriots.

For more information about the Cypriot educational system, please visit the Eurydice website or the website of the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth or the Ministry’s 2023 Annual Report.

Main concepts

The definition of Special Need Education (SNE) in Cyprus has been specified in the Special Education Law 113(1) of 1999 (Περί Αγωγής και Εκπαίδευσης Παιδιών με Ειδικές Ανάγκες Νόμος του 1999) and in its relevant updated versions (Ο περί Αγωγής και Εκπαίδευσης Παιδιών με Ειδικές Ανάγκες (Τροποποιητικός) Νόμος του 2001, 2014 και 2020).

In Cyprus, there is no official policy document that defines non-formal education. However, the country follows the definitions provided in key European documents, such as the European Union Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (2012) and the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (2010).