Universities in Cyprus

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus, located south of Turkey and Greece, offers visitors a delightful blend of history, culture and natural beauty. For international students, Cyprus offers affordable quality education in an EU country bathed in sunshine.

The types of University

There are 29 universities in Cyprus, which can be divided into the following categories:

• Public universities – which are state funded and place their focus on the quality of research output. These include institutions such as the University of Cyprus, the Open University of Cyprus and the Cyprus University of Technology.
• Private universities – which do not receive state funding and include institutions such as the European University Cyprus, the University of Nicosia and the American University of Cyprus.

Language of instruction

The two official languages of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish, spoken by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike. As such, there are universities in Cyprus which use Greek as their language of instruction, and there are universities in Cyprus that use Turkish as their language of instruction. There are also English-language universities, and universities that offer some courses taught in English.

Cypriot universities taught in Greek include the Open University of Cyprus, Neapolis University Paphos and Cyprus University of Technology.

Cypriot Universities taught in Turkish include the Eastern Mediterranean University, Middle East Technical University – Northern Cyprus Campus and Cyprus Science University.

Universities that offer courses taught in English include Cyprus International University, University of Nicosia and the European University of Cyprus.

Popular cities in Cyprus for international students

• Nicosia – The capital city, located in central Cyprus, is divided into the northern Turkish half and the southern Greek half. It is a city full of culture and history, with ancient architecture and museums for visitors to enjoy. There are several universities located in Nicosia, including Frederick University, University of Nicosia and Cyprus International University.
• Limassol – Situated on the southern coast of Cyprus, Limassol offers visitors wonderful beaches, historical sites of interest and its harbor and Promenade. As well as being an attractive tourist destination, Limassol is also home to Cyprus University of Technology, and campuses of Frederick University and the University of Nicosia.
• Paphos – On the south west coast of Cyprus lies Paphos, a popular tourist destination that offers wonderful beaches and historical sites, along with its harbor. Whilst it does not have the largest student population, the Neapolis University Paphos offers students the option of studying in this idyllic location.
• Kyrenia – Situated on the northern coastline of Cyprus, Kyrenia is a city that can boast a historic castle on its harbor. It is a beautiful city to visit but also has several universities for students to consider, including Girne American University, the University of Kyrenia and Cyprus Science University.
• Famagusta – Located on the eastern coast of Cyprus, Famagusta has a storied recent history, and offers beautiful scenery and historical architecture. It is host to several universities, including the Eastern Mediterranean University, the European Leadership University and Cyprus West University.

The top universities in Cyprus

Despite being one of the least populous nations in the EU, with just over 1 million inhabitants, several of the universities of Cyprus feature in world university rankings.

See below for a list of universities and higher education providers in Cyprus. Click on universities you are interested in below to read more and to see which courses are available for international students.