Your six-year-old asks the question every parent dreads: "Will I understand the teacher?" In Cyprus the answer depends on the school you choose. Schools in Cyprus range from free public schools taught in Greek to private and international schools in English, French or Russian. The system is clear once you know the dates and the choices.
How is the Cypriot school system organised?
- Before age 3: public and private nurseries (παιδικοί σταθμοί).
- Pre-primary: from age 3. It is compulsory for a child who turns 4 years and 6 months before 1 September of the school year.
- Primary (Δημοτικό): free, for the child who has turned 6 before 1 September (rule since 2021). Age is the only admission criterion. The year has three terms, five days a week.
- Lower secondary (Γυμνάσιο, ages 12 to 15) and upper secondary (ages 15 to 18): free. Admission to lower secondary requires age and a primary-school completion certificate. Technical schools give a diploma equivalent to upper secondary.
Note the cut-off: it is 1 September, not 31 December as in some countries. Check your child's year of entry before assuming.
Can expat children go to public school?
Yes. Public schooling is free and open to the children of EU citizens on the same terms as the Cypriots, including non-EU family members of an EU citizen. For Swiss and British families, access conditions are not detailed on the sources we read, so ask the ministry.
Teaching is in Greek. Children who do not speak Greek receive specific Greek lessons to help them join. That is a real advantage for long-term residents, because the child becomes fluent; for a short stay, it can be hard. Ask the school how many hours of support it offers.
How do you find and enrol in a school?
- Contact the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. The directorates for primary, secondary and higher education are reachable at +357 22 800 600 or moec@moec.gov.cy. The ministry also publishes the list of approved public and private schools.
- Prepare documents. The ministry does not publish a list we could read. Ask the school; have the birth certificate, vaccination record, your registration certificate and proof of address ready. See Cyprus residence registration.
- Bring previous school reports, translated into Greek or English. For a child who arrives mid-year, ask how the foreign reports will be taken into account.
What do private and international schools cost?
According to EURES, there are about 170 nurseries and kindergartens, 30 primary schools and 39 secondary schools that are private and approved (Greek, English, French and Russian). Fees run from €4,500 to €6,500 a year, and private pre-primary from €1,500 to €3,500 a year per child. The ministry assesses and certifies their diplomas every two years. Always check the school is on the approved list.
Is there a French school?
Yes. The École franco-chypriote in Nicosia, with an annex in Limassol, is on the 2026 list of French schools approved abroad. In Limassol the approval covers pre-school and primary up to the fifth grade (CM1). The French embassy reports more than 460 pupils at the start of the 2025 school year, and says the school prepares for the French baccalaureate and the Cypriot school-leaving certificate (Apolytirion). Ask the school for its fees.
What about recognition of diplomas?
KYSATS, the Cyprus council for the recognition of higher education qualifications, handles only higher-education diplomas. For a school pupil, there is no equivalence procedure to be done in advance; ask the school or the ministry. Professionals who need their qualification recognised, for a regulated job, deal with the competent authority for that profession.
Which mistakes do parents make?
- Using 31 December as the cut-off. It is 1 September.
- Forgetting that pre-primary is compulsory from 4 years 6 months.
- Choosing a private school without checking approval. The ministry publishes the list.
- Underestimating the language shift. Public school is in Greek.
- Choosing a school before the house. In practice, location and commute drive the choice; see best places to live in Cyprus.
How does the school choice affect your budget?
Private fees are charged per child and per year, so compare them with the household's overall budget in the cost of living in Cyprus. Tax deductions for dependent children exist for tax residents from 2026 (€1,000 for the first child, €1,250 for the second and €1,500 from the third, per parent), subject to household income ceilings.
Does this cover the north?
No. The Republic's school system does not apply in the northern part of the island, which is not under its control. The information here relates to the area controlled by the Republic.
How do you choose between schools in Cyprus? A practical comparison
| Public | Private (Greek, English, French, Russian) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free from primary to upper secondary | €4,500 to €6,500 a year; pre-primary €1,500 to €3,500 |
| Language | Greek, with support lessons | Depends on the school |
| Admission | Age (primary: 6 before 1 September) | School's own process; check approval |
| Good for | Long-term residents who want full integration | Short stays, or a child already schooled in English or French |
The EURES range is per child, so a family should apply it to the number of children it will send to a private school, and set the total against its housing costs in the cost of living in Cyprus.
For school enrolment as an expat, the practical steps are the same whichever you choose: call the ministry for the list of schools, visit two or three, ask which documents are required, and bring translated school reports. Ask also about the first-term language support and the school bus, which the sources we read do not describe.
Which school year will your child start in?
Age is the admission criterion, and the reference date is 1 September of the school year. Pre-primary is compulsory for a child who has reached 4 years and 6 months by that date, and primary starts for a child who has turned 6 by that date. Count back from the 1 September of the year you plan to enrol, and confirm your child's exact year of entry with the ministry or the school.
What should you ask when you visit schools in Cyprus?
- How many hours of Greek support does a newcomer receive, and for how long?
- Which language is used for teaching, and for communication with parents?
- Is the school on the ministry's list of approved schools?
- Which diplomas does it award, and are they recognised where you may move next? The ministry evaluates and certifies private-school diplomas every two years.
- What are the fees, the registration costs and the extras? For the French school, the fees are to be requested from the school.
- What documents does enrolment require? Bring the birth certificate, vaccination record, your registration certificate and proof of address.
A school visit, a conversation with the headteacher and a look at the timetable tell you more than any brochure. Choose two or three schools in Cyprus within a realistic commute from the home you intend to rent.
What is the plan in three steps?
Check the age rule, call the ministry for the school list, and decide between a Greek-taught public school with language support and a private school taught in your child's language. Visit at least two before you pick, and ask what happens in the first term when a child arrives not speaking Greek.