Automatic deletion of inactive university students begins tomorrow
The Ministry of Education will proceed with the automatic deletion of inactive students from Greek public universities starting December 31, according to Deputy Minister of Education Nikos Papaiouannou, speaking to ERTnews. The measure αφορά students admitted before 2017 to four-year degree programs who no longer meet the criteria for active enrollment. The total number of deletions is expected to exceed 220,000.
Speaking to journalists Nina Kassimati and Alexandros Morntountakis, Mr. Papaiouannou clarified that students subject to deletion are those who did not benefit from the special provision allowing continuation of studies, which requires completion of 70% of courses and two successful examination periods within a recent timeframe.
He added that in 2026, deletions will extend to students in five-year and six-year programs who were admitted up to 2016 and 2015, respectively.
“This Is Not a Punitive Measure”
The deputy minister stressed that the regulation is not punitive, but part of a broader effort to rationalize student registries.
“The issue is not who enrolled in 1935 or 1970, but who the genuinely active students in Greek public universities are today,” he said.
He noted that deletions were already предусмотрed under the 2021 law, but a later favorable amendment granted a one-year extension to approximately 35,000 students who had demonstrably attempted to complete their studies.
The Numbers Behind the Deletions
According to data presented by the Ministry:
Greek public universities include 423 departments
291 of them offer four-year programs
As of the afternoon of December 29, 2025, 225 out of 291 departments had submitted data
These departments account for approximately 165,000 students subject to deletion
With data from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) and Aristotle University of Selanik (AUTH) still pending, the final figure is estimated to reach 211,000–220,000 students
Mr. Papaiouannou also explained that some students from earlier decades are not digitally registered, which also results in automatic deletion, as they do not meet the criteria for annual extensions.
Academic and Administrative Planning
The deputy minister emphasized that accurately identifying active students is crucial for academic planning, state policy design, and international university rankings, which require reliable, non-inflated data. He also thanked university administrative staff for their “superhuman efforts” in compiling the necessary information.
Provisions for Working Students
For currently active students, the following measures remain in place:
- Part-time study options
- Suspension of studies for up to two years
- The +1 year extension continues to apply
- Response to Criticism and Dean’s Resignation
Addressing criticism that inactive students do not financially burden universities, Mr. Papaiouannou acknowledged that while they do not use student welfare services, they negatively affect institutional quality indicators.
Regarding the resignation of the Dean of the School of Fine Arts at the University of the Peloponnese, he stated that while personal views are respected, the government will not retreat from strategic and bold reforms when supported by law.
