FAQs

Question 1: What does ‘degree/award’ mean?
It refers to any degree, diploma or certificate issued by a Higher Education Institution, certifying the successful completion of a higher education program.

Question 2: Does KYSATS recognize institutions or evaluate programs?
KYSATS does not recognize Institutions or evaluate programs.

Higher Education Institutions are recognized by the competent authorities of the country they operate in.

The programs are evaluated - accredited by the competent authorities of the country in which they are offered.

KYSATS may recognize degrees awarded by recognized institutions of higher education or by evaluated - accredited study programs by the competent authorities of the country they operate or offered in.

Question 3: Which degrees/awards are automatically recognized?
Degrees awarded by:

• Public (state) Universities in Cyprus
• Public (state) Institutions of Tertiary Education in Cyprus
• Private Universities in Cyprus, provided that the student attended successfully the entire study program at the same university.

Question 4: Percentage of the program to be covered at the awarding institution, for an undergraduate degree

For the recognition of equivalence, based on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications and the Provision of Relevant Information Regulations of 1996-2005, if part of the program has been done in a recognized higher education institution but the degree was awarded by a different recognized higher education institution, at least three full-time semesters (for three-year courses) and four full-time semesters (for four-year courses), must be covered at the awarding institution.

Question 5: Potential problems

• Part or the entire program was done at a non-recognized institution or a non-accredited program.
• The required percentage of the program’s subjects was not covered at the awarding institution
• Credit transfer from professional qualifications / examinations or other external examinations, exceeds 10% of the program’s credits.

Question 6: Co-evaluation of degrees
The Council may, at its discretion, combine an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree together with a postgraduate degree Master’s level, if the undergraduate degree has problems in its recognition. In such cases, it applies as follows:

• Combined degrees must be of the same or related fields.
• The Master’s degree strengthens the undergraduate one, it is therefore consumed.
• Equivalence and correspondence is granted for the field of study of the undergraduate degree.

Question 7: Bachelor degrees awarded by Technological Educational Institutions (TEI) in Greece
The Council has decided that undergraduate degrees awarded by TEIs can be recognized as equivalent to University Degrees.

However, such degrees cannot be recognized as equivalent and correspondent to university degree qualifications, because the programs they offer differ from those offered by universities as to their physiognomy. University programs have an academic orientation while TEI programs are professionally oriented.

Question 8: Recognition of postgraduate degrees of Master’s level
A postgraduate degree can be recognized as equivalent to a Master’s degree under the following conditions:

• The applicant must have an undergraduate degree recognized by KYSATS - at least in terms of equivalence.
• The duration of the program is at least one (1) calendar year.
• The program must cover at least 90 ECTS

Question 9: Credit transfer from: examinations, professional experience, non-recognized institution(s) or non-accredited program(s)
For the recognition of equivalence, in exceptional cases and at the Council’s discretion only, up to 10% of the total amount of ECTS can be transferred from: acknowledged external exams, professional experience, non-recognized institution(s) or non-accredited program(s).

Question 10: Supplementary subjects for the recognition of equivalence and correspondence
The Council may require the successful completion of additional subjects in order to award equivalence and correspondence. This occurs when the Council considers that the specific programme of studies includes less subjects than those required compared to the corresponding programme.

Supplementary subjects (if less than 10) are determined by KYSATS, and the recognition of equivalence and correspondence is granted when the applicant provides an official certificate of successful completion of the programme.

If the program attended by the applicant requires more than 10 subjects, comparing to the corresponding programme used as the basis for evaluation, correspondence will not be granted.

Question 11: Integrated Five-Year Study Programs
According to the Council's policy decisions, double recognition, ie recognition of the integrated degree as equivalent and correspondent to a University Bachelor’s degree at a specific field as well as equivalent to a Master’s degree, may be granted only if the normal duration of the program lasts at least five years and 300 ECTS are covered.