Getting licensed in Greece: DOATAP recognition, equivalence exams and Greek

Medical and health education in Greece

Medicine in Greece is a six-year university degree taught in Greek at the medical schools of Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Ioannina, Crete, Thessaly and Democritus University of Thrace. Admission is through the national Panhellenic exams. The Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) evaluates programmes, and the Ministry of Health regulates practice. Dentistry and pharmacy are five-year university degrees, and nursing is a four-year degree.

There is no licensing exam for Greek graduates. They register with a regional medical association (iatrikos syllogos), which grants the right to practise. A period of rural service (agrotiko) has traditionally preceded specialty training, and specialist training then takes about four to six years, historically entered by waiting list rather than exam. The rules for rural service have changed more than once, so confirm the present obligation with the Ministry of Health. For doctors with a foreign degree, recognition by DOATAP (the academic recognition body) comes first.

A country where the recognition file is the exam

If you came to this page looking for the Greek equivalent of PLAB or the LEK, there is no such paper for most professions. Greece decides who may practise through degree recognition and registration. The tests you meet are tied to the recognition decision, and they are set case by case.

This is a different problem from the one in Poland or Sweden. There the question is "how do I pass the paper?" Here it is "which subjects will DOATAP require me to prove, and in what form?"

Who needs what in Greece

DOATAP: the Hellenic NARIC

DOATAP (Διεπιστημονικός Οργανισμός Αναγνώρισης Τίτλων Ακαδημαϊκών και Πληροφόρησης) is the national body that recognises foreign higher-education qualifications. For health professionals it is the first gate. DOATAP compares your degree with the Greek one and issues a decision. The decision may recognise the degree in full or it may set conditions.

The conditions are usually equivalence exams in particular subjects. They are set per applicant, so two doctors from the same country can receive different lists. We cannot give you a fixed syllabus or number of papers. We can tell you to ask for the decision in writing and to read it before choosing what to study.

1. Assemble the file. Diploma, transcript, course descriptions, proof of identity, certified translations.
2. Apply to DOATAP for recognition of the degree.
3. Read the decision. Note any subjects flagged for equivalence exams.
4. Sit the equivalence exams if required, set through the Greek university or body named in the decision.
5. Obtain the Greek language certificate (the state certificate of Greek proficiency).
6. Apply for the licence from the Ministry of Health or the regional authority, and register with the relevant professional body.

Doctors

A Greek medical graduate has no national licensing exam to pass. Specialisation is a separate matter. Entry to a specialty is by waiting list and not by a national entry exam, which sets Greece apart from Poland and Romania, where exam scores decide who gets which specialty.

For a non-EU doctor, DOATAP recognition is followed by whatever equivalence exams the decision names, then Greek. After that you register with the regional medical association and receive your licence.

Pharmacists

Pharmacy is the one profession in the directory with a named licensing exam: a written examination for the right to practise as a pharmacist. It applies to both Greek graduates and recognised foreign ones. We have not verified the format, the number of questions or the pass mark, so we do not state any. For non-EU pharmacists the order is DOATAP recognition first, then the exam. Confirm both steps with the Ministry of Health.

Nurses, midwives, dentists and physiotherapists

None has a national licensing exam. Registration follows the qualification. A non-EU graduate goes through DOATAP and may be asked for equivalence exams. Greek language proof is required in every case, because clinical work is carried out in Greek.

Language

The state certificate of Greek proficiency is the standard proof. Levels differ by profession and authority, so confirm the level required for yours. Since care is delivered in Greek, plan to reach a level where you can take a history and write notes.

EU recognition

EU, EEA and Swiss graduates use Directive 2005/36/EC and apply for recognition of a professional qualification. No equivalence exams are normally set under the directive for the sectoral professions, though language knowledge may be checked.

Comparison

Practical notes for applicants

How should I prepare for equivalence exams?

Wait for the written decision. It names the subjects. Then ask the body that will examine you about the format: written or oral, Greek or another language, and how many attempts are allowed. Prepare only for what the decision lists.

Is Greek really required for every profession?

Our research says a Greek language certificate is part of the non-EU route, and that is consistent with how care is delivered. Confirm the level for your profession with the authority that issues your licence.

What about doctors who want to specialise?

Specialty training is allocated through a waiting list in Greece, according to our research, so there is no national entry exam to prepare for. That differs sharply from Romania and Poland. If you plan a specialty, ask the regional authority how long the list is for your field.

Where do I check what is current?

Use the Ministry of Health and DOATAP pages, and ask the competent authority for anything that is not published. We mark unverified details openly on this page and update it when they are confirmed.

Last reviewed October 2026