We enter the final stretch this week, for the start of the Pan-Hellenic examinations with the candidates of GEL and EPAL fighting their own “battle” for one of the 68,574 places in the Greek Higher Education Institutions.

The exact number of candidates who have declared that they will participate in the exams has not been officially announced. However, according to sources from the Ministry of Education, this number will be approximately the same as last year, i.e. it will rise to approximately 90,000.

The GEL exams will begin on June 2, 2023 with the course of Modern Greek Language and Literature (General Education) and then there will be three days of exams for the Orientation courses. See the detailed program:

Daily and Evening GEL

  • Friday, 2/6/2023 Modern Greek Language and Literature General Education
  • Tuesday, 6/6/2023 Ancient Greek, Mathematics, Biology O.P. of Humanities, O.P. of Positive Studies and O.P. of Economics and Informatics Studies, O.P. of Health Studies
  • Thursday, 8/6/2023 Latin, Chemistry, Informatics O.P. of Humanities, O.P. of Positive Studies and O.P. of Health Studies, O.P. of Economics and Informatics Studies
  • Monday, 12/6/2023 History, Physics, Economy O.P. of Humanities, O.P. of Positive Studies and O.P. of Health Studies, O.P. of Economics and Informatics Studies

Day and Evening EPAL

  • Thursday, 1/6/2023 New Greek
  • Saturday, 3/6/2023 Mathematics (Algebra)
  • Wednesday, 7/6/2023 Anatomy-Physiology II, Principles of Economic Theory (AOTH), Computer Networks, Principles of Organic Agriculture
  • Friday, 9/6/2023 Electrical Engineering 2, Architectural Design, Maritime Law-International Regulations in Shipping-Applications, History of Contemporary Art
  • Saturday, 10/6/2023 Hygiene, Computer Programming, Principles of Organization and Management (ORM), Machine Components
  • Tuesday, 13/6/2023 Electric Machinery, Modern Farming, Navigation II, Marine Machinery
  • Thursday, 15/6/2023 Materials Technology, Construction, Internal Combustion Engines (MEK II), Digital Systems
  • Friday, 16/6/2023 Refrigeration-Air Conditioning Components, Aircraft Engines, Central Heating Design Components

Special and Music Lessons for GEL and EPAL

  • Saturday, 17/6/2023 English 10.00 am
  • Monday, 19/6/2023 German 8.30 am
  • Tuesday, 20/6/2023 Free Draft 8.30 am
  • Wednesday, 21/6/2023 Line Drawing 8.30 am
  • Thursday, 22/6/2023 Harmony 8.30 am
  • Friday, 23/6/2023 Music Hearing Test 4.30 pm
  • Saturday, 24/6/2023 Music Perception and Knowledge 12.30 am
  • Monday, 26/6/2023 Musical Performance and Interpretation 8.30 am
  • Tuesday, 27/6/2023 French 8.30 am
  • Wednesday, 28/6/2023 Spanish 8.30 am
  • Thursday, 29/6/2023 Italian 8.30 am

It is noted that this year, there are no particular changes in the way of conducting the Panhellenic exams as a whole. It will be implemented for the third year Minimum Entry Basis, as well as the Parallel Computing for admission to Public IEK. The results (bases) are expected to be announced early again this year, towards the end of July, as was the case last year.

In the minimal changes, they are included the change in grading method of the courses of the Modern Greek Language and the Ancients, the computerized submission in one phase, the summary of 8 sections related to the environment and the economy in the 4th scientific field and two new sections to be included in the 2nd and 3rd fields.

“No spectacular changes”

As Giorgos Hatzitegas, educational analyst, noted in APE-MPE, the success rate of the candidates is expected to fluctuate at the same levels as last year, around 60%. “We don’t expect spectacular changes for this year,” he said.

What he pointed out is the internal “displacement” of candidates from the 1st Scientific Field (Humanities, Law & Social Sciences), which used to be the most numerous, to the 4th Field (Economic and Information Sciences). As he noted, in 2018, 32% of candidates focused on the 1st Scientific Field and 25% from the 4th. According to last year’s figures, the 4th Field has now taken the baton, as 35% of the applicants declare schools from the 4th Field and 25% from the 1st.

Changes

For the General Education Modern Greek Language and Literature course, starting this year the excellent for the first subject – that is, the summary that the candidates are asked to make – will receive 20 out of 100 points, up from 15 received until last year.

Also, in the course of Ancient Greek, one of the two questions of the taught text was “cut”, which received 2 points out of 20. These points will be added to the translation of the unlearned, the excellent for which will now be 10 points out of 20 , from 8 that were until last year.

Regarding the changes in the departments, this year two new ones will be added in the 2nd and 3rd Scientific Fields. These are the Department of Sustainable Agriculture in Agrinio and the Department of Agriculture in Messolonghi, departments which belong to the University of Patras.

In addition, eight divisions will be included from this year in the 4th Field, apart from the 2nd and 3rd which were until last year. These are the Environment departments in Mytilini, Larissa, and Zakynthos, the Social Policy departments in Athens and Komotini, the Forestry and Environmental and Natural Resources Management department in Orestiada, the Rural Development department in Orestiada and the Informatics department with applications in Biomedicine in Lamia.

The submission of Computer Science this year will not take place in two phases, but in one, as based on the data of past years, a very high percentage of applicants (93% for 2022) are admitted to the schools of their first 10 choices from the first phase.

It is noted that next Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the last lessons will be held in the territory’s high school classes. Then from June 1st to 15th the promotional and graduation exams will be held.