The Alternative Guide to University Studies - What to do if you failed the National Entry Exams

If that happened, don't despair.

You may want to study locally or abroad in private universities that don't require entry exams. These universities often also offer grants without having any specific demand from you, like high grades in your High School diploma.

You may also consider studying abroad at public universities. To do that, for instance, if you want to study in the United Kingdom (UK), you'll need to pass exams such as the A-level exams or pass a preparatory entry year abroad (in the UK or Greece - see Vakalis Foundation and GCE) with sufficient grades as high as requested by the university where you want to be accepted. To be accepted, you will also need to pass an exam that proves sufficient knowledge of English with a grade that again has to be as high as the institution requests it to be to accept you.

To do a Master's degree, all you need is your Bachelor's degree, often accompanied by IELTS and a sufficient grade on the degree (how high is required depends on the institution).

If you don't want to move abroad to study, you can always undertake a distance learning or online degree and you will be required to take the exams locally, e.g. at the British Council.

Always, check with the institution that recognizes foreign degrees in your country, such as KYSATS in Cyprus or DYKATSA in Greece to see if the degree you want to do is recognized locally, in your country, before proceeding with your studies.

Don't forget to check if the university you want to study is good! Check the local and international rankings!

If you don't have the financial resources to afford an education, again, don't despair. You can get a small student loan from your local bank without the requirement of collateral and at affordable terms.

If your knowledge of the foreign language of the country you wish to study is not sufficient enough to permit to university-level studies, you will need to improve it. Consider private lessons with native speakers of the language you wish to learn (nowadays, you can learn online, e.g. on https://preply.com) or other solutions.

Good Luck!