Greek Philology Departments Face Declining Enrollments

Greek universities are witnessing a sharp drop in applications to philology programmes. Entrance exam data for 2026 show lower admission scores and many lecture halls empty, signalling a deepening crisis in humanities studies.

Anastasia Natsina, head of the Department of Philology at the University of Crete, notes that students are increasingly weighing future earnings over traditional studies. Ioanna Karamanou, president of the Department of Philology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, adds that the labour market cannot absorb the roughly 4,000 graduates each year, with only about 350 permanent positions available.

Both institutions are adapting by expanding digital‑humanities offerings, allowing students to take up to 12 courses in digital humanities and integrating technology and AI into curricula in an effort to restore the appeal of philology studies.