After five years in operation, Greece’s Minimum Admission Score (EBE) system has developed a clear identity—while leaving one of the most controversial marks on the country’s education system: thousands of students excluded from universities and more than 10,000 vacant places in public universities every year.

Introduced in 2021, the EBE was designed to prevent students with very low scores on the national university entrance exams from entering higher education. It remains highly divisive. Supporters argue that it ensures a minimum academic standard, while critics say it acts as a blunt filter that excludes thousands of young people without solving deeper issues related to educational quality.

This year’s university entrance exams have reignited debate about whether, as the policy enters its sixth year, it is time for a comprehensive evaluation of its results. The discussion has expanded beyond education policy into questions of university sustainability, workforce planning, and the staffing of critical professions.

The Numbers Raising Concerns

According to recent data, more than 10,000 university places remain unfilled every year because of the EBE.

The phenomenon is no longer limited to remote or unpopular departments. It is now visible even at major universities.

Examples from Physics departments in 2025:

• University of Athens: 68 students admitted out of 167 places (99 vacant).
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: 45 admitted out of 144 places (99 vacant).
• University of Ioannina: 94 admitted out of 220 places.
• University of Patras: 85 admitted out of 198 places.
• Kavala: 13 admitted out of 92 places.
• Lamia: 15 admitted out of 90 places.
• Heraklion: 26 admitted out of 120 places.

In total, Physics departments offered roughly 1,030 places, but only 346 were filled, leaving 684 vacant seats—nearly 70% of capacity.

Physics professor and tutor Giorgos Chatzitegas notes that these are figures that “cannot be ignored.”

The Paradox of High Entry Scores and Empty Lecture Halls

One of the most striking aspects is that these vacancies are not due to low admission standards.

At the Physics Department of the University of Athens, the last admitted student scored 14,513 points, traditionally considered a strong result. Yet almost six out of ten places remained empty.

According to education analyst Stratos Stratigakis, this suggests the issue is no longer preventing the admission of very weak candidates. Instead, the system is excluding large numbers of students even when places are available.

“When engineering schools require EBE levels equivalent to more than 14,000 points, it’s clear we’ve moved far beyond the original argument of preventing students with scores of 2 or 3 out of 20 from entering university,” he says.

One in Three Students Left Out

Data indicate that approximately one in three candidates from general high schools is excluded from public higher education because of the EBE.

Among vocational high school (EPAL) students, exclusion rates are even higher, often exceeding 50%.

Critics point out that the national exams are primarily a ranking competition, not a certification of knowledge. They argue that excluding such a large share of applicants regardless of available places is problematic.

As some education officials put it:

“When roughly one-third of candidates are excluded in advance, the exams effectively become exams for only two-thirds of students.”

How the EBE Works

The EBE is not a fixed passing grade.

Each department selects a coefficient between 0.8 and 1.2, which is multiplied by the average score achieved by students in that scientific field.

As a result, the required admission score changes every year depending on overall exam performance.

Career counselor and mathematics teacher Giannis Zabelis argues that the minimum coefficient may need reconsideration.

“The requirement that a student achieve at least 80% of the field’s average performance to qualify for admission may be a threshold worth re-evaluating.”

Stratigakis notes that the original proposal included a minimum coefficient of 0.65, not 0.80.

“Had the 0.65 coefficient been retained, a minimum academic standard would still exist without producing today’s massive number of vacant places,” he argues.

Side Effects and Shifts Between Academic Fields

Another consequence attributed to the EBE is the migration of applicants from the second and third scientific fields toward the fourth field, where average scores tend to be lower.

At the same time, universities have adapted. Physics departments, for example, are now accessible through the third scientific field as well, increasing the pool of potential applicants.

There are even discussions about allowing mathematics departments to be accessed through additional fields.

Critics question whether such measures address the root cause or simply compensate for the consequences.

The Evelpidon Military Academy Case

One of the most notable examples involves the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon).

In 2025, the academy offered 245 places, but only 114 were filled, leaving 131 vacancies. The admission threshold stood at 10,865 points.

According to Stratigakis, this prompted the Ministry of National Defence to broaden access, allowing candidates not only from the second scientific field but also from the third and fourth fields.

Previously, only around 13,000 candidates could apply. With the expansion, the potential applicant pool increased to 50,000.

The inclusion of the fourth field also lowers the EBE because that field has a lower average score. As a result, candidates from all fields benefit from a reduced admission threshold.

Stratigakis describes this as “the most serious side effect of the EBE,” warning that Greece risks falling short of its planned number of military officers.

“If around 100 places remain vacant every year for five consecutive years, that means more than 500 officers are missing from long-term staffing plans.”

Sustainability Risks for Regional Universities

The situation is particularly challenging for regional universities.

Departments admitting only 10–15 students must still operate with full academic and administrative costs.

Examples include departments in Kavala and Lamia, which enrolled just 13 and 15 first-year students respectively.

This raises two key questions:

1. Can departments function effectively with such small student populations?
2. Is it economically reasonable to maintain institutions operating so far below capacity?

Does the EBE Have a Future?

Five years after its introduction, the Minimum Admission Score remains one of the most controversial reforms in Greek higher education.

There is little doubt that it reduced admissions of candidates with extremely low exam scores, which was its original objective. However, it has also produced significant side effects:

• Tens of thousands of vacant university places.
• Shifts of departments between scientific fields.
• Difficulties staffing military academies.
• Concerns about the viability of university departments across the country.

As a result, an increasing number of education experts are asking whether the EBE should remain unchanged or be redesigned.

As Giannis Zabelis puts it:

“The time has come to reconsider it.”

The central question now is whether the EBE achieved its original goal—but at a cost that may ultimately outweigh its benefits.