Both public and private schools are open to expats in Cyprus, and education is mandatory for children 15 and younger. The teaching language of state schools in Cyprus is Greek, so younger expat children will quickly learn the language if they attend public school, but for older expat children, instruction in a language they are unfamiliar with and just starting to learn may cause some educational problems.
Basic education in Cyprus is divided into pre-primary education, primary education (6 years), and secondary education (2 3-year cycles). Pre-primary education is compulsory for children between 4 years and 5 years 8 months old, though children as young as 3 may attend. Children over the age of 5 years 8 months must be enrolled in primary education, and secondary education consists of Gymnasio (lower secondary education) and Lykeio (upper secondary education) for students aged 12 to 18.
Gymnasio and Lykeio are meant to provide students with many interdisciplinary subjects and extracurricular activities in addition to core lessons. Students do have the option to attend a Secondary Technical and Vocational Education to prepare them for a specialized skill or trade in the workforce, instead of Lykeio, but relatively few students exercise this option.
Grading in Cyprus public schools is modeled after the Greek grading system, and based on a point system of 20. The points translate as follows:
Private and international schools may use a different grading scale, most likely based on the US or UK system of grading.
There are many private schools, which mostly tend to be international schools, in Cyprus. These schools run for profit and are located in the major urban centers of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos). Many expats in Cyprus send their children to private schools, especially if the family's first language is English.
The cost of private schools in Cyprus is quite high, usually ranging from 2,000 to 8,000 Euros per year, depending on the specific school and the age of the enrolled child. This amount does not take into account additional expenses such as registration and enrollment fees, books, uniforms, and other expenses.
There are several excellent public and private universities in Cyprus, and most of them offer some type of English-language courses to accommodate both expats and international students.
Update 1/02/2018
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