Attendance Regulations

The academic year at the University of Cyprus comprises two semesters: Fall Semester (September – December) and Spring Semester (January – May). Class attendance is compulsory.

Each semester covers teaching periods, examination preparation period and examination periods. The courses are defined as compulsory, optional or free choice.

The study programmes of the University are based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). An ECTS unit normally corresponds to a 25-30 hours workload per semester. Full-time status requires a course load of 18 ECTS per semester. Students carrying fewer credits are considered part-time.

Postgraduate Prospectus 2021-2023 (Here)
Academic Calendar

The Academic Calendar contains information about the registration dates, when the lectures begin, the deadline for either course changes or dropping a course or course withdrawal, the exams preparation dates, the exams period, the holidays etc.

Registration Procedures

Registration for courses takes place in the first week of each semester. Students organise the programme of the semester in accordance with the study programme of the Department, in cooperation with their Academic/Research Supervisor, selecting from the courses offered and based on available places.

Fall Semester = Course registration is held on 1-2 September electronically by the students using the BannerWeb system. Τhe lessons begin on the first Monday or Thursday of the week after.

Spring Semester = Course registration is held the week prior to the beginning of semester electronically by the students using the BannerWeb system.

 Information on registration procedures as well as the registration time table could be found in the announcements of the Graduate School. Through the BannerWeb  System the students may enrol in courses representing up to 30 ECTS.

An increased work load of up to 45 ECTS may be permitted in a particular semester, if there are special reasons for this and with the approval of the department Chairman. Students should complete the special registration form Special Permission for enrolment in more than 30 ECTS with the approval of the Chairman of the Department and submit it to the Graduate School offices. It is noted that there is a fine of €50 per course for late registrations within the semester. For the issuance of the student card, the students should contact the Express Service Office of the University at Tel: 22895555.

The Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs may exceptionally approve up to 45 ECTS following the documented suggestion in writing of the Department Chairman.

Postgraduate students are considered to be attending fulltime in a particular semester, if their total workload in that semester is at least 18 ECTS.

Students may add courses until the end of the first week of the beginning of classes, and may drop courses by the last day of the third week of the semester electronically. No courses may be added after this time, although courses may be dropped. From the fourth until the seventh week of each semester only withdrawal from a course is permitted and this is noted on the student's academic record. A student who does not officially withdraw or who does not attend a course or who does not take the final examinations is graded with zero.

Language of Instruction

Postgraduate programmes are taught in one of the official languages of the University (Greek or Turkish) or in another language with the approval of the Senate of the University.  Full list of these programmes: Ucy Master's & PhD Programmes offered in English language or other language

The international students of the University who attend a programme offered in a language other than the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus, are required to attend at least one course in "Greek language and Culture" before the completion of their programme.

University Student Card

According to the policy of the University of Cyprus, the issue of the student’s card is compulsory for all students. Among other applications, the new university card will allow access to controlled areas for beneficiaries, borrowing books from the library, use of photocopy machines etc.

Curriculum change
A change of postgraduate programme within the student's department is allowed by a decision of the department board and the approval of the Dean of Graduate School without requiring the student to submit a new application for admission to the department.
 
The department council approves the number of courses that may be recognized to the student and informs the Graduate School.
 
Half (50%) of the tuition fees already paid in the initial programme will be credited to the postgraduate student who transfers from one department to another department in the new programme. For transfers between programmes of the same department, the entire amount is credited.
 
The tuition credit in the new curriculum is made after the student settles all the financial debts in the original curriculum.
 
The advance payment of tuition fees paid by the student upon acceptance of the position at the University of Cyprus is non-refundable.
 
The student who changes the curriculum must pay the remaining amount of tuition corresponding to the programme from which he/she is expected to graduate. In this case, refunds are not allowed.
 
 
 
 
 

Changes of Level of Study
Change of level of study within the student's department (eg from Master's to PhD) is allowed, by decision of the department Board and the approval of the Graduate School without requiring the student to submit a new application for admission to the department.
 
The department Board approves the number of courses that may be recognized to the student and informs the Graduate School.
 
To the postgraduate student who changes the level of studies from the curriculum of one department to the curriculum of another department, the new programme will be credited with half (50%) of the already paid tuition fees of the initial programme. For changes in the level of study between programmes of the same department, the entire amount is credited.
The tuition credit in the new curriculum is made after the student settles all the financial debts in the original curriculum.
 
The advance payment of tuition fees paid by the student upon acceptance of the position at the University of Cyprus is non-refundable.
 
The students who changes the curriculum must pay the remaining amount of tuition corresponding to the programme from which they are expected to graduate. In this case, refunds are not allowed.
Re-enrollment of a student
A postgraduate student who is expelled or leaves the University of Cyprus or whose study is terminated automatically, he/she can reapply for a position through the vacancy announcement process and re-enroll in the University of Cyprus.
 
The Board of the department approves the number of courses and credits that may be recognized to the student from his/her previous study and informs the Graduate School.
 
A postgraduate student who re-enrolls through a new admission to the same programme will be credited with his/her new course in the same programme, half (50%) of the tuition he/she had already paid in the programme before leaving. The tuition credit in the new curriculum is made after the student settles all the financial debts in the original curriculum.
 
The advance payment of tuition fees paid by the student upon acceptance of the position at the University of Cyprus is non-refundable.
Academic Supervisor

For every student in the Postgraduate Programme the department appoints an Academic Supervisor, whereas at the research stage of the Ph.D. a Research Supervisor is appointed. Students select a member of the academic staff to act as their Research Supervisor. The student's choice must be approved by the Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator. The Research Supervisor guides the students in their research and provides the necessary help and advice.

Full time Postgraduate Students

Postgraduate students are considered to be attending fulltime in a particular semester, if their total workload in that semester is at least 18 ECTS. 

A doctoral student who in a given semester is at the research stage or the stage of writing the Doctoral Dissertation, is considered for that semester to have a workload equivalent to 30 ECTS. The student must register in one of these stages.

Certification of Attendance
At the end of the third week of each semester, a Certification of Attendance is issued to all registered postgraduate students. Students, must have this Certification to receive the annual education grant given by the Ministry of Finance in the Spring Semester. Students wishing to obtain additional certificates should apply to the Academic Affairs and Student Welfare Service.  The cost for additional certifications is €2 .
Grading System

The awarding of grades is the exclusive right of the professor. Changes of grades by the professor are possible only in cases of an error and only with the written approval of the Chairperson of Department and the Dean of the relevant Faculty, no later than 15 days after publication of the grades. If the change proposed by the professor is made later than 15 days, approval is required from the Graduate School.

The grading system is numerical, from 0 to 10 with increments of ½. The minimum passing grade is 5. The final grade of a graduate student is calculated as the grade point average of all courses passed by the student with the exception of the grade of the Master's thesis which is not counted in the final weighted average of the student's grade. The GPA is based on the ECTS of each course.

In a postgraduate programme of study, courses can be graded as Success/Failure. These courses do not count towards the student’s GPA, and may not exceed 25% of the programme’s ECTS, with the exception of the dissertation units. All courses are presented in the Postgraduate Studies Prospectus.

The grading of a Master's dissertation or thesis which takes one or more semesters to complete, is as follows: At the end of each semester and within the deadline set by the Academic affairs and Student Welfare Service, the supervising professor submits the student’s grade in the electronic system (Success or Failure).

The final grade for the dissertation is delivered within the deadline set for all courses and is filed in the last semester of its preparation. Master level dissertations are graded qualitatively as Excellent, Very Good, Good, and Failure or with a numerical grade (per 1/2 of the unit and with a minimum threshold of success Grade 5). The doctoral dissertation is graded as Success or Failure.

The analytical grades for all courses, as well as any possible failures, withdrawals, recognitions, or exemptions from courses, are recorded in the student’s final transcript of grades. The grade average for each course in ECTS numbers is contained in the Department’s Prospectus and the transcript of grades. In addition, all Master’s degree graduates receive a free Diploma Supplement in English language.

Students are entitled to ask for clarifications from the professor regarding matters of their final grades. If the professor refuses to discuss the matter with the student, the student has the right to ask for them from the Department Chairman. 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism: the appropriation and/or incorporation in a paper of ideas whether verbatim or paraphrased, extracts and/or isolated phrases of the work of another person without reference to the source or through misleading or inadequate reference to the primary source.

Field of commission of offence: Plagiarism is committed when the intellectual work of another person is published or delivered in the form of a paper in printed and/or electronic form, with a view to fulfilling the obligations undertaken by a student in the framework of the evaluation process. It also covers cases of handling university notes without the permission of their creator and the professor.

Collusion: The submission and presentation of work as the product of exclusively individual work completed solely by a student, whereas it was written in cooperation with other students. Collusion also exists when a student, in the framework of fulfilling obligations undertaken for a specific evaluation procedure, re-submits work, either wholly or partly written by the student him/herself for the need of a different procedure.

Plagiarism/Collusion in Examinations This is defined as the failure to fulfil an evaluation procedure in a personal, self-reliant and independent way, as determined by the academic staff through the method of examinations. This includes the use during examinations of any kind of cheating/cribbing, non-permitted cooperation with third parties and the use of aids and/or notes which have not been approved in advance by the professor. It also includes impersonation of a person by another person who undertakes to fulfil the obligations arising from the examination process by pretending to be a specific student. When extracts are used from the published or unpublished works of another person full reference must be made to the relevant sources. The use of a series of short extracts from different sources without reference to them constitutes equally serious plagiarism as copying, without citation, from one source, of a large excerpt. When a student summarises the ideas or opinions of a person, reference must be made to the name of that person in the text and the title of the relevant book, article or other work must be cited in the bibliography.

Grade improvement
Students wishing to improve their grades in a course in which they received a grade of at least 5, may repeat the course only once. The analytic transcript of grades will contain both grades, but for the calculation of the final grade the more recent grade will count. If the most recent grade is under 5, then the grade is counted as 5.
Failure in a course
In case of failure in a compulsory course, the student must repeat the course. In case of failure in an optional course, the student may repeat it or replace it with a different optional course. 
An incomplete grade

An incomplete grade is given only in exceptional cases (e.g. proven medical or personal reasons). The procedure for incomplete grades is as follows:

  • The professor, with the approval of the Department Chairman, informs the Graduate School in writing.

  • A date is given for completion of the course requirements, which cannot be later than the end of the next semester.

  • If the student has not completed the course requirements prior to the end of the next semester, the grade is automatically converted to zero

Postponement of Studies before beginning of semester

Any student may apply to postpone their studies for one or two semesters. The total period of postponement cannot exceed two semesters

An application for postponement, documented and accompanied by all supporting documents, is submitted to the Department Board before the beginning of the requested period

The Department Board examines the application and decides by simple majority whether or not to approve it

The Department Chairman informs the student in writing of the decision of the Department Board. The decision is communicated to the Dean of the Graduate School.

The procedure for granting a postponement must be completed by the end of the first week of classes, so that the students do not take up places in the courses and the Graduate School is able to be informed in good time in order to remove the courses from the students before the week of adding/dropping courses

A semester during which a student has postponed his/her studies is not counted as study time.

Maternity-Paternity Leave

Students may apply for maternity or paternity leave respectively, up to one year for mothers and up to one semester for fathers.

Students may apply for maternity or paternity leave with a medical certificate stating the estimated date of delivery. This is examined by the Department Board. The Chairman informs the student in writing of the Board’s decision which is also communicated to the Graduate School.

The leave is not counted in the total years of study.

Temporary Interruption of Studies Mid-Semester

A student may apply for Temporary Interruption of studies during the semester when there are serious medical reasons. The student applies to the Department, with notification to the Graduate School for approval. The Senate authorises the Dean of the Graduate School to approve requests.

Studies may be interrupted for up to two semesters and then the case is re-examined by the Graduate School. A semester where a student’s studies have been interrupted is not counted as part of their studies.

Student leaving from UCY

A postgraduate student wishing to leave the UCY programme of study in which he/she has enrolled, must inform the Department Council in writing. The Council’s decision is communicated to the Dean of the Graduate School.

Graduation Ceremony

The Graduation Ceremony is held in June. Both the graduates of the Fall and the Spring semester participate in this ceremony.

The Application Form for the Ceremony and the instructions for Graduation Ceremony are sent to all students who are expected to graduate and are announced on the website of the Graduate School.

Removal from the Registry
A student is removed from the Student Registry when he/she cannot complete the requirements of the curriculum within the maximum period of study provided for by the Rules.
Ex Officio Termination of the Studies of a Master Student

The studies of a Master level postgraduate student are terminated ex officio, without awarding a Master degree to that student, if:

  • After completing eight semesters of attendance, the student has not fully met the requirements of the programme of study that the student was attending. It is provided that semesters during which the studies were postponed or suspended, are not counted in the eight semesters.

  • The writing of a Postgraduate Dissertation is a requirement of the study programme attended by the student, and the student has failed to defend the Dissertation successfully for a second time.

  • The student has not enrolled for courses for two successive semesters and written attempts by the University to communicate with the student failed. In such a case, a decision by the Department’s Board is required as well as the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.

Ex Officio Termination of Studies of Doctoral Student

The studies of a doctoral student who has not fully satisfied the requirements of the programme of study which he/she is attending, is terminated ex officio, without the award of a PhD, if:

  • the student has completed a total of sixteen semesters of studies; Provided that semesters during which the student’s studies were suspended, are not in the sixteen semesters.

  • The student has completed seven semesters of studies and has failed the comprehensive examination provided by the programme of study. Provided that semesters during which the student’s studies were suspended, are not in the seven semesters.

  • The student has failed for a second time to defend the Doctoral Dissertation.

  • He/she has had two failures at the research or writing stage. In such a case, a decision is required by the Department Board and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School .

  • He/she has not enrolled for courses for two successive semesters and attempts by the University to contact them have failed.

In such a case, a decision is required by the Department Board and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School .

Disciplinary Control

The Disciplinary Rules which apply to undergraduates also apply to postgraduate students (see Section III of these Rules p.47)