Scholarships

1.1 Merit Scholarships

KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE establishes a scholarship scheme with the aim of recognising and rewarding academic performance and the overall contribution of students at undergraduate level. Responsibility for determining the number and allocation of these scholarships per category of applicants is assigned to the Institution’s Research Committee. The Committee ensures that the allocation process is governed by the principles of equal distribution, objectivity and institutional equality, guaranteeing proportional representation of all Academic Departments.

At the same time, the Committee is responsible for determining the amount of financial support per scholarship, based on the available funding reserves, as well as for the overall financial management and oversight of the programme.

Scholarships are awarded for a period of twelve (12) months, covering the corresponding academic year. The call for applications is announced annually on 1 October, in order to ensure the smooth organisation of the process and the timely information of interested parties.

1.1.1 Undergraduate Students

I. Eligibility Requirements for Application

Merit scholarships are addressed to undergraduate students of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE who are studying towards their first degree. Essential requirements are the successful completion of the first, second or third year of studies, with the applicants

being enrolled in the third, fifth or seventh semester respectively. Applicants must not be in receipt of a scholarship from another provider during the specific academic year

II. Criteria for Awarding the Scholarship:

The selection of scholarship recipients is carried out by the Research Committee of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE, based on the students’ academic performance. Successful completion of all modules in the previous academic years is a prerequisite. In the event of a tie, the following are taken into consideration:

a) any prior receipt of a scholarship, with priority given to students who have not received another scholarship, and

b) the year of study, with preference given to students in more advanced semesters.

III. Selection Procedure

Applicants are required to submit the following documents to the Secretariat of their Department:

• Scholarship application form.
• Official transcript of records.
• Solemn declaration confirming compliance with the conditions of paragraph 2
• Solemn declaration undertaking to inform the Department Secretariat in case of interruption of studies, should they be awarded a scholarship.

Evaluation is carried out by Evaluation Committees, whose findings are ratified by the Research Committee.

1.2 Scholarships Based on Financial & Social Criteria

KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE awards scholarships intended to provide financial support to undergraduate students who meet specific social criteria. The Research Committee of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE is responsible for determining the total number of scholarships for each category of applicants, ensuring that they are distributed equally across all Academic Departments of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE.

A. Financial Criteria

The awarding of scholarships is based, among other factors, on the financial situation of the applicant for the tax year preceding the academic year for which the scholarship is requested. The relevant tax year is clearly specified on the application form. Assessment of the financial situation is carried out on the basis of taxable income, as determined by the following documents:

a) Tax Assessment Notice: The applicant must submit a clear copy of the tax assessment notice or equivalent tax determination act, issued by the General Secretariat for Information Systems (www.gsis.gr). In cases where the applicant resides abroad and is required to file a tax return in the country of residence, the corresponding documents must be submitted, translated into Greek by a competent authority.

b) Solemn Declaration under Law 1599/1986: Applicants who are not required to file a tax return must submit a solemn declaration with the authenticity of their signature

certified by a competent administrative authority or Citizens’ Service Centre (Κ.Ε.Π.), or via the gov.gr platform. The declaration must explicitly state: “I was not required to submit a tax return for the tax year …”.

The declaration must include the specific tax year relevant to the scholarship application. Otherwise, the declaration will not be taken into account.Η δήλωση πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει το συγκεκριμένο φορολογικό έτος που αφορά την αίτηση χορήγησης υποτροφίας. Σε διαφορετική περίπτωση, η δήλωση δεν θα λαμβάνεται υπόψη.

Special cases:

• If the applicant is married or has entered into a civil partnership, the taxable income is calculated as the combined income of both partners.
• In cases of separation or divorce where the spouses appear jointly on the tax assessment notice, the total income of both will be taken into account for the relevant tax year.

Maximum Income Threshold:

The total family or individual taxable income must not exceed €50,000.00. Otherwise, the scholarship application is rejected.

Important clarifications:

• Submission of the tax assessment notice is mandatory. Applications without it will not be evaluated.
• Tax assessment notices or solemn declarations referring to tax years other than those specified in the application will not be taken into account.
• Data relating to the tax returns of the applicant’s parents do not affect the process, unless they concern underage students or cases provided for by specific regulations of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE.

Transparency and accuracy in the collection and assessment of financial data ensure the fair awarding of scholarships, focusing on students who genuinely meet the financial criteria.

B. Social Criteria

The assessment of social criteria in the context of awarding scholarships by KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE ensures support for students facing particular social or family challenges. The social criteria are structured in the following categories:

B.1 Applicant’s Family Status

The family status of the applicant is taken into account in the following cases:

1. The applicants are:

• Married,
• Divorced or separated with dependent members (children),
• Having entered into a civil partnership.

The number of dependants includes:

1. i. Unmarried children up to 18 years of age.
2. ii. Unmarried children up to 24 years of age, provided they are undergraduate students in Higher Education and a relevant certificate of enrolment for the current semester is provided by their institution.

The date for reaching the above age limits is set as 31/12 of the calendar year in which the application is evaluated. Applicants must submit a family status certificate and, as applicable:

• Divorce decree for divorced applicants,
• Court documents or solemn declaration for those in separation,
• Copy of the civil partnership agreement.

B.2 Disability of the Applicant, Spouse or Children

Cases of disability are documented with:

• Medical assessments from KE.P.A. (Disability Certification Centre), Primary or Secondary Health Committees, or pension decisions, indicating the percentage and duration of the disability.
• Family status certificate.

Medical assessments that do not clearly state the percentage or duration of the disability will not be taken into account.

B.3 Disability of Parents or Siblings

Disability of parents: Concerns applicants whose parents have a disability and are listed as dependants, documented by the following:

• Medical assessments from KE.P.A. or equivalent decisions.
• Family status certificate.
• The student’s E1 tax form, where the parent is listed as a dependant.

Disability of siblings: Assessed in the following cases:

• Both the applicant and the sibling are unmarried.
• The applicant has been appointed as the sibling’s legal guardian by an irrevocable court decision.

B.4 Single-Parent Family

Concerns applicants who are:

• Unmarried parents with dependent children born out of wedlock, with a family status certificate and a solemn declaration as an unmarried parent.
• Widowed parents, with a family status certificate and a death certificate.

B.5 Breadwinner of the Family

Concerns unmarried applicants who are:

• The eldest child, with one surviving parent who is widowed.
• The eldest child with underage siblings and both parents deceased.
• The child of an unmarried mother.

B.6 Child of a Large Family

This applies to unmarried applicants who certify their status as members of a large family through a relevant certificate issued by the Supreme Confederation of Large Families of Greece (ΑΣΠΕ) or another recognised body. This certificate must be recent, issued within the last six months, and accompanied by an updated family status certificate.

B.7 Siblings who are Students

Concerns unmarried applicants with unmarried siblings up to 24 years of age who are enrolled in undergraduate programmes. A family status certificate and certificates of enrolment for the siblings are required.

B.8 Military Service

Concerns applicants who are performing compulsory military service during the application period, documented by a recent certificate from their military unit, issued within the application deadline.

2.1 Selection Procedure

The application process for obtaining a scholarship at KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE is characterised by transparency, meritocracy and clear requirements, thereby ensuring objective and fair evaluation of candidates. Applicants, regardless of the category under which they apply, are required to submit specific documents that allow for an accurate assessment of their qualifications and their suitability for the award of a scholarship.

2.1.1. 2.1.1 Required Supporting Documents

In addition to the general supporting documents referred to in section 3.1, applicants must submit the following documents to the Secretariat of their Department:

• Scholarship Application Form: The relevant form is available on the official website of KEELE UNIVERSITY GREECE, facilitating access for applicants.
• Degree Certificates: To verify their educational background.
• Official Transcript of Records: Required exclusively for postgraduate students, providing data on their academic performance.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae: Including the applicant’s educational, professional and other activities.
• Solemn Declaration: Applicants undertake to inform the Secretariat of their Department in the event of interruption of studies, ensuring timely adjustment of the scholarship.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation of applications is carried out by specially constituted Evaluation Committees, appointed by the Research Committee and composed of members with relevant academic and administrative competence. The Committees are responsible for thoroughly examining and substantiating the assessment of applications, based on the applicable eligibility and evaluation criteria.

All meetings of the Evaluation Committees are documented through minutes, which fully record the criteria, assessment data and the reasoning behind the proposed selections. Final approval and ratification of the minutes lies exclusively within the competence of the Research Committee, which supervises compliance with the applicable regulatory framework, the principles of transparency and the established procedures.