Catering and Housing

Meals

Student dining facilities operate in all cities where Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) is based. They provide breakfast, lunch and dinner and operate daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 1 September to 30 June of each academic year, except during the Christmas and Easter holiday periods, as specified in the Academic Calendar.

Applications for free meals are submitted exclusively online through the dedicated information system of the Student Electronic Secretariat at https://students.duth.gr, during the application periods announced by the Directorate of Academic Affairs. The relevant expenditure is fully covered by the regular budget of DUTH.

Further information is available in the detailed guide to submitting a student meal application.

Contact: The competent Student Welfare Department

Questions concerning technical issues related to the submission of an application may also be submitted through the HelpDesk: “Submit a Request – Students – Student Welfare“.

Accommodation in Student Residences

DUTH provides free accommodation for a limited number of students in each city. The number of available places depends on the existing accommodation facilities and/or the level of available funding.

More specifically, DUTH operates student residences in Komotini, Xanthi, Kavala and Orestiada. In the other cities where no student residence is available — Alexandroupoli, Didymoteicho and Drama — the University rents rooms in hotels and furnished accommodation establishments following a public tender procedure.

In addition, the EKTENEPOL Guest House is located in Xanthi and is intended to accommodate PhD candidates of the Departments of the School of Engineering, Erasmus+ guests, as well as participants in summer schools, international collaborations and similar activities.

Democritus University of Thrace owns the buildings housing all student residences. The student residences in Komotini and Xanthi are managed by INEDIVIM (Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation), while the remaining residences are managed by Democritus University of Thrace.

Applications for free accommodation are submitted exclusively online through the dedicated information system, during the application periods announced by the Directorate of Academic Affairs.

Further information on the procedure and conditions governing student accommodation is available in the relevant regulations included in Appendix 21 of the Internal Regulations of DUTH (Government Gazette 4751/B/20-08-2024):  Appendix 21 – Student Residence Regulations

Contact: The competent Student Welfare Department, as follows:

 

Housing Allowance

In accordance with the applicable legislation, undergraduate students of Higher Education Institutions and Higher Ecclesiastical Academies who are Greek nationals or nationals of another European Union Member State may receive an annual housing allowance of €1,500.

The allowance is increased to €2,000 exclusively for eligible students studying at a Higher Education Institution located outside the Region of Attica or the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki.

Where a student shares accommodation with another undergraduate student of a Higher Education Institution who is studying towards their first degree and has not exceeded the standard duration of studies, as determined by the relevant Study Programme, and provided that the Departments/Schools attended by both students are located in the same city or regional unit, an annual housing allowance of €2,000 is granted.

Exclusively in the case of eligible students studying at a Higher Education Institution outside the Region of Attica or the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki who share the same rented accommodation with another student, the allowance is increased to €2,500, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the relevant Joint Ministerial Decisions.

Applications for the housing allowance must be submitted within the prescribed period, from 1 to 30 June of each year, unless otherwise specified by a circular issued by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. Applications are submitted through the Electronic Application Platform where the eligibility criteria, requirements and application procedure are described in detail.

Contact: The competent Student Welfare Department

 

Legal Framework

Law 5094/2024 (Article 205) – Increase in the Student Housing Allowance – Amendment of paragraphs 1 and 7 of Article 10 of Law 3220/2004

Joint Ministerial Decision 128839/Z1 (Government Gazette B’ 5438/20.10.2022)

Government Gazette 181 A/23.09.2022 Amendment of paragraph 1 of Article 10 of Law 3220/2004

Joint Ministerial Decision determining the procedure and supporting documents required for the granting of the housing allowance, and the corresponding Government Gazette amending the Decision