Onassis Education

Since 1978, the Foundation has been offering fellowships to graduates of Higher Education and Technical Institutes, supporting schools, university chairs and programs of Hellenic Studies outside Greece, promoting academic figures whose work has marked the current era through the Onassis Prizes, establishing the Onassis Science Lecture Series at FORTH, Crete and supported the participation of Greek students in the international and highly-regarded scientific Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.

Education has meaning when it is addressed to all. This isn’t simply a phrase, it’s an unambiguous political philosophy that involves long-term planning and a clear perspective. The Onassis Foundation's Education sector opens the doors of the Onassis Library, housed in the historic neoclassical building on Amalias Avenue, bringing the public and researchers closer to seven centuries of culture, accessible through digital applications as well. Similarly, the Cavafy Archive, which the Onassis Foundation has undertaken to preserve and promote, continues its activities at its new premises in the heart of Athens, establishing principles of open access through its digital repository. This paves the way for new research and interdisciplinary collaborations across the globe.

Within the same framework, the Foundation has offered financial assistance to Universities with Greek chairs, departments, or programs. Up until today, the Foundation has supported more than 100 educational institutions in 40 countries across Europe, America, Africa, Australia, and Asia where Greek studies are taught.

In appreciation of the contribution made by these Universities, as well as the challenges they face, the Foundation has funded established University Programs in Greek Studies that have carried out significant and consistent work. It has also supported primary and secondary schools in Europe and the United States that teach Ancient and Modern Greek language and culture.

Among its other activities, the Foundation awards scholarships to Greeks for postgraduate studies abroad and to non-Greeks for research and postgraduate studies in Greece. This mosaic has been enriched by innovative educational programs, as well as Special Education initiatives such as “Music Loves Autism,” which have put the principles of inclusivity into practice.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, the Onassis Foundation plans to transform 22 public middle and high schools (11 middle schools and 11 high schools) into Public Onassis Schools in vulnerable areas of Attica and across the country, proposing the public school of the future. The Onassis Public Schools will offer more than 22,000 students across Greece, over the course of twelve years, the experience of the public school we envision for the future: high-quality, innovative, and rooted in equal opportunity.

Since the signing of the agreement between the Hellenic Republic and the Onassis Foundation in January 2025, the Onassis Public Schools have been developing a new network of model public schools with a strong social focus. Aiming to upgrade public education, particularly in areas facing social and economic challenges, 22 middle and high schools across the country are being gradually transformed into modern, creative, and inclusive learning environments that adopt contemporary pedagogical and operational models.

The Onassis Public Schools are redesigning public education with renovated infrastructure and equipment, laboratories, innovative curricula, and afternoon Clubs and Ensembles that foster creativity, innovation, and free thinking. Emphasis is placed on fields such as STEAM, the humanities, the arts, and digital technologies, cultivating skills essential for the twenty-first century. All schools in the network operate under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, while a special nine-member Governing Committee (Onassis Public Schools Governing Committee) monitors their operation to ensure the credibility and quality of the educational work.