Settling in Cyprus
Your new life.Your bearings in Nicosia.
A school for your children. Care for your family. The practical information you need to prepare your move.
Nicosia, Cyprus
Finding the right school
International and French-language programmes, in Nicosia and its surroundings.
Selection · 14 schools shown
École franco-chypriote de Nicosie (Γαλλο-Κυπριακό Σχολείο)
Nicosie — Aglantzia (Αγλαντζιά) · City
French · GreekFrench curriculum
From pre-school to upper secondary
AEFE-accredited — school under agreement with the AEFE (établissement conventionné); Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “παρομοίου”)
About this school
AEFE directory: 20 Kavafi Street, Aglatzia, 1517 Nicosia; accredited levels from pre-school to the final year of upper secondary (terminale). Ministry registers 2026: nursery (teaching in French), primary (French) and secondary (French / Greek). The Limassol annexe appears on the Limassol page.
Kasa High School
Nicosie (rue Theofani Theodotou) · City
EnglishOther curriculum
From lower secondary to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “διαφόρου”)
About this school
Register 2026: teaching in English (the 2020 register indicated Greek and English). Official website not consulted; precise programme not verified.
Morningside Montessori Elementary Private School
Nicosie — Agios Andreas (Άγιος Ανδρέας) · City
EnglishOther curriculum
Primary only
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “διαφόρου”)
About this school
Primary register 2026: 20 Dorieon, Agios Andreas. Montessori teaching according to the name. Official website not consulted.
Terra Santa College (Κολλέγιον Τέρρα Σάντα)
Nicosie — Akropoli (Ακρόπολη) · City
English · GreekNational · Other
From lower secondary to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (types “ιδίου” and “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Register 2026: teaching in English and Greek; the Terra Santa primary school is of the “ιδίου” type in Greek (not included). Official website not consulted.
The American Academy Nicosia
Nicosie — Agios Andreas (Άγιος Ανδρέας) · City
EnglishBritish · National
From pre-school to upper secondary
Accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA); Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (primary “διαφόρου”, secondary “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: nursery (Michail Paridi 7), primary (Michail Paridi 5) and secondary (Michail Paridi 3A). Website: “following the English” curriculum, with preparation for the Cypriot Apolytirion, hence “local”.
The American International School in Cyprus (AISC)
Nicosie (rue Kasou) · City
EnglishInternational Baccalaureate
From pre-school to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “διαφόρου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: nursery, primary and secondary at 11 Kasou. Website: school in the Esol Education network, IB programme highlighted; content of any American programme not verified.
The English School
Nicosie · City
EnglishBritish curriculum
From lower secondary to upper secondary
ISI inspection (November 2024); special status on the Cypriot Ministry register
About this school
Register 2026: “Αγγλική Σχολή”, special status, address given as a PO box (1684 Lefkosia). Website: IGCSE and A-Level results, ISI inspection of November 2024.
The G.C. School of Careers
Nicosie et Strovolos (Στρόβολος) · City
EnglishOther curriculum
From primary to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (English-language primary “διαφόρου”, secondary “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: secondary at 96 Steliou Chatzipetri (Nicosia); English-language primary school (G C School of Careers Private English Elementary School) at 6-8 Terra Santa Street, Strovolos; the group's Greek primary school (“ιδίου” type) is not included. Official website not consulted.
The Junior School
Nicosie (avenue Kyriakou Matsi) · City
EnglishBritish curriculum
From pre-school to primary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “διαφόρου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: nursery (The Junior School Nursery) and primary, Kyriakou Matsi Avenue. Group website: English National Curriculum (EYFS, Key Stages 1-2). The secondary school is the next entry (separate address and levels).
ISN — International School of Nicosia
Lakatamia (Λακατάμεια) · Surrounding area
EnglishOther curriculum
From pre-school to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “διαφόρου”)
About this school
New on the register since 2020: nursery, primary and secondary at 19 Atlantidos, Lakatamia. The website mentions Early Years, Primary and Secondary, without specifying the programme on the page consulted (“other”).
Pascal Private English School Lefkosia
Lakatamia (Λακατάμεια) · Surrounding area
EnglishOther curriculum
From pre-school to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (primary “διαφόρου”, secondary “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: nursery, primary and secondary at 177 Kopenchagis, Lakatamia; the Pascal Greek school (“ιδίου” type) is not included. Precise programme not stated on the group's home page.
The Falcon School
Strovolos (Στρόβολος) · Surrounding area
EnglishIB · Other
From pre-school to upper secondary
IB World School (MYP) and Diploma candidate according to the school; Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (primary “διαφόρου”, secondary “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: nursery (Iroon 2, Strovolos), primary (PO box) and secondary (1 Nikou Iereidi, Strovolos). Website: IB MYP authorised, candidacy for the Diploma Programme; programme for other levels not specified (“other”).
The Grammar School Nicosia
Pano Deftera (Πάνω Δευτερά) · Surrounding area
EnglishOther curriculum
From pre-school to upper secondary
Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (primary “διαφόρου”, secondary “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Registers 2026: secondary on Anthoupolis–Palaichoriou Avenue, Pano Deftera; nursery and primary (The Grammar Junior School) via a PO box in Deftera. Official website not verified: grammarschool.ac.cy (domain from the 2020 register) did not open, and the email domain in the nursery register is a parked domain.
The Senior School (T.J.S. Senior School)
Latsia (Λατσιά) · Surrounding area
EnglishBritish · IB · National
From lower secondary to upper secondary
IB World School (Diploma) since September 2025 according to the school; Registered with the Cypriot Ministry of Education (type “παρομοίου”)
About this school
Register 2026: 2 Romanou, Latsia. Website: Key Stages 3 to 5, IGCSE and A-Level, Cypriot Apolytirion, and IB Diploma authorised since September 2025 (ibo.org not consulted).
Check available places and admission requirements directly with each school.
Where this list comes from
Schools in the Nicosia district taken from the official lists of approved private schools of the Cypriot Ministry of Education (secondary, March 2026; primary, September 2026; nursery schools, October 2026) and from the AEFE directory, limited to schools teaching in a foreign language or following a foreign or international programme; official websites were consulted when they opened. Not included: Greek schools of the “same programme” type (Olympion, Forum, Pascal Greek school, Terra Santa primary), special education (New Hope), technical education, and independent English-language nursery schools (Giraffe, Little Gems, Little Stars, Marina's Playschool, Nicholl's, Romanos, TGT Hub, 3S Gnosis, The English Nursery School, etc.). The northern part of the island is not covered. Register types: “ιδίου” (same programme as state schools), “παρομοίου” (similar programme) and “διαφόρου” (another country's system).
Compiled from the registers cited; it does not claim to be complete.
- Ministère chypriote de l'Éducation — page « Κατάλογοι Σχολείων » (listes des écoles privées agréées)
- Ministère chypriote de l'Éducation — écoles privées secondaires agréées (liste du 5 mars 2026)
- Ministère chypriote de l'Éducation — écoles primaires privées agréées (liste du 4 septembre 2026)
- Ministère chypriote de l'Éducation — écoles maternelles privées agréées (liste du 9 octobre 2026)
- AEFE — École franco-chypriote de Nicosie et son annexe de Limassol
List updated on Oct 15, 2026.
Your guide to healthcare
Understand your cover and prepare the first steps.
Mandatory health insurance
Not provided
The health insurance requirement attached to each residence permit (Category F, permanent residency by investment, digital nomad visa) could not be verified against an official source: the Migration Department website could not be opened…
Access to the public system
Under conditions
GESY covers ordinary residents of the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus who fall into a beneficiary category: Cypriot citizens; EU citizens who work in Cyprus or hold a permanent right of residence; third-country nationals holding a permanent residence permit or entitled to equal treatment in social security…
What is your situation?
Show the information that applies to you.
Your cover · General rules
Mandatory health insurance
The health insurance requirement attached to each residence permit (Category F, permanent residency by investment, digital nomad visa) could not be verified against an official source: the Migration Department website could not be opened…
Read the details
The health insurance requirement attached to each residence permit (Category F, permanent residency by investment, digital nomad visa) could not be verified against an official source: the Migration Department website could not be opened, and the old Ministry of the Interior page on residency by investment that was consulted, dated 2012, does not mention insurance. People who fall into no GESY beneficiary category must arrange their own cover, which in practice means private insurance.
Access to public healthcare
GESY covers ordinary residents of the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus who fall into a beneficiary category: Cypriot citizens; EU citizens who work in Cyprus or hold a permanent right of residence; third-country nationals holding a permanent residence permit or entitled to equal treatment in social security…
Read the details
GESY covers ordinary residents of the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus who fall into a beneficiary category: Cypriot citizens; EU citizens who work in Cyprus or hold a permanent right of residence; third-country nationals holding a permanent residence permit or entitled to equal treatment in social security (notably through declared employment); refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection; S1 form holders; family members of a beneficiary (for the family of a third-country national holding a permanent permit, provided they also hold a permanent permit). Beneficiaries have direct access to their personal doctor, emergency care, preventive dental care, gynaecology from the specified age and, in return for a contribution, specialists; other care requires a referral.
- Employee
- Employees working legally in Cyprus and ordinarily resident there are GESY beneficiaries, including third-country nationals holding a residence permit for employment; they contribute on their salary and their employer also contributes.
- Self-employed
- Self-employed workers registered with the Social Insurance Services and ordinarily resident are beneficiaries; they contribute on their professional income at the stated rate.
- European Union retiree (S1 form)
- Retirees receiving a pension from another EU Member State and living in Cyprus register with GESY using their S1 form, sent to the HIO with the application; a retiree receiving a French pension also retains entitlement to healthcare in France. Retirees enrolled in Cyprus contribute on their pension.
- Category F (Immigration Permit, financially independent resident)
- The Immigration Permit is a permanent permit: its holder, if ordinarily resident, falls into the category of third-country nationals with permanent residence and can register with GESY; they contribute on their income according to their category. The insurance requirement at the time of application has not been verified.
- Permanent residency by investment (Immigration Permit, Regulation 6(2))
- This permit is also an Immigration Permit: once ordinarily resident, its holder can register with GESY as a permanent resident. The insurance requirement at the time of application has not been verified on a current official page.
- Digital nomad visa
- A temporary permit for remote work for an employer established outside Cyprus: it does not correspond to any GESY beneficiary category described by the HIO (neither employment in Cyprus nor a permanent permit). The insurance conditions for the permit have not been verified.
- European Union citizen
- EU citizens who work in Cyprus (MEU1 certificate) or hold permanent residence (MEU3) are beneficiaries; during a temporary stay, the European Health Insurance Card applies.
Your first steps
- Be registered with the Civil Registry and Migration Department (alien registration certificate ARC and a valid residence permit) and, if working in Cyprus, with the Social Insurance Services using the ARC number.
- Create and activate an account on the beneficiaries' portal of gesy.org.cy, then submit the application for registration in the beneficiaries' register (or have a personal doctor submit it); certain cases (family members, S1 holders) require supporting documents to be sent by post.
- Register on the list of a contracted personal doctor, online or at the practice, and sign the mutual acceptance form; changing doctor is possible after the specified period.
Official sources
- Beneficiary Categories — Health Insurance Organisation (Chypre)
- Financing and Global Budget (cotisations, co-paiements, contributions personnelles) — Health Insurance Organisation (Chypre)
- Beneficiary Enrolment Process — Health Insurance Organisation (Chypre)
- GHS Enrolment — A step by step guide for non-Cypriot nationals (2019) — Health Insurance Organisation (Chypre)
- Access to Services — Health Insurance Organisation (Chypre)
- Le régime chypriote de sécurité sociale (salariés) — soins de santé — CLEISS
- Votre couverture médicale — vous êtes retraité(e) — Commission européenne (L'Europe est à vous)
Information updated on Oct 15, 2026.
Please note