Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1.Where can I find information on the Distance Learning Programmes offered?
All information on the Distance Learning Programmes are available on the University of Nicosia website:
http://www.unic.ac.cy/distance-learning-degrees/

2.How are Distance Learning courses conducted? What are their requirements?
Distance Learning courses can be attended through a web-based platform (Moodle) that you have access to when you are formally enrolled in the programme. Through this platform, you have access to the material of your chosen courses for the corresponding semester.
Each course consists of lectures, assignments, video-teleconferences and a final assessment. Lectures and assignments are delivered through the online platform.
In each course, there is the corresponding online “Forum”, in which you can communicate with both the lecturer and your fellow students. You can also communicate directly with your lecturer, whose contact information is permanently posted on the Moodle platform. Every programme also has an “Announcement Forum”, in which announcements on important academic and administrative issues are posted throughout each semester.

3.When and how can I apply for admission to Distance Learning Undergraduate/ Postgraduate programmes and what are the admission criteria for each programme?
New applications for Distance Learning Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes are accepted for the Fall Semester, which commences in September/October, and for the Spring Semester, which begins in February. Applications can be sent throughout the year, and you can choose the semester you wish to join by marking a specific field on the admission application form. The application form for admission and the necessary supporting documents can be sent electronically to DL.admissions@unic.ac.cy. You may also apply online following the link https://www.unic.ac.cy/apply/ . The admission criteria for Distance Learning Programmes can be found on the University of Nicosia website: https://www.unic.ac.cy/distance-learning-degrees/

4.How are tuition fees paid?
Once you arrange the down payment for the new semester, three more equal monthly instalments will have to be paid at the end of each month. The amount of monthly instalments is determined according to the number of courses you choose.
The down payment for Master's programmes is 400 euros, while for the Bachelor's it is 500 euros.
The monthly instalments appear in the UNIC Portal in “Instalments”. All your account transactions (charges/credits) are also shown in the UNIC Portal in “Statement of Account”.
Payment Method Information is sent along with your acceptance message to the Distance Learning Programmes. You can also find relevant information electronically at: http://www.unic.ac.cy/admission-requirements/financial-information/payment-options/

5.Can I have a reduction in tuition fees if I prepay the entire semester/programme?
If the full amount of the tuition fees for the semester or for the programme is prepaid (before the end of the Add/Drop period), you will receive a 4% reduction in the corresponding tuition fees.

6.How are courses selected?
The courses can be selected electronically via the UNIC Portal software by selecting “Academic”, then “Course Pre-registration”. The courses offered have the option “Add” next to them, and you should select the first available section. Courses that do not show the option “Add” next to them are not offered in the current semester and you cannot choose them.

7.I have outstanding financial debt. Can I add my courses?
Access to the online pre-registration system is not interrupted when there are financial debts, and you can proceed normally. However, financial debts result in the student losing access to the Moodle platform and to the final grades in the UNIC Portal, in “Academic”, “My Grades”. To be able to officially register in the courses of a new semester and to be able to access the Moodle platform, you must settle all financial debts of the previous semester and pay the down payment for the new semester (400 euros for Postgraduate programmes and 500 euros for Undergraduate programmes).

8.How can I know if I chose the correct courses? Will I receive an update?
When you choose courses, Academic Advisors check your choices. You will receive an approval/rejection email for your course choices before the start of the new semester. In the event that a mistake is made in your course choices or if there is any problem with the course pre-registration, the Academic Advisors will contact you directly to make the necessary corrections. We recommend that you carefully review the pre-registration announcement uploaded on your Programme’s Announcement Forum and consult your Academic Path through your UNIC Portal to avoid selecting the wrong courses.

9.Why do the courses I have selected have the indication “Not Official” in “Courses” in the UNIC Portal?
This is because your registration for the current semester is not finalized. In order for you to complete the official registration of the courses that are selected and for the relevant access to the Moodle platform to be gained once the semester officially starts, your courses choices should be approved, all the financial debts of the previous semester must be settled and the down payment for the new semester must be paid (400 euros for the Postgraduate and 500 euros for Undergraduate).

10.Can I make changes to the courses I have selected?
Any changes to the course selection should be made within the Add/Drop period, by the end of the second week of the semester at the latest. If you wish to withdraw from any course(s) after the end of the Add/Drop period, you have to inform the Academic Advisors to withdraw from the course and fill in a Withdrawal form for each course. After the add/drop period students are liable on the full tuition of the courses registered. Cancellation of tuition (refund) applies in the case of termination of studies in accordance with the refund schedule below and provided the students inform their Academic Advisor in writing. The termination date will be considered to be the date on which the written notification is received. Apart from tuition, all other fees (i.e. Application fee) are NON refundable:

11.The application number in which I added my courses (A ...N...) does not allow me to enter the UNIC Portal. What should I do?
For newly enrolled students, after the Academic Advisors approve the courses, they will receive a Permanent Student Identity Number (U ... N ...), which is then used for entering the UNIC Portal and Moodle platform. The application number (A ... N ...) expires.

12.Can I temporarily interrupt my studies?
You may temporarily interrupt your studies for one or more semesters, provided that your total attendance (including interruption) does not exceed the maximum duration of the programme.

13.How can I receive a confirmation letter for my studies?
You may request a confirmation letter by sending an e-mail to DL@unic.ac.cy stating the type of the confirmation letter as well as the semester for which the confirmation letter is required. Confirmation letters of study are issued only for semesters you have already completed or for the current semester, provided that the 4th week of course attendance has been completed.

14.How can I contact the Distance Learning Unit about issues related to my studies?
For any issues related to your studies, as well as for general issues, you can contact the Distance Learning Unit at DL@unic.ac.cy or via phone at +357 22367300 / +30 2103004660. Depending on your question, you will need to select the correct option as per the following:
Option 1: Financial
Option 2: Admissions
Option 3: Confirmation Letters
Option 4: Academic
Option 5: Exam Matters
Option 6: Other

The Moodle platform also has permanently posted the contact details of the Online Learning Support Unit and the Library.

15.How can I contact my lecturers?
For any questions/clarifications/comments regarding the courses, you should contact your lecturers. You can contact your lecturer through email and through the Moodle platform. Through the Moodle platform, you can contact your lecturer using the Course Forum, which is a public course forum. You can discuss any aspect of the course and share any questions or concerns about the course content in the Course Forum. Alternatively, you can add a new discussion topic to ask a public question to your lecturer and classmates. You can also contact your lecturers directly by sending them a message through the Moodle platform. The lecturer’s contact information is on the Moodle platform.

16.Do I need to buy the books for the courses that I will attend?
Every course has a Required Textbook, which students should obtain. In some cases, the Required Textbooks might be available through the UNIC Library.

17.I have lost my UNIC Portal code. What should I do?
If you forget your password for the UNIC Portal, you may choose the link “Forgot Password?” displayed when selecting “Login”. If you cannot find your UNIC Portal code through this process or from the original email sent to you through your registration to the Distance Learning Programme, you can contact the Distance Learning Unit at  DL@unic.ac.cy.

18.I have lost my Moodle code. What should I do?
If you cannot find your code for the Moodle platform from the original email that you received, you can choose “Lost password”, which will generate an automated email with a link through which you can activate your code. Alternatively, you can contact the Distance Learning Unit at DL@unic.ac.cy.

19.How can I receive my Student ID card?
Student ID cards are delivered to you by post before the end of the first semester of your studies.  
New students: An announcement will be posted on the Moodle platform, to which new students should upload an appropriate photo of themselves to their profile on the platform. Relevant instructions will be attached in the announcement.
Current students: Students who for any reason did not receive their Student ID card at the first semester of their studies need to check when the next announcement is posted that the photo they uploaded for their Student ID card is appropriate and perhaps replace it. Relevant instructions will be attached to the announcement.

20.How is the final assessment for each course taken?
The DL Final Exams take place at the end of each semester through synchronous electronic invigilation.

21.What if I cannot take the final assessment of a course?
According to the University regulations, your participation in the final assessment is mandatory. In the exceptional case that a student cannot take a final assessment, he/she will have to inform the lecturer before the final assessment and submit a relevant certificate.
If the student had submitted the course assignments normally, and the lecturer considers the absence to be justified, the lecturer can give a “Deferred” (DE) or “Incomplete” (I) grade, and the student will be able to take the final assessment of the course during the next examination period, following the allocation of the “Deferred” (DE) or “Incomplete” (I) grade.
The relevant make-up exam fee is €35, which is automatically charged.

22.What do I do if I fail a course?
If you fail a course (grade F), you can either repeat the course from the beginning, by selecting it again, or take the final assessment during the Second Examination period. The option to take the final assessment in the Second Examination period depends on the student’s total grade in the course until that point.
You are allowed to attend the Second Examination of the course you have failed during the following semester’s examination period.
You can only take a second exam once. If you fail the second examination, you will have to repeat the course, the fees of which will be 50% of the regular price.
Examination: Will cover the entire course curriculum.

Examination Fee: €65 per course/examination

Grade: The first total grade of F will have a weight of 30% and the final grade on the second exam will have a weight of 70% in the final grade of the course.

You should also know the final numerical grade of each course so that you can decide:

whether you have chances to pass the second exam;*

what is the maximum final grade you can achieve;

what is the minimum grade you need to get in the second exam in order to pass the course.

*If your first final numerical grade in the course is very low (e.g. 20/100), and there is no chance you can successfully complete the course by taking the second examination, then you will have to repeat the entire course (activities, assignments, final assessment) by selecting it again and paying the corresponding cost, minus 50%.

23.Is there special provision for students with special needs?
The University of Nicosia takes all necessary measures to facilitate students who require special treatment during both their studies and their final assessments. Students experiencing either physical or learning special needs should fill in the relevant field in the application form and send the following documents when they complete and submit their application:
An official and original attested document from a doctor explaining the special need faced by the student as well as the proposed way or special facility that the University of Nicosia should offer.

24.Can I get a letter confirming that I took a final assessment?
Upon completion of your final assessment, you have the opportunity to receive a confirmation letter for each of your course, by following the steps provided in the relevant announcement being uploaded on Moodle Platform before the commencement of the DL Final Exam period.

25.Where can I see my final grades?
Final grades are shown in the UNIC Portal in “My Grades”, under “Academic” provided that the tuition fees for the semester have been paid. By clicking on the final grade, you can see the detailed grades for participation, assignments and the final assessment.

26.I am in the last semester of my studies. What should I do to get my diploma?
In your last semester, you have to apply for graduation through the UNIC Portal in “Degree Issue Application” under “Academic” and pay the graduation fee (60 euros) for the issuance and shipping of the diploma.
After you have completed the “Degree Issue Application”, you receive an e-mail message informing you whether you meet the graduation criteria or not. The academic documents (e.g. academic transcript, diploma supplement) are sent to you via mail. For students from Greece, the relevant documents are electronically submitted to DOATAP in Greece (if recognition for DOATAP is required) upon request of the student.
In order to receive your degree, you have to settle all outstanding financial issues and submit attested copies of your Academic Documents (Degree, Transcript or High School Diploma) to the Distance Learning Unit. This process should be done by post, before the end of the first semester of studies.

27.How can I send the attested copies of my academic documents to the University?
You are kindly requested to send via post the attested copies of your academic documents, before the end of the first semester of your studies, so that the issuance of your degree can be processed at the end of your studies.

28.What procedure should I follow with DOATAP in Greece to get recognition? (If recognition for DOATAP is required)
Once your final grades have been posted and you are informed that you have successfully completed the programme, you may submit your application to DOATAP in Greece. The list of supporting documents you must submit can be found on the DOATAP website https://e-doatap.doatap.gr/
The university electronically submits the necessary documents (Copy of the Degree, Transcript, Diploma Supplement) to DOATAP in Greece to complete your application upon your request.

29.When will my diploma be sent if I do not attend the graduation ceremony?
Participation in the graduation ceremony is not compulsory. After the final grades are announced, the necessary academic checks are conducted and the issuing process is completed, the degrees and other academic documents are sent to you via courier and are electronically submitted upon request to DOATAP in Greece (for students from Greece) regardless of whether you participated in the graduation ceremony.

30.Which are the technical requirements in order to be able to complete a Distance Learning Programme?
In order to run and use comfortably the multiple applications, services and systems (learning management system, the teleconferencing system, etc.) that are needed to complete successfully your Distance Learning Programme, please follow the link below including important information regarding the technical requirements: https://www.unic.ac.cy/distance-learning/technical-information/  

31.Where can I find information about the  Privacy Policy of the University of Nicosia?
For information/clarifications regarding the Privacy Policy of the University of Nicosia, please kindly follow the link https://www.unic.ac.cy/privacy-policy/