While
university fees continue to rise in many parts of the world, some of
you might be thinking that getting a recognized degree qualification,
either in your home country or abroad, is simply impossible without
having a four- or five-figure budget at your disposal, or without
obtaining a scholarship.
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You’ll be pleased to hear that this isn’t necessarily the case. There are many countries worldwide where students are able to study abroad for free or for a very affordable amount. You just need to know where to look.
Below you’ll find a selection of countries that offer low-cost or
free tuition, with details on eligibility and what current (low)
university fees you can expect. To find internationally renowned
universities in these countries, visit the QS World University Rankings® 2018.
Study in Germany for free
Interest in studying abroad in Germany just
seems to keep on growing. This is largely due to the fact there are no
undergraduate tuition fees at most public universities in Germany, and
this applies to both German students and internationals, regardless of
nationality. Just a small nominal university fee is charged, of around
€150-250 (~US$180-300), to cover administration costs.
The exception is the state of Baden-Württemberg in south-west
Germany, which reintroduced tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students in
autumn 2017. These students must pay €1,500 (~US$1,800) a semester
(€3,000 or ~US$3,600 per year). PhD students and refugees aren’t
affected, and the fees are reduced for those pursuing a second degree
(to €650 (~US$780) a semester, which is €1,300 (~US$1,550) a year. It’s
possible that other German states will follow and reintroduce fees in
the future, as they seek to invest in and improve university education,
so watch out for this.
Germany’s low study costs, combined with its strong economy and
excellent higher education system, makes the prospect of undertaking
study in Germany extremely appealing for both students and their parents
worldwide. More than 40 German universities are featured among the
world’s leaders in the QS World University Rankings – again, beaten only
by the US and UK – with the highest place taken by Technische Universität München.
If you’re successful in finding a university at which to study in
Germany for free, you will of course still need to budget for living
costs. If you need a German student visa, you’ll need to prove you have
around €8,700 (~US$10,400) per year for living expenses. However, you’ll
probably need closer to €9,600 (~US$11,500) to live comfortably in
Germany.
Two of the top destinations for study in Germany, Munich and Berlin, were also ranked within the top 20 most affordable cities to study in the QS Best Student Cities 2017.
For more information on how to study in Germany for free, see the following articles:
- How Much Does it Cost to Study in Germany?
- How to Apply for a PhD In Germany
- Scholarships to Study in Germany
- Study in Germany: Frequently Asked Questions
- Study in Germany in English
- Top Universities in Germany 2018
Study in France for free (or at low cost)
France may
not be quite as widely known as Germany for affordable higher
education, but international students may be surprised to hear they can
also study in France for free (or, at a very low cost), regardless of
their nationality.
Although technically university fees do exist at public universities
in France, they’re just a fraction of those charged in most countries,
amounting to just €184 (~US$220) per year at undergraduate level.
Additional charges can bring this price up, particularly for more
specialized programs such as medicine and engineering, but not
dramatically. If you’re looking to study at a leading grande école, however, expect fees to vary widely.
As is the case in Germany, the majority of programs offering the
chance to study in France for free are taught in the native language.
However, there are a growing number of opportunities to study in
English, particularly at graduate level. Alternatively, you can also
attend a preparatory school to perfect your French skills before
beginning your degree, but you’ll have to pay for this.
Living costs in France are also relatively affordable, amounting to
around €9,600 (~US$11,500) per year, though you should expect to pay
more if you choose to live in capital city Paris. While Paris isn’t a cheap city to live in, rent is on average more than 50 percent lower than London (according to Numbeo).
The French capital’s comparative affordability, combined with a huge
selection of internationally ranked universities, means it continues to
rank within the top five of the QS Best Student Cities index.
Find out more:
- Scholarships to Study Abroad in the World’s Best Student Cities
- Scholarships to Study in Europe
- 9 of the Best Places to Study Abroad in Europe
- Top 10 Universities in Paris
- Top Universities in France
Study in the Nordic countries for free
Known for their high quality of life, stunning nature and liberal
politics, northern European nations (known as the Nordic countries) also
boast some of the strongest higher education systems in the world.
Nordic nations Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden all offer opportunities to study free or at low cost:
In Norway, university study is available free of
charge to all students, regardless of study level or nationality. Like
Germany, you will only need to pay a semester fee, in this case around
NOK 300-600 (~US$37-74). The majority of undergraduate programs are
taught only in Norwegian, and international students need to demonstrate
proof of proficiency in Norwegian in order to study at this level. At
master’s and PhD level, English language programs are far more common
and free tuition still applies.
In Iceland, there are no tuition fees charged at the
country’s four public universities, with only a registration fee of
around €400 a year (~US$425).
Denmark, Sweden and most recently Finland only extend their free higher education perks to students from within the EU/EEA and
Switzerland, meaning that students from outside these regions must pay
tuition fees for bachelor’s and master’s programs. However, PhD programs
in these countries are fully funded, offering exceptional PhD
candidates the chance to gain their degree without paying fees, and earn a salary. Non-EU/EEA students can also still study in Finland for free if they study in either Swedish or Finnish.
International fees at bachelor and master levels in Denmark, Sweden
and Finland vary. In Denmark, university fees range from between DKK
45,000 and DKK 120,000 (~US$7,200-19,300) annually, while in Sweden they
fall between SEK 80,000 and SEK 140,000 (~US$9,750-17,060) for most
courses. In Finland, the recently introduced tuition fees currently
amount to at least €1,500 (~US$1,800) per year, although most students
will pay between €4,000 - 20,000 (~US$4,900-24,500) per year.
But what about living costs? Well, this is the catch, as the costs of
living in northern Europe are among some of the highest on the
continent. This is largely due to the healthy economy of the region and
the strength of the Nordic currencies, so paying more for living when
the streets are clean and the people are happy perhaps isn’t so bad.
Four Nordic capitals have been ranked among the world’s top student
cities: Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm.
Find out more:
- Denmark Rated the Third Best Place to Study in Europe
- International Scholarships for Europe’s Nordic Countries
- Student Satisfaction: Finland Best Place to Study in Europe
- Studying in Sweden: Student Satisfaction Survey Results
Other places to study in Europe for free (or at low cost)
What about other places to study in Europe for free or at a low cost?
There are a number of European countries which offer affordable or free
universities, without any need to sacrifice on quality. See below for
more examples.
Austria
Another country where students can study in Europe for free (or at a very low cost) is Austria.
EU/EEA students enjoy the same rights as Austrians when it comes to the
cost of higher education, and can study for free at any degree level.
After this time, students pay a fee of just €363 (~US$434) per semester.
International students from outside of the EU/EEA should expect
slightly higher fees of around €726 (~US$870) per semester. Living costs
will set all students back approximately €11,400 (~US$13,650 a year. Vienna, Austria’s capital city, is ranked 16th in the QS Best Student Cities 2017.
Belgium
There are two main language communities in Belgium,
each with their own stance on university fees. However, EU students
will pay a maximum of only €835 (~US$1,000) a year. And while it’s just
EU students who get the major benefits of being able to study in Europe
for free, fees are still very affordable for international students,
ranging from €890 to a maximum of €4,175 (~US$1,065-5,000) per year. You
can live in Belgium with a budget of around €11,400 (~US$13,640) a
year. Brussels, the capital city, was ranked 45th in this year’s QS Best Student Cities.
Czech Republic
Students who speak Czech are able to study abroad for free in the Czech Republic at
any public university. Students who wish to study in English can also
study fairly cheaply, at around €3,800 (~US$4,550) per year. Living
costs are more affordable than in many countries in western Europe, at
around US$9,000 per year. The Czech capital city, Prague, is ranked 30th in the QS Best Student Cities.
Greece
All students from within the EU/EEA are able to study abroad for free in Greece at
public universities and colleges, with the exception of some master’s
programs. International students from outside of the EU are also
eligible for low-cost higher education, at approximately €1,500
(~US$1,800) per year. Greece offers one of the lowest costs of living in
the European Union.
Italy
Although private universities in Italy can
be known to charge fairly high tuition fees, public universities in
Italy are markedly cheaper, charging between €850 and €1,000
(~US$1,015-1,200) per year for undergraduate programs. EU students are
eligible for the same funding opportunities as Italian students,
including loans, grants, scholarships and fee waivers. Living costs in
Italy are also not as high as you might expect, at around €12,000-18,000
(~US$14,350- 21,530) per year. Milan is ranked 33rd in the most recent QS Best Student Cities, while capital city Rome is 65th.
Spain
EU students aren’t required to pay high education fees in Spain,
while international students, are able to study for between €750 and
€2,100 (~US$900-2,500) per year at public institutions. Fees are charged
on a per-credit basis and can be higher at graduate level. To live in
Spain, you should expect to spend between €10,800 and €13,200
(~US$12,900 - 15,800) a year in living costs. Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia are all featured in the QS Best Student Cities 2017, with Barcelona the highest ranked at 23rd.
Other places to study abroad for free (or at low cost)
Argentina
While Argentinian students all enjoy access to free universities,
international students should expect to pay a small, nominal fee to
enroll at public universities in the country. Private institutions in Argentina, on the other hand, can charge upwards US$5,000 a year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2017, Argentinian capital Buenos Aires is 42nd.
India
In India,
international students will typically pay tuition fees of no higher
than US$7,300 a year, though private university and graduate fees tend
to be more expensive. Living costs in India are, for most students,
likely to be very appealing – according to Numbeo,
consumer prices are 178 percent cheaper than in the UK, while rental
prices are as much as 386 percent cheaper. Overall, you should be able
to live comfortably on as little as US$5,000 a year. However, it’s worth
noting that international students aren’t allowed to work in India
during their studies.
Taiwan
Tuition fees in Taiwan offer great value, with the nation’s top universities offering affordable programs. For example, National Taiwan University (NTU), the nation’s leading university at joint 76th in
the QS World University Rankings, last year charged undergraduate
students just TW$100,920-124,200 (~US$3,400-4,200) per year. In the QS
Best Student Cities 2017, Taipei was ranked 16th in the world and 16th for affordability.
This article was originally published in March 2015. It was updated in December 2016 and again in January 2018
2 Comments
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