Where Can I Study Abroad for Free? a question on every students lips who wishes to study abroad without enough financial backings.
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.
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.
Where Can I Study Abroad for Free?
Sweden
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. 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.
Denmark and Sweden 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. PhD programs in both countries are fully funded, offering exceptional PhD candidates the chance to gain their degree without paying fees, and earn a salary. Finland will soon join them in charging tuition fees to non-EU students starting from autumn 2017, which will be a minimum of $1,771.8 (~US$1,600) per year.
In both Denmark and Sweden, international fees at bachelor and master levels varies. In Denmark, university fees range from between DKK 45,000 and DKK 120,000 (~US$6,420-17,115) annually, while in Sweden they fall between SEK 80,000 and SEK 140,000 (~US$8,730-15,270).
In Iceland, there are no tuition fees charged at the country’s four public universities, with only a registration fee of around $472.48 a year (~US$425).
But what about living costs? Well, this is the catch, as the costs of living in Northern Europe are among some of the highest in the whole of Europe. This is largely due to the healthy economy of the region overall 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.
BelgiumWhat about other places to study in Europe for free or at a low cost? There are a number of Europe 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 $428.78 (~US$385) per semester. International students from outside of the EU/EEA should expect slightly higher fees of around $857.55 (~US$770) per semester. Living costs will set all students back approximately between $12,048.24-12,000 (~US$10,820-12,730) 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 $986.3 (~US$890) 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 $1,051.27 to a maximum of $4,931.51 (~US$940-4,430) per year. You can live in Belgium with a budget of around $13,465.68 (~US$12,100) 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 CZK 108,334 (~US$4,260) per year. Living costs are more affordable than in many countries in Western Europe, at around CRK 106,900-229,070 (~US$4,200-9000) 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. And if this doesn’t sound like enough, you could also get your course textbooks for free! International students from outside of the EU are also eligible for low-cost higher education, at approximately $1,771.8 (~US$1,600) 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 $1,004.02 and $1,181.2 (~US$900-1,060) 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 $14,174.4-18,000 (~US$12,760- 19,145) per year. Milan is ranked 33rd in the most recent QS Best Student Cities, while capital city Rome is 65th.
Spain
With the same education rights as Spanish students, EU students are not required to pay high education fees. International students, meanwhile, are able to study in Spain for between $803.22 and $1,653.68(~US$720-1,500) 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 $12,756.96 and $15,591.84(~US$11,500-14,050) 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.
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 187% cheaper than in the UK, while rental prices are as much as 373% cheaper. Overall, you should be able to live comfortably on as little as US$5,000 a year.
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 68th in the QS World University Rankings 2016-2017, last year charged undergraduate students just TW$100,920-124,200 (~US$3,175-3,900) per year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2017, Taipei was ranked 16th in the world and 16th for affordability.
Source [worldscholarshipforum]