Affordable Universities in Europe

Higher education in Europe will not be as expensive as in the USA, Canada, or Australia. In many countries, a year of study costs around 1,500 USD, while in America this figure will be 20 times more — 30,000 USD. In Britain, prices are also much higher than in the EU countries — from 12,090 USD per year. At the same time, in terms of the quality of education, universities in Europe are not inferior to universities in English-speaking countries: among the top-100 best universities in the world according to QS, 16 are European. However, there are some specificities.

Features of education in Europe

• There are few programs in English. At the undergraduate level, English-taught programs are not universally available. Even in Germany, where English is quite widely known^[1], public universities only offer 40 options (according to the DAAD search tool). On the other hand, at the Master's degree level, English-language programs have already become quite common.
• Affordable education in the national language. In the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Norway, Greece, and Estonia, education in the national language is completely free. The language requirements are high, however — not lower than the B2 level, and in Germany — up to C1.
• Discounts for students. The student card provides benefits throughout the European Union: public transport, accommodation, museums, and cafès, cost less for students.
• It gets even cheaper in Eastern Europe. In Eastern Europe, it is cheaper to study not only because of the low tuition fees but also because of the low cost of living. In countries like Russia, Poland, and Bulgaria, living expenses are 2-3 times lower than in Germany or France.
• Part-time work and employment. In most European countries, students can find employment and work up to 20 hours a week. You won't be able to earn a lot, but you can be compensated for food or housing costs. Also, many universities offer internships and help their graduates find work. For this, universities have special career centers.

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Affordable Master's degree in Europe

Master's degree programs in Europe last 1-2 years, depending on the country of study. As a rule, a Master's degree must correspond to a Bachelor's degree. This differentiates European education from American. One of the few exceptions to this rule is Russia. There are other things to keep in mind:

• Language of teaching. The cost of studying depends not only on the country but also on the language and the type of program. For example, in Finland, you can study in Finnish and Swedish for free, including a Master's program. But English-taught programs are expensive — from 10,480 USD per year. There are also tuition-free Master's degrees in the national language in Norway, Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, and Estonia. In the rest of the countries, Master's programs in the local and English language will not differ much in price.
• Types of programs. MBA and medical courses are much more expensive than all other Master's programs. Studying for a Master of Business Administration is considered particularly prestigious and costs 10,480-15,719 USD per year in most European countries. The same is true about medical education.
• Study in English. Unlike the undergraduate degree programs, at the Master's level, English-taught programs are available in any major university. You may not find your specialty in one university, but it will definitely be in another.

Affordable universities in Europe

Western and Northern Europe

There are many universities in Northern and Western Europe with affordable prices for education. In Germany, France, and Austria, prices in public universities are fixed by law, and in Norway and Finland, education in the national language is completely free. On the other hand, the high cost of living there "balances out" the low cost of education. The major expense in most countries is housing. Universities rarely have dormitories, so students have to rent apartments or rooms on their own.

• Germany. Education in German state universities is free for everyone, including foreigners. Students only pay administrative fees from 168 USD to 734 USD per year. These cover, for example, travel on public transport. Accommodation will cost at least 10,480 USD per year — having that much in your bank account is a requirement for a student visa. Scholarships such as DAAD can help cut costs. Another important condition: you will not be able to enroll in a Bachelor's program immediately after school if it lasts 11 years or less in your home country. First, you have to spend a year at the preparatory courses at Studienkolleg or in a university at home.
• Austria. In Austria, as in Germany, in public universities students pay fixed fees — 734-1,572 USD per year. It is still incomparably cheaper than studying in the USA or the UK. The requirements for a student visa depend on age: if you are under 24, you will need at least 6,288 USD for a year, if more — 11,213 USD. The minimum level of German for admission to a university is C1, but you can also enter preparatory courses with A2+.
• France. In all public universities in France, the tuition fee for foreigners is universal: 2,903 USD per year for Bachelor's and 3,951 USD for Master's degree programs. But some universities, for example, the University of Paris, gave foreign students partial benefits in 2020/21: now they pay the same as locals — 274 USD for Bachelor's and 350 USD for Master's programs^[2]. However, English-taught programs, as a rule, are more expensive — 4,192 USD/year or more. To obtain a student visa, the applicant must have at least 644 USD on their account for each month of stay.
• Belgium. Prices in Belgian universities start from 1,048 USD per year. There are a few English-language undergraduate programs, and prices for them can go up to 4,192 USD. Most of the teaching is in French, Dutch or German. The minimum level of language proficiency is B2. It will take about 14,671 USD per year in living expenses, and for a student visa, it is necessary that the sponsor of the student earns at least 2,060 USD per month.
• Italy. Education in Italy is considered relatively inexpensive, the average cost is 2,096-3,144 USD per year. There are also completely free universities that even cover the cost of living and meals. For example, the Teacher Training School of Pisa. But the competition is very high there. Also, some universities give discounts to children from large and needy families. Accommodation will cost at least 6,500 USD per year. It is impossible to enter immediately after grade 11, first you need to take preparatory courses or study for a year at a university in your homeland.
• Finland. In Finland, foreign students can get a completely free education in both undergraduate and graduate programs. There is only one condition: the program must be in Finnish or Swedish. English-language programs are expensive — 10,000-12,000 USD/year. To obtain a student visa, you will need 7,042 USD per year, but the actual costs will be at least 10,480 USD/year. More money will be spent on housing in Finland, since many universities do not have residences.
• Switzerland. Studying in Switzerland is surprisingly cheap: on average it costs 943 USD per year. But in order to enroll, you will have to spend two years at a university at home or complete a one-year preparatory program at a local university. Teaching is done in French or German, the minimum language level is C1. The cost of living in the country is very high. For a student visa, you need a minimum of 23,148 USD per year.
• Norway. Education in Norway is free for all students, regardless of the language. You only need to pay small contributions of 28-55 USD. Though there are very few English-language programs — 15 in the whole country. And life in Norway is also not cheap: for a student visa you need at least 12,680 USD per year.
• Spain. You cannot study for free in Spain, but the tuition fees there are relatively low: they start from 838 USD per year, for example, at the University of Granada. The average cost in other public universities is 2,096-3,144 USD/year. At the same time, some universities offer discounts for students from large families. Living in Spain is also not very expensive: for a student visa you need to have 7,336 USD per year in your account. Because of this, Spain is one of the most affordable options among Western European countries.

Eastern and Southern Europe

The universities in Eastern and Southern Europe are considered less prestigious than in Western and Northern. But education there is also good. St. Petersburg State University, for example, is considered one of the 50 best universities globally to study for a Master in Management^[3]. In addition, these universities have many English-language Bachelor's programs — many more than in Western Europe. And education in the national language in many countries is completely free. Living expenses are about as low as it gets: universities have dormitories that cost 105-157 USD per month, so you won't have to spend a lot of money on accommodation.

• Russian Federation. Russian universities offer a good balance between price and quality — the cost of a single year ranges from 600 to 6,288 USD, averaging around 2500. The majority of programs are taught in Russian, but there is a growing number of options in English, especially at the graduate level. Russian universities offer about 15000 state-funded seats for international students. To apply for a program in English, you will need a certificate of previous education, a motivation letter, and IELTS/TOEFL results (unless you are a native English speaker). An interview is also relatively common. You can learn more on the official website for international students in Russia.
• Czech Republic. Studying in Czech is completely free. For admission, you must pass a language exam at the B2 level. You can prepare for it both at home and at a university in the Czech Republic. There are also English-language programs, but their prices start at 3,000 USD per year. To obtain a student visa, you need to have 3,668 USD in your account per year of study.
• Poland. Just like the Czech Republic, in Poland education in the national language is free. Universities accept students with a C1 level and above. But in general, knowing Polish is not necessary to study, there are many English-language programs in the country. For non-EU citizens, education costs 2,000-3,000 USD per year. For EU citizens, prices will be lower. A year of living in Poland will cost at least 4,192 USD.
• Bulgaria. Education is conducted mainly in Bulgarian, but there are also English-language programs — about 20% of total. There are also programs in Russian, German and French. The average cost of education is 2,000-3,000 USD per year, at least 4,192 USD will be spent on living. Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, so Bulgarian education can be a good start for immigration to the EU.
• Hungary. In Hungary, compared to other European countries, there are many English-language programs. There are almost two hundred of them at the undergraduate level^[4] alone. There are programs in other languages, too. The average tuition fee is 3,144-5,240 USD per year and about 7,336 USD will come in living expenses. But the costs can be reduced with the help of scholarships and grants offered by the government and universities.
• Greece. Education in Greek public universities is free but available only in the national language. It can be learned in the year-long preparatory courses at universities, tuition there costs only 838 USD. There are also Master's programs in English, but most of them are paid. The minimum monthly budget is 314-419 USD, which is quite cheap for Europe. And because of their low cost, local medical programs are especially popular. Prices start at 1,572 USD per year.
• Baltics. Education in the Baltic countries is becoming more and more popular among foreign students. In Estonia, for example, the number of international students has doubled since 2014. Students are attracted by relative economic well-being, a large number of English-language programs and low tuition fees: in Latvia and Lithuania, prices start from 1,572 USD per year, in Estonia — from 3,144 USD. Moreover, education in the national language in Estonia is free.