For many people with interest in traveling, and/or learning the ways and cultures of other people, studying abroad is a means to integrate themselves into ways previously inaccessible to them. The opportunities are endless, and even more so when you are moving from a developing or underdeveloped country.
While this is a dream for many, only few get to achieve it as the disparity in the standards of living mean more expenses. You have to cater for your flights, day to day costs, tuition fees, accommodation etc. Well, this is why we’ve put together a list of the 10 cheapest universities in Europe, as our contribution to you getting your dream underway.
Is Education Free in Europe?
Firstly, let’s look into EU and Non-EU students. EU stands for European Union, and students from countries in that region are EU students. Most Universities in Europe (excluding Private) are tuition-free for EU students. This doesn’t mean there are no extra expenses for you, it simply means your tuition is settled. In these cases, the Non-EU students have to pay some fees, though not excessive.
However in Germany and a few others, tuition is free in most universities regardless of where you’re from! No, it’s not a prank. You can study tuition free, and all you need bother about are your books, living costs etc. Infact some schools cater to the living costs, i.e. housing and feeding.
That asides, there are numerous scholarships to take advantage of in Europe, so your dream of studying abroad due to expenses need not die. You should also know that basically these free universities teach in the lingua Franca of the country, so be prepared to put in the work and learn.
On an average, EU students will spend anywhere from 4000 EUR/year for bachelor’s, and 5000 EUR/year for Masters, whereas Non-EU students will spend anywhere from 8000 EUR/year for bachelor’s and 10000 EUR for Masters. This shouldn’t be a reason to fear as these average figures have been derived from putting so many figures together.
The important thing to note is that you can earn your degree while paying even less than 1000 EUR/year. Amazing, right? Well, let’s get to the universities that offer packages such as this, and also check out the average cost of living in these cities.
Cheapest Universities in Europe
- Sant’Anna: this is located in Pisa, Italy. This location is full of many sightseeing opportunities. There are two main programs offered by the school: Social Sciences, and Experimental and Applied Sciences. Most of the courses are taught in Italian, so get ready to learn the language. Tuition is free, as well as accommodation. This should help you with budgeting, so start applying now.
- Free University of Berlin: this is located in Berlin, Germany. Just like it’s name, the tuition is absolutely free, however you’ll cater for other living costs. Living costs in Berlin start from 600 EUR monthly. They also teach a number of courses in English which is pretty great, but just in case, get ready to learn German. It’ll be totally worth it.
- Scuola Normale Superiore: this is located in Italy, and is one of the best Universities in Europe. Just like Sant’Anna, living costs like housing and feeding are covered by the school. There are three main programs for bachelor’s degree: Sciences, Humanities and Political Sciences. Get ready to learn Italian.
- University of Göttingen: this is located in Germany, yes we already mentioned that most public universities there are tuition-free, and this is no different. They have programs in many departments, some taught in German, and others in English. They also boast of one of the largest libraries in the country. Be prepared to pay some administrative costs however, and this is about 300 EUR/semester. Cost of living is similar to that in Berlin, so anywhere from 600 EUR/month.
- RWTH Aachen University: this is located in Aachen, Germany, but unlike the ones previously mentioned, all the undergraduate courses are taught in German, so get ready to attain a certain level of fluency in the language. They specialize in Materials engineering, and Architecture which is no surprise seeing as they have a lot of beautiful cathedrals and buildings. The only fees are that of the student body and processing fees, at about 260 EUR/semester. Cost of living is a little higher than that of Berlin, at about 800 EUR/month.
- University of Paris-Sud: this is located in Paris, France. Paris is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and home to the Eiffel Tower. This University is tuition-free with only about 170 EUR per semester as processing fee. They offer a number of programs taught in English such as Economics and Management, Sciences and Languages, Physics etc. Cost of living in Paris is a little on the high side though, so you might spend about 800 EUR monthly.
- University of Athens: this is the oldest university in Greece, and is located in Athens. There’s a lot of exploration and Greek mythology to learn, so living here would be such a dream. They offer a number of bachelor programs such as dentistry, social theology, music, nursing, theatre studies etc. You’ll spend about 400 EUR/semester on administrative/processing fee, with cost of living around 450 EUR/month.
- The University of Vienna: this is one of the oldest universities in Austria, and is located in Vienna. It was founded in 1365, and offers about 200 programs, many of which are taught in English. Vienna offers a vibrant night life, and showcases culture. The most popular programs are Cultural Studies, Theology, Philosophy and Computer Science. Tuition fee is free, but there’s a cost of about 700 EUR/semester as processing fee.
- University of Crete: another university located in Greece, this time in Crete. Generally, tuition is free for EU students in Greece, but unlike Athens, this one is absolutely free with no amount required for processing fee. All programs are taught in Greek, so you’d have to show a certain level of proficiency. The most popular programs are Philosophy, Medicine, Education etc.
- University of Würzburg: this is located in Germany, with most courses taught in German, however a few are taught in English, hence it’s necessary to learn the language. Popular programs are Cultural Studies, Politics, Music studies, Molecular and Computational biology, Astronomy etc. Tuition is free, though a processing fee of about 130 EUR/semester is required.
Wrapping Up
The appeal of studying abroad is high, with opportunities to improve your CV, and impress future employers with a wealth of knowledge and experience, however the costs could be a stumbling block, hence the need for this post to help you realize all hope isn’t lost.
Don’t forget to do proper research on the costs of living, and any extra expenses you might be required to take on. Note that the fees mentioned are the average ones, so you might spend way less or way more. Also, the tuition set by the school could be changed whenever, so always stay up-to-date, and take advantage of funding opportunities via scholarships, grants etc
Enjoy the experience!
