8 BEST AFFORDABLE COUNTRIES TO STUDY IN EUROPE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Europe is home to numerous countries that provide affordable tuition fees for non-European citizens. These countries understand the impact of education and globalisation and they have deemed it fit to make it easily accessible to students, including scholars of non-European nationalities. Thanks to the low-tuition costs provided by the countries mentioned below, quality education with international relations is now easier to achieve.

Below, are eight best countries in Europe providing easy to access, low cost tuition fees education in Europe.

AUSTRIA

Known officially as the republic of Austria, is a mountainous landlocked country located in the southern part of Central Europe. The country is bordered by Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, Hungary, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Whilst the official language is Austrian German, the majority of the population speaks English as it is also taught in schools as a second language. On the educational front, Austria provides one of the best education systems in Europe, it is also a wonderful choice of study location, as it is serene, has a low population density, bicycle friendly streets, people from diverse backgrounds and so on.

Austria contains 16 private universities, 21 universities of Applied Sciences, 3 medical universities, 3 technical universities and 22 public universities.

In public universities, tuition fees are not charged, instead, students are required to pay 'semester fee'. Students with EU/EEA citizenship and people enjoying equal rights as Austrians pay fees of 363.36 euros per semester. While students from third world countries or with no affiliation to Austria pay the amount of 726.72 euros plus 20 euros for the Student Union per semester. Nevertheless, there are other rules you should be aware of. If you are from designated developing countries you are exempted from paying any semester fees, you are only required to pay the Student Union fees every semester at public universities in Austria click here to see the list.

Asides from the low study fees, Austria also provides you with a low cost of living and you are allowed to work 20 hours per week to support yourself whilst studying.

VIENNA - Photo by Leyre on Unsplash

BELGIUM

Known officially as the Kingdom of Belgium, is a western European country, known for being the headquarters of the European Union and NATO. Belgium is classified into three regions, namely; Flanders (Dutch-speaking part situated in the north), Wallonia (French-speaking part situated in the south) and a German-speaking community to the east. The country's capital, Brussels, is bilingual and it is home to many renaissance architecture and people from all walks of life. The currency spent in Belgium is Euros and three official languages are spoken. Belgium is home to the best chocolate in the world 🤔, it is the originator of French fries (not France) and some of the yummiest pastries in the world.

Whilst tuition fees in Belgium are not completely free, they can be affordable, the charges depend on your academic choice and institution. In private universities, the tuition prices range from 1,300 euros to 7,000 euros per year for Bachelor’s degree programmes and 980 euros to 10,000 euros per year for Master’s degree programmes (again, depending on your course and institution). Whilst in public universities, the tuition prices range from 980 euros - 4,000 euros for Bachelor’s degree programmes and 1,905 euros - 6,000 Euros for Master’s degree programmes. Belgium has a total of 19 universities. The bachelor's degree study lasts for three years, master's degree study lasts for 1-2 years and PhD study lasts for 4 years. The cost of living in Belgium is also affordable, you can survive on 800 euros per month (if you are not a lavish spender). Belgium is one of the best places to reside in Europe, due to its diversity and freedom of expression.

BELGIUM - Photo by Dim Hou on Unsplash

CZECH REPUBLIC

This magical country is called Czechia for short, it is also formerly known as Bohemia. Like Austria, Czechia is a landlocked country situated in the central part of Europe. It is bordered by Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia. The country's capital is Prague, which happens to be one of my favourite cities in the world. The official language is Czech and the currency spent is known as Czech Krona. Oh before I forget, Czech Republic also produces the best beer in the world (I guess 🤔) English is widely spoken in the country, particularly in Prague and their universities teach some courses in English as well, so you shouldn't have much problems with communication. Czech republic has 26 public universities, 2 state universities and 34 private universities. 

Regarding tuition, if as a foreigner, you would love to study in Czech language, you don't have to pay tuition fees at public and state institutions. If your study is in English, you would have to pay tuition but don’t panic, tuition is highly affordable in Czech Republic, depending on your course of study. Tuition prices range from 1000 - 4000 euros for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree study programmes in public universities. Whilst the prices range from 1,600 Euros to 12,000 Euros in private universities (institution prices differ). Another good news is that PhD is free of charge for every student in public universities regardless of your nationality. 🥳

CZECH REPUBLIC - Photo by Léa on Unsplash

ESTONIA

Estonia is situated in Northern Europe, it borders the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. Estonia is a home of modern technology, they are very heavy on science and IT. The official language is Estonian but since the country has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, everyone speaks another language, mostly English and Russian (as per it being a former Soviet country). They also communicate in Finnish, German and Swedish. The country's capital is Tallinn, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, especially during the winter. 

According to topuniversities.com, Estonia has 15 public universities and nine private universities. Unfortunately, tuition is not free in Estonia, however, the cost of education is affordable, the tuition fee depends on the program of your choice. For a Bachelor's degree program, the price ranges from 3,630 Euros to 5,040 Euros per year. As for a Master's degree program, the price ranges from 2,500 Euros to 4,800 Euros per year and just like it is in Czech Republic, the PHD programmes are free in Estonia.

TALLINN - Photo by Jacques Bopp on Unsplash

GERMANY

Germany is a country situated in the western part of Europe. This interesting country is associated with ancient history, beautiful landscapes, mountains, rivers, forests etc. Munich in Germany is the home of Oktoberfest and the amazing Bayern Munich football club. Frankfurt in Germany houses the European Central Bank, many skyscrapers, and one of the busiest airports in Europe, it is said that you can get a flight to most locations of the world from Frankfurt airport. Germany is bordered by 11 countries, namely; Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The currency spent is Euros, the official language is German, however, English is also widely spoken. The capital and the largest city is Berlin, it is known as the most diversified city in Germany, it is home to incredible art and culture, amazing nightlife and many sites relating to World War II. 

Education in Germany is one of the best in Europe (it is allegedly one of the toughest and studying there can be intense), nevertheless, it is one of the best. There are so many public universities in Germany and the majority of them are tuition free, except universities located in the Baden-Wurttemberg state. Private universities in Germany are not free, I don't think they are free in any country 😏. The tuition fee for studying in Baden-Wurttemberg state is 1,500 Euros per year. Other states charge just the semester fee, the price ranges from 100 Euros to 800 Euros per semester (depending on the state and your program of study). In addition, the cost of public transport in your district is included in the fee and just like it is done in Austria, students are required to pay the Student Union fees (again the price for that differs by state) but the highest I have seen is 75 Euros per semester.

LEIPZIG - Photo by Abenteuer Albanien on Unsplash

NORWAY

Norway is a Scandinavian country, surrounded by mountains, glaciers, and deep coastal fjords. Norway is home to the northern lights, preserved 9th-century viking ships, green spaces, museums, and extreme weather conditions especially during winter. The country is bordered by Sweden, Finland and Russia. Norway has two official languages, and each of them has variants. The first and the most common language is Norwegian, the variants are called Bokmål and Nynorsk. The second language is Sami, with the variants being Norther, Southern and Lule. The country also has three un-official minority languages namely; Kven, Romanes and Romani. That being said, English is widely spoken in Norway, especially in big cities or student dominated cities but it is advisable to learn how to communicate in one of the official languages, it'll make getting around easier for you. The currency spent in Norway is Norwegian Krone or Kroner (NOK).

Just like in Germany and Austria, public universities in Norway do not charge tuition fees, they only charge student union fees from NOK 300 - NOK 600 or 30 - 60 Euros per semester. Private universities tuition fees in Norway range between 7,000 Euros -9,000 Euros per year for Bachelor's degree programmes and 9,000 Euros - 19,000 Euros per year for Master's degree programmes according to Mastersportal.com. 

OSLO - Photo by Einar Storsul on Unsplash

POLAND

Known officially as the Republic of Poland, is a country situated in the Central Part of Europe. Poland is bordered by 7 countries namely; Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russian border (the Kaliningrad enclave), Slovakia, Ukraine and the Baltic Sea to the North. The country's capital is Warsaw, the currency spent in Poland is Złoty (PLN) and the official language is Polish. Over the years, Poland has become internationalised and has been very open to foreigners and international students. It also has the sixth largest economy in the European Union and it's a member state of the United Nations, the World trade Organisation, NATO and the European Union (Schengen Area included). For this reason, English has become a widely spoken language in Poland. 

Tuition is not completely free in Poland, although some universities offer tuition free programmes (especially in the IT department). As usual, tuition prices are lower in public universities than private ones. Public universities tuition fees range from 1,000 Euros to 3,000 Euros for Bachelor's degree programmes and 1,500 Euros to 4,000 Euros for Master's degree programmes (depending on your study choice and institution). As for private universities, the tuition fees range from 3,000 Euros to 5,000 Euros for Bachelor's degree programmes and 3,000 to 6,600 Euros for Master's degree programmes (depending on study choice and institution).

LODZ - Photo by rozentuzjazmowany photography on Unsplash

Honourable Mention 

LITHUANIA - 

Private Universities  - Bachelor's - (3000 - 7000 euros) Masters - (4000 - 13,000 euros)

Public university tuition fees  

Bachelor’s - 2,650 Euros - 4500 Euros

Master’s - 3,000 Euros to 5,000 Euros

MBA  - 10,000 - 12,000 Euros

Dentistry - 13,000 Euros

Medicine - 11,000 Euros

The similarities between these countries are; 

Affordable tuition fees

Excellent educational system

European/Schengen visa, which gives you access to visit many European states

Fantastic location

Opportunity to learn new languages and practice them with the natives

New traditions, new vibes and eye opening experiences. So, if you are contemplating studying abroad but you are afraid you cannot afford it, consider these countries.