A higher education abroad is a great accomplishment and a life-changing experience, but most times, it also involves high costs. What if you could erase the ‘high costs’ factor and find an ideal destination abroad where you could pursue your degree and benefit from low tuition and overall low living costs? If you think this sounds too good to be true, in some countries this is easier than you think.
Here are some of the most affordable places where you can get your degree.
1. Italy – attending some of the oldest universities in Europe
Italy is such an affordable country to live and visit and considering it counts a plethora of touristic attractions, it is no wonder that this country is drawing thousands of international students and tourists each year. Home to the oldest university in the modern world, in Italy, students can enrol in numerous and interesting study degrees and benefit from low tuition fees and low living costs.
Although the tuition fees are different according to the level of degree, the university and the study programme, the average ones range between 850 and 1,000 EUR per year in public universities.
Regardless of the city you choose to study (Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna etc.) the overall living costs range between 1,000 and 1,500 EUR/month, including the accommodation, food costs, public transportation, local travel and/or entertainment.
In smaller student cities from Italy like Pisa, Padua, Turin, an average student spends a maximum of 750 EUR/month for all the expenses.
2. Spain – make friends and enjoy the sun at low costs
Spain is an appealing country among international students, due to its Mediterranean climate, friendly locals, affordable prices and not to mention the opportunity of learning or brushing up Spanish language skills.
With over seventy universities to choose from, you are likely that you can find a suitable Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Spain. To international students, public universities in Spain charge tuition fees that are around 1,000 EUR/year.
In terms of living costs, on average, you would spend around 800 – 950 EUR/month for all your monthly expenses (food bills, social activities and transportation); in some Spanish cities, with this sum, you can also cover the accommodation costs.
3. Germany – quality education for everyone
Germany is one of the top study abroad destinations in Europe, as German universities are well-known for the world-class education and cutting-edge research opportunities offered as part of a degree programme. In Germany, you can find around 300 universities (out of which around 10 are ranked in the top leading universities worldwide), with over 800 degree courses to choose from.
Although in some German cities, cost of living may be higher compared to many cities in Europe, in terms of tuition fees, Germany is a very affordable country. Public universities from Germany do not charge tuition fees for Bachelor and Master programmes. As an international student, you will only have to pay an administration fee to cover your enrolment that usually costs around 100 - 200 EUR/year.
The average sum international students spend on a monthly basis is somewhere around 800 EUR/month on: accommodation, food bills, social activities and public transportation.
4. France – learn in an iconic international destination
France is a study abroad destination, preferred in particular by students that are in love with the French culture. With numerous higher education institutions, present in over forty cities in the country, with Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier and Lille as the largest student cities, France is an affordable country to pursue a degree abroad.
The average tuition fee for a Bachelor programme is almost 200 EUR per year, while for a Master, fees are around 260 EUR/year and a little higher for a PhD. French universities that offer specialised degrees, such as engineering or medicine charge a little higher, between 450 and 600 EUR per academic year.
As far as the living expenses, most international students in France would pay between 700 – 800 EUR/month for all expenditures that include housing, food, local visits and entertainment and transportation.
5. Turkey – learning on two continents
One of the best places to study in Asia and a popular destination for international students, universities in Turkey have a long tradition of teaching excellence and scientific approach. In Turkey, you can visit amazing and unique attractions and get the insights of the astounding Turkish historical legacy.
Istanbul, the capital Ankara and Izmir are Turkey’s largest cities that are home to the country’s best universities (many of them with international recognition). Turkish universities have tuition fees that range between 700 – 1,300 EUR/year, regardless of the degree level you choose to study.
The estimates for the living costs in Turkey would range between 450-550 EUR/month for food bills, social activities and public transportation, to which you’ll have to add another 400 EUR, on average for housing.
6. Lithuania – rich education offer with friendly living costs
Home to over fifteen higher educational institutions that also provide a significant number of English-taught programmes, Lithuania is a less known European country that welcomes over 3,000 international students yearly. Universities in Lithuania focus on both the theoretical and the practical side of teaching and offers students the possibility to engage in educational, professional or scientific/practical work.
Lithuania has four major student cities, with Vilnius, the capital and Kaunas as the most popular ones. International students pay between 1,500 and 3,000 EUR/year for tuition fees in local universities.
Taking the university fees aside, costs of living all over Lithuania are some of the lowest in Europe. The average expenses of international students are 500 EUR/month for all the expenditures regarding accommodation, groceries, social activities and public transportation.
7. Hungary – a beautiful East-European country that’s also affordable
Covering a wide range of study options, relatively low costs of living and bustling cultural life, in Hungary, students can receive high-standard academic education.
You can cover your monthly expenses with around 500 EUR, including accommodation, food, travelling, and some social activities.
Budapest, the capital covers most of the leading universities in the country, but Pecs and Szeged cities also deliver plenty of study programmes, for Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level. Hungary has five global ranked universities, which is quite a lot for a small European country that is also less popular in terms of international studies.
The average tuition fees charged by Hungarian public universities are approximately 1,000 EUR per academic year for a Bachelor programme and around 3,000 EUR per year for postgraduate degrees.
With just 500 EUR per month, you can fairly cover all your monthly expenses that comprise of housing, food, travelling, entertainment and social activities.
