Quality education in Europe comes with a price tag, and most of the time, a hefty one at that. However, studying in Europe isn’t as expensive as it seems. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that there are plenty of universities offering tuition-free programmes in Europe. This article is all about bringing you the top tuition-free universities in Europe. And before you call it a bluff, let’s answer that question on your mind – can I study in Europe for free?
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Can I Study in Europe for Free?
Firstly, there are different ways to study in Europe for free. For instance, public universities in Europe offer free education to citizens of any of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries.
But there are other means to study for free even if you’re not from an EU/EEA region. For example, PhD programmes in Finland are tuition-free regardless of your citizenship. Does that mean you can’t pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree for free in Europe if you’re not from an EU/EEA country? Well, guess what? You can! As a matter of fact, several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Europe are free even if you’re an African. Here’s how you can get free education from a European university even if you’re from Africa.
How to study in Europe for Free as an African
As you already know, studying in a public school in Europe is free if you’re from an EU/EEA country, but what if you’re from Africa? Studying for free in Europe as an African can be tricky, but it’s not impossible since different European countries have their own policy on international studentship.
The first thing you should know is that you have limited options. That is, there are only a few countries that offer 100% free education for international students. For instance, many public universities in Germany and Norway are totally free, even for students outside the EU/EEA region. So these two countries could be your top choice when considering studying in Europe. Meanwhile, other countries offer discounted fees for international countries. For instance, you can study for as low as 1500 Euros in Austria or Greece.
Lastly, there are several scholarship programmes. Scholarships are saving grace for international students studying in Europe. Meanwhile, there are different coverage for these scholarships. For instance, some only cover the tuition while some provide additional stipends for the student’s upkeep after covering the tuition. And there are some that only provide partial coverage for the tuition. Therefore, understanding the scholarship coverage is an important step when applying for scholarships.
Top 10 Tuition-Free Universities in Europe
Now, let’s talk about top tuition-free universities in Europe. As earlier stated, each country has its own educational policy and this greatly limits your choice when considering studying in Europe for free. Nevertheless, there are still several European countries that offer free education to international students, here are some of them;
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München is a leading institute of research in Europe. Selected as a “university of excellence” within the Excellence Initiative, LMU is a top-level university of research located in Germany. For most programmes, the university is tuition-free. However, the summer programmes as well as some of the English-taught master’s programmes come with tuition. Nevertheless, there are scholarships and funding opportunities available for international students in the school.
University of Bergen, Norway
University of Bergen is one of the leading public universities in Norway and studying in the university is free regardless of your nationality.However, the cost of living in Norway is relatively high compared to other European countries. Nevertheless, putting in for a PhD programme in Norway is a lot more interesting as the programme is not only free but also comes with a proper salary and employment contract from the host university.
RWTH Aachen University, Germany
RWTH Aachen University is the largest university of technology in Germany and one of the top universities in Europe. The university offers tuition-free education for international students of all nationalities. Additionally, there are several top scholarships for international students. For example, the DAAD scholarship not only covers the student’s tuition but also pays an additional stipend for the student’s upkeep.
Aalto University, Finland
Studying in Finland is free if you’re a citizen of any of the EU/EEA countries and Switzerland but international students outside of this region pay tuition. Nevertheless, the country boasts of low tuition and a high standard of education. Meanwhile, PhD programmes in Finland are free regardless of what country you’re from. Aalto University is one of the leading public universities in Finland and one of the cheapest too.
University of Oslo, Norway
The University of Oslo is the largest and oldest university in Norway with a high standard of learning and world-class facilities. This university is one of the state universities in Norway and thus, offers a tuition-free education for all students regardless of their nationality, making it one of the top tuition-free universities in Europe. There are also scholarship opportunities available for Master’s and PhD programmes, especially the Erasmus Mundus scholarship for master’s students, providing additional financial support for the students.
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Humboldt Universität zu Berlin is another top university in Germany renowned for its world-class teaching and research facility. Dubbed the “mother of all modern universities”, the university is 100% tuition-free regardless of whether you’re from an EU/EEA country or not. Meanwhile, there are also several scholarship opportunities available at the university.
University of Vienna, Austria
The University of Vienna is a top public university in Austria with one of the highest standards of education in the country. With a stronghold in social sciences, the university is also one of the top tuition-free universities in Europe, charging students outside of the EU/EEA countries as low as 750 Euros per semester.
Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany
Freie Universitaet Berlin is another top choice to study in Europe for free as the university is absolutely free for all nationalities. However, the tuition-free programme is only available for undergraduate studies. Post-graduate students and some undergraduates are required to pay tuition. Meanwhile, the university has a wealth of scholarship opportunities for their students, but graduate and undergraduate.
University of Helsinki, Finland
The University of Helsinki boasts top-class scientific research and partnerships with businesses and industries as teaching aids for its students. Studying at this university is free only for citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland for both undergraduate and master’s degrees, while other international students are expected to pay for tuition. However, all PhD programmes and master’s or bachelor’s programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish are equally free regardless of your nationality. Meanwhile, there are also different kinds of scholarships for international students at this university.
Heidelberg University, Germany
Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany and one of the top research institutes in Europe. Boasting of research-based teaching method, the university is mostly free for all levels of education – bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD. However, continuing education master’s programmes may charge special tuition fees. Nevertheless, there are scholarships available, especially through the DAAD programmes, as well as other funding opportunities.
Final Thoughts on How to Study in Europe for Free
Europe’s top-tier education system is one of the many reasons people travel there to study. However, the high tuition is a major challenge for many, especially people from developing nations and poor backgrounds. However, there are several top tuition-free universities in Europe where you can study for free. Meanwhile, it’s imperative to note that even the universities mentioned in this article as being tuition-free have some other charges, such as student union fees among others. However, these fees are a few hundred bucks and shouldn’t be much burden.
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