Do you have a European passport? No, then don’t worry. Many people that I talk to do not know that they can study in Europe for free – even if they are from outside the EU, just because they have a European passport. Indeed, Estonia is one of them.
In some states it is also possible to get some kind of study grant or scholarship. The European Commission’s Erasmus Programme is one possibility to get help with the costs of studying abroad in Europe for students from outside the EU.
Some countries, like Germany and Austria, offer free university education to all international students – regardless of their nationality. Here are some examples of universities where Europeans can study for free:
In Germany, the public universities listed on this page are tuition-free for international students from outside the European Union. In addition to that, you can apply for a grant from German Academic Exchange Service.
The website Studycheck.de is a good starting point where you can compare prices of universities in your country with prices in different countries.
In the United Kingdom, international students are required to pay up to £9,000 (about $14,500) annually at British universities. While EU students may be eligible for financial assistance from Student Finance England or Wales, non-EU students are not. However, according to the British Council’s study destination tool , it is possible to apply for a tuition fee loan from the government, provided you are studying in England.
If someone is living in Finland, they can study at one of its universities for free – even if they come from countries outside the EU. Not only that, but it is also possible to get financial aid in Finland according to Studyinfo.fi .
€214 is the largest grant that can be applied for. In order to get this, you have to have a disability and/or be an orphan. There are some other criteria too. For example being a single-parent family might also provide some kind of a grant.
The website Studyinfo.fi has a nice overview on all the possibilities for getting financial aid.
If someone is living in Sweden, they can study at one of its universities for free – even if they come from countries outside the EU. Not only that, but it is also possible to get financial aid in Sweden according to Studyinfose.se .
You have to fill out an online application form on the webiste STUDINFO.se in order to find out if you are able to get financial aid, but it looks very promising.
The website Studyinfose.se is a good starting point where you can compare prices of universities in your country with prices in different countries.
€5,000 is the largest grant that can be applied for. You also have to study in Sweden or Finland. Some of the criteria is: if you are under 25 and studying a master’s degree, you can get financial aid too.
There is no maximum age limit, but all nationalities are eligible provided that they not living in an EU country and that they can prove that their studies were directed to a master’s degree in Sweden or Finland.
In order to get a scholarship, you have to study at one of the universities listed on this page . The list includes universities from other countries too, but it is mostly focused on Swedish ones.
In Austria the tuition fees are €72 per semester for full-time students, and €115 per semester for students who also attend courses in the afternoon (for example as school/ gymnasium teachers or at university colleges with such programmes).
The application is only possible if you are 18 years old, if not, you need to apply before. You can find more information on this website .
In Estonia it is possible to study for free – even if you come from countries outside the EU. There is a small fee, but it is very cheap!
If someone wants to apply as an undergraduate, they have to be at least 16 years old and their application has to be done before February 1st.
They also have to submit a written invitation from a school of applied sciences from Estonia. If someone wants to study at a bachelor’s level, they have to be at least 16 years old and their application has to be done before February 1st.
The European Union website can give you more information on this topic.
In order for international students to study here, the only thing they need is a certificate from a school of applied sciences. The only exception is if they want to study a master’s or doctoral level degree. Then it has to be a university of applied sciences certificate.
The application form is on the website . For more information about tuition fee loans please see this page .
In Finland, students from outside the EU don’t have to pay tuition fees. There are also some other criteria that need to be fulfilled, for example if you come from an EU country and you move to Finland in order to study there, then the tuition fees don’t apply to you either.
The Finnish government website has information on this topic .
Tuition fee loans are available for non-EU citizens studying in Finland. The loan is given by the government, and the amounts eligible are determined by Finnish universities.
The best thing about studying in Finland is that tuition fees do not apply to international students. To study at the master’s level or above (for example doctoral studies), you need to find a job within 9 months of your first day of study.
The application form is on the website . For more information about tuition fee loans please see this page
Due to changes in Norwegian legislation, all EU students are now entitled to pay the same fees as Norwegian students. This means that you can now apply for higher education without having to pay anything at all! There is only one exception, and that is if you want to study at a language school, the same fee system as before applies then.
According to the new law, students from outside of Norway can also apply for a loan instead of studying without paying anything. The only difference is that they have to pay it back when they get a job in Norway.
All one needs to do in order to study for free (in Norway) is to apply here .
The application deadline is on November 15th. If they are not European, but they want to study in Sweden, then there are some requirements that need to be fulfilled. International students have to pay about 555 dollars per year (for one or two semesters).
If you want to study here, then your university of choice needs to have an agreement with the government. In some cases though, there are no agreements and then the tuition fees apply as usual.
The European Union website can give you more information on this topic .
In Germany students from outside of EU countries pay a fee higher than tuition. For example, in 2016 it was 500 euros per semester.
The application is only possible if you are 18 years old, if not, you need to apply before. You can find more information here .
