Free Studies Abroad?

Is tuition-free education possible?

More and more people dream and plan to study abroad. Why? There are at least several reasons:

• aspirations for better employment prospects,
• lack of high-quality higher education institutions in their home country,
• personal ambitions,
• interesting offers for international students in another country…
• … and many, many more.

At the same time, studying abroad is becoming increasingly popular and more accessible (OECD 2023, p. 248). One reason is, of course, the economic factor. In this article, we will talk about countries that offer free education for international students!

To start with good news – eight countries in Europe offer free education for people with certain citizenship! These include Scandinavian countries, but also Germany, Austria, and polish neighbors – the Czech Republic.

Read the following guide about European countries where you can study for free!

Free Studies in Europe

Firstly good information: Poland offers free studies! We wrote about scholarships in Poland, paperwork needed to study in Poland, places to study in and visit, Polish student organizations, reasons to study in Poland, its culture and language…

Thanks to Poland being a member of the European Union, Polish citizens and holders of a Polish residence card can study in member states on the same terms as their residents. Moreover, several European countries offer free education (no tuition fees) for Poles. Such free education in Europe is offered by: Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden.

Below, we present key information about each of these countries to help you decide on your dream studies!

Sweden

The first country that offers free studies is Sweden.

On the one hand, you won’t pay tuition fees there, but you should be prepared for relatively high living costs. On average, you should expect costs of around 10,000 Swedish kronor per month, with the main expense being accommodation. Of course, it all depends on which city you will study in and what lifestyle you lead. 😉

Sweden as a place of study has many advantages:

• high level of education,
• a partner-like, informal atmosphere at universities,
• a wide range of English-language programs,
• widespread knowledge of English in the country, and
• great freedom in choosing subjects.

For more formal information about studying in Sweden, we encourage you to visit the dedicated page of the Embassy.

Denmark

The second country offering free studies is Denmark.

While Denmark offers free education, living costs are also not the lowest. On the other hand, Denmark is considered one of the countries with the highest quality of life in the world.

According to calculations, the minimum monthly living costs are around 7,500 Danish kroner.

Denmark as a place of study also has many advantages:

• high academic standards,
• focus on cross-sector cooperation, innovation, and teamwork,
• over 600 English-language programs at universities,
• widespread knowledge of English among residents.

For more information about studying in Denmark, we encourage you to visit the official ministerial website. It’s a real treasure trove of reliable knowledge!

Austria

The third country offering free studies is Austria.

First of all, remember that the main language of instruction at Austrian universities is German. So, if you dream of studying in Austria, you should have a good command of this language.

Moreover, although Austria is considered one of the richest countries in the world, overall living costs are not very high compared to other European countries. Students in Austria need an average of 1,200 euros per month to live.

Austria additionally offers:

• a large number of high-quality higher education institutions,
• a focus on creativity and innovation,
• a low crime rate,
• a high level of social security.

For more information about studying in Austria, check out the official ministerial website.

Germany

The fourth country offering free studies is Germany. Furthermore, the average monthly living costs for students are significantly lower than in the countries described earlier – around 867 euros!

Germany as a place of study is often praised for its practical approach. What does it mean?

• the possibility to study and gain work experience simultaneously, dual programs (work/study),
• theory and practice go hand in hand during studies,
• many practice-oriented study programs.

Moreover, Germany has a rich offer of various scholarship programs, which can be easily found on the DAAD website!

For more formal information about studying in Germany, we encourage you to visit the dedicated ministerial website.

Czech Republic

The fifth country offering free studies is the Czech Republic. It’s important to note that tuition-free studies are only offered in the Czech language. So, it might be an option for those who enjoy speaking Czech.

Interestingly, the Czech Republic as a study destination is very popular among international students – as many as 97% of foreign graduates would recommend studying in the Czech Republic (www.studyin.cz)!

Another advantage is the relatively low living costs (around 500-700 euros per month) and the location – you can study abroad but stay close to home. 😉

If you want to get more information about studying with our neighbors, visit the Study in Czechia website!

Finland

The sixth country offering free studies is Finland. Finland is often talked about in the context of education. 

The advantages of choosing Finland include:

• lower living costs compared to Norway or Sweden,
• very high level of education and
• a relaxed, informal atmosphere at universities,
• over 200 bachelor’s and master’s programs in English.

Moreover, in this country, you will meet many international students. The Finnish government actively supports the internationalization of higher education: it is one of the dimensions considered in the funding of higher education institutions (Eurydice, 2023).

Are you curious about the details of studying in the land of the Moomins?

Norway

The seventh country offering free studies is Norway.

Although EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not have to pay tuition fees for studying, most of us have probably heard about the high living costs in this Scandinavian country.

The estimated monthly cost of living for a student is currently 13,790 Norwegian kroner.

The situation is not helped by the fact that the Norwegian government does not offer individual scholarships available to all international students. However, this does not mean that there are no other scholarship programs! 🙂

The advantages of studying in Norway include:

• availability of modern technologies and facilities,
• modern, egalitarian approach to education,
• high quality of life and good universities,
• a balance between free time and responsibilities, which is considered inviolable in this country. 😉

Like Finland, Norway also focuses on developing an international academic environment. So, you will surely find peers from various countries and cultures.

If Norway has intrigued you as a potential study destination, check out the comprehensive website about studying in this country of the northern lights!

Slovenia

The last country in this list, the eighth offering free studies for EU citizens, is Slovenia.

This small but picturesque country also offers benefits:

• relatively low living costs,
• a good location for traveling around Europe and interesting cultural influences,
• a passion for sports,
• smaller, more intimate urban centers.

Are you interested in the possibility of studying in the Republic of Slovenia? Be sure to check out the Study in Slovenia website!

Free Studies Thanks to Scholarships

You might be wondering how to cover living costs while studying abroad. Of course, we understand that free education in terms of no tuition fees is just “half the battle”. Fortunately, there is a way! Besides combining work with studies, you can think about financial support through scholarships.

Firstly, many universities offer substantial social and academic scholarships for international students. Therefore, it is always worth checking the website of the chosen university to find out about financial support opportunities for prospective students.

Additionally, there are also government scholarships, including those offered to international students. Many countries want to further encourage young talents from around the world to come and develop!

Furthermore, on our portal Moje Stypendium, you will find a simple, user-friendly scholarship search engine from around the world! They can be offered by universities, companies, foundations, associations, and more.

And as a cherry on top, we constantly recommend the “Kierunek Świat” series of guides to all those who want to study abroad. In each article about a given country, we provide a nugget of formal knowledge, tips about living there, and a list of scholarship programs!

Are you wondering how we manage to create free content about the scholarship system and education so often? It’s thanks to our donors! Therefore, we encourage you to support our portal – your support helps us share knowledge about education and scholarships. Thank you!

Sources:

OECD (2023), Education at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/e13bef63-en.

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