Want to study in Europe, but unsure about the costs? Read on to discover the average costs of tuition fees and living expenses in a range of European countries – and to find out about opportunities to study in Europe for free!
Bear in mind that the figures given below are averages. For exact tuition fees, check the details provided on your chosen university’s website, and remember that estimated living expenses will vary depending on the city you study in, and the kind of lifestyle you adopt.
Austria
Average tuition fees: Free for domestic/EU students; €726.72 (~US$850) per semester for international students at all levels.
Average living costs: €11,400 (~US$13,350) per year
Students from the European Union (EU) are able to study in Austria for free, unless you take more than two semesters longer than the standard amount of time to complete your course, in which case you’ll have to pay fees of €363.36 per semester. There’s also a student union membership fee of €19.20 (~US$22) per semester, which all students are required to pay.
Belgium
Average tuition fees: Around €906 (~US$1,060) per year for EU students; €4,175+ (~US$4,900+) per year for non-EU students. These figures apply at all study levels.
Average living costs: €10,200-11,400 (~US$11,940-13,350) per year
There are many reasons to study in Belgium: well-respected universities, great opportunities for international networking, famously diverse cities, a range of regional cuisines and specialties, attractive countryside, overall high quality of life, and, of course, delicious Belgian chocolate. And as another bonus, tuition fees are on the affordable side.
Denmark
Average tuition fees: Free for home/EU students at all levels; €6,000-16,000 per year for others (~US$7,020-18,730).
Average living costs: €14,400 (~US$16,850) per year
Denmark can be a relatively affordable option for EU students, who don’t need to pay tuition fees. However, living costs are high. Although most teaching is conducted in Danish, there are more than 600 internationally recognized programs taught in English, and 86 percent of the country’s residents can speak English.
Finland
Average tuition fees: Free for EU/EEA students and non-EU students who study in Finnish or Swedish or are studying a PhD. Non-EU/EEA students studying in English pay an average of €4,000-18,000 (~US$4,700-21,070) a year.
Average living costs: €9,600 (~US$11,200) per year
Finland is a little more affordable than fellow Nordic countries Norway, Sweden and Denmark in terms of living costs, and EU students can study for free. There are plenty of things to do while you study here, and the country boasts an extremely high quality of life, with considerable (and reasonably equally shared) wealth.
France
Average annual tuition fees: EU/EEA: €170 for for most undergraduate programs at public universities; €243 for most master’s programs, and €380 for doctoral programs. Private universities charge considerably more.
Non-EU/EEA students starting their course in 2019 will pay €2,770 (~US$3,100) per year for undergraduate programs and €3,770 (~US$4,240) per year for master’s degrees. PhDs cost the same for all students at €380 (~US$430).
Average living costs: €9,900 (~US$11,550) per year
One of the most popular international tourist destinations in the world, France is also a popular study abroad destination, offering prestigious universities and relatively affordable living costs. Non-EU/EEA students (excluding PhD students) now pay different tuition fees to EU/EEA students, and fees are considerably higher at the highly selective grandes écolesand grands établissements (great schools and establishments), which set their own fees.
Living expenses will be higher than the above figure in the capital, Paris, but you may find it worth the extra cost – after all, Paris has previously been named the world’s number one student city four times in a row!
Germany
Average tuition fees: Free for all students at undergraduate and PhD level at public universities excluding those in Baden-Württemberg where non-EU students pay tuition fees of €3,000 (~US$3,500) per year. €20,000 (US$23,400) per year for most non-consecutive master’s programs elsewhere in Germany.
Average living costs: €10,200 a year (~US$11,900)
Germany is one of the world’s most popular non-Anglophone study destinations, offering world-class universities and a high quality of life. As well as the fees listed above, all students pay around €250 (~US$290) per semester to cover administrative costs.
You can read a more detailed breakdown of the costs of studying abroad in Germany here.
Ireland
Average tuition fees: Free for EU/EEA students at undergraduate level (with a fee of €3,000 for student services); from €9,750 (~US$11,400) per year for non-EU students at undergraduate level. From €4,000 year for EU postgraduate students, and from €4,000 (~US$4,700) per year for non-EU students at postgraduate level.
Average living costs: €12,000 (~US$14,000) per year
Ireland’s varied selection of higher education institutions combines with historic cities, beautiful countryside and unique culture to make the country a highly attractive study destination. If EU students want to study in Ireland, they’ll only need to pay a charge of €3,000 to cover non-tuition student services.
Italy
Average annual tuition fees: €950-4000 (~US$920-1,100) at undergraduate level at public universities; €1,500 (~US$1,750) at postgraduate level.
Average living costs: €12,000 (~US$14,000) per year
Although private universities in Italy charge up to €20,000 (~US$23,400) a year, public universities in Italy are markedly cheaper. International students are eligible for the same scholarships and grants as local students, assessed by academic merit or financial need. This applies to scholarships, student loans, housing assistance, meal tickets and fee waivers.
Norway
Average tuition fees: Free for all at public universities (with a few exceptions in the case of specialized programs).
Average living costs: NOK 139,680 per year (~US$17,100)
Tuition at public universities in Norway is free for all students, with fees charged only for a few specialized programs, typically at postgraduate level. You may be required to pay a small semester fee, typically around NOK 300-600 (US$37-74).
Russia
Average annual tuition fees: RUB 120,000-380,000 (US$1,900-6,040) at all study levels
Average living costs: RUB 242,160 (US$3,850) per year (source)
The largest country in the world, Russia is full of interesting cultural, historic and natural settings to explore. Living costs are surprisingly low (with the notable exception of capital city Moscow), and tuition fees are not terribly expensive. You might also be able to find a scholarship to study in Russia, with funding offered by the Russian government to support talented international students.
Spain
Average annual tuition fees: €750-€2,100 (~US$880-2,450) at undergraduate level in public universities; €1,320-€4,320 (~US$1,540-5,050) at postgraduate level. Non-EU students will pay slightly more.
Average living costs: €10,800-13,200 (~US$12,630-15,430) per year
Spain offers a wide range of great locations for students, and attracts many with its winning combination of good universities, attractive lifestyle, and the fact that Spanish is one of the world's most spoken languages. Madrid and Barcelona are the most expensive cities in the country to live in.
Sweden
Average tuition fees: Free for home/EU students at all levels; SEK 80,000-190,000 (~US$9,100-21,600) per year for most courses for other students.
Average living costs: SEK 96,000 (~US$10,900) per year
As in Denmark, tuition in Sweden is free for students from within the European Union. PhD programs in both countries are also fully funded, offering exceptional candidates the chance to gain their degree without paying fees, and while earning a salary.
Switzerland
Average tuition fees: CHF 805-1,238 (~US$810-1,245) per year at all study levels. International students may have to pay an additional charge.
Average living costs: CHF 22,734 (~US$22,875) per year (source)
With ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings®, and EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) close behind, Switzerland is home to some of Europe’s leading universities. While tuition fees are reasonable, the cost of living is high.
The Netherlands
Average annual tuition fees: €1,030 for EU students and those from Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Suriname at undergraduate level, €2,060 for most other courses.
Non-EU students pay an average of €6,000-15,000 (~US$7,000-17,500) at bachelor’s level and €8,000-20,000 (~US$9,340-23,350) at postgraduate level.
Average living costs: €9,600-13,200 (~US$11,200-15,400) per year
The Netherlands is well-established as a popular study destination for students from around the world. It’s known for its tolerant and liberal ethos, and boasts a wealth of great student cities – none of which are more than a bicycle ride (the nation’s preferred mode of transport) away from some picturesque countryside. Fees are relatively low for EU students, especially at undergraduate level, and the country’s average living costs are similar to many Western European countries.
United Kingdom
Average annual tuition fees: £9,000-9,250 (~€10,500-10,780) for domestic/EU students at undergraduate level; From £10,000 (~US$13,130) for international undergraduate students outside the EU. International students should expect to pay between £11,000-32,000 (~US$14,440-42,000) for most master’s degrees.
Average living costs: £12,180 (~US$16,000) per year
While the UK capital is home to an impressive selection of universities, bear in mind that living expenses in London are much higher than those in the rest of the UK, so you’ll need to budget more to study there. Fees and funding so far remain unchanged for EU students following the UK's 'Brexit' vote.
For more affordable options, you may wish to consider universities in Scotland – where EU students (excluding those from England, Wales and Northern Ireland) can study for free at undergraduate level. Tuition fees are also lower in Northern Ireland, with a cap of £4,160 (~€4,700) per year at undergraduate level for EU students.
Get a more detailed breakdown of the costs of studying abroad in the UK here.
Study in Europe for free (if you speak the local language)!
If you want to study in Europe for free, you may wish to put some effort in and learn a new language; in many countries, you can access free or very cheap university courses if you’re able to study in the local language.
Germany
In Germany, English-taught programs are uncommon at undergraduate level (more common at postgraduate level). So if you want to take advantage of the country’s free undergraduate education, you’ll need to either learn German or be quite open-minded about what you study.
Poland
In some countries, you can study for free only if your course is taught in the local language. In this case, you may also need to sit the same entrance exams as local students, as is the case in Poland. If international students are not able to study in Polish, they pay tuition fees of around €2,000-3000 (US$2,330-3,500) per year.
Czech Republic
Another example of a country in which you can study for free in the local language is the Czech Republic. However, English-taught courses are still fairly affordable, with fees of around €3,800 (~US$4,330) per year. Living costs are also much more affordable than in many Western European countries, at around US$5,400-9,000 per year.
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This article was originally published in January 2016. It was updated in July 2018.
