Top 5 affordable countries to study abroad

Many Indian students dream of flying abroad for their higher education. A bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree from a university of global repute can help them achieve a bright and outstanding career. Unlike before students from diverse economic backgrounds aspire to study abroad. Attractive scholarship programs and affordable tuition fees have only boosted the idea of getting an international degree by studying abroad.

Here are a few countries that you should choose if you want to pursue a degree with affordable tuition fees.

1. Spain
2. Norway
3. New Zealand
4. Germany
5. France

Spain

Spain attracts thousands of international students every year and offers a plethora of options to study. With around 85 universities to its credit, Spain follows the Bologna process of education. The academic year in Spain runs from September till the end of June. It is one of the European countries that offer affordable education for international students. Tuition fees in Spain are calculated with the help of pay per credit system. The number of credits that should be obtained by each student annually is decided by the Bologna university system. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 60 (ECTS ) for a single year.

The average tuition fee for Bachelor’s degree- 750-2100 Euros/year

The average tuition fee for masters- 1781 Euros/year

Here are some of the most affordable universities in the country:-

• The University of Jaen – the average tuition fee is 1,000 EUR/year
• The Open University of Catalonia – the average tuition fee is 1,500 EUR/year
• The University of Lleida – the average tuition fee is 1,800 EUR/year
• The University of Valencia – the average tuition fee is 2,760 EUR/year

Scholarship programs offered in the country

• International students who enroll for a Master of Doctorate program are eligible to apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
• ALB Foundation MBA Scholarship – This scholarship can be availed by African students who want to pursue MBA in Spain
• Erasmus offers a grant for exchange students (EU only) pursuing a Bachelor’s degree (first and second cycle) and Master’s program. The students can avail of this if they meet the general requirements in terms of academics and finance.

Private universities charge higher tuition fees.

Living Costs in Spain

Food – 450 Euros

Public transportation- 6 Euros

HealthCare- 50 Euros( Without Insurance)

France

It is one of the very attractive education destinations for international students. Apart from its affordable education, France also offers amazing scholarships and work opportunities for international students.

• The average tuition fee for Bachelor’s program -2,770 euros per year
• The average tuition fee for Master’s programs,- 3,770 euros per year
• The average tuition fee for Doctorate (PhD) programs – 380 euros per year

Here are the most affordable universities in France:-

• University Lille Sciences et Technologies – average tuition fee is 261 EUR/year
• Université de Lyon – average tuition fee is 500 EUR/year
• Université du Maine – average tuition fee is 500 EUR/year
• Grenoble INP Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes – average tuition fee is 261 EUR/year
• University of Burgundy – average tuition fee is 500 EUR/year

Scholarship programs offered in the country:-

• Grenoble Institute of Technology Foundation Scholarships-

The Grenoble Institute of Technology Foundation offers a scholarship program for international students who are studying an international master’s program at Grenoble INP. The grant amounts to 5,000 euros per semester.

• Emile Boutmy Scholarship at Sciences Po University
• Scholarships of Excellence for Master’s Degrees at Paris Dauphine University in France
• Master Award Program in France
• Stephen M. Kellen Undergraduate funding for International Students in France and Germany

Living Costs in France:-

You can expect to spend anywhere between Rs 1200 and 1800 euros if you are in Paris which is comparatively an expensive city. Your city and your lifestyle matters when it comes to living costs in France. Living in other cities like Nice and Lyon will cost you between 800 euros and 1000 euros.

Norway

The Norwegian government considers access to higher education as an inevitable aspect of society and assumes great significance for the same. Hence the public universities in the country are tuition-free.This is applicable to both Norwegian and international students. Only the private universities charge tuition fee but it would be the same for both the local and international students.

A student union fee ( 32-64 Euros) is charged which is mandatory so that a student can take exams and even avail discounts on public transportation, museums and cultural events.

Tuition-free universities in Norway

Here are some examples of free universities in Norway:

• Nord University
• UIT the Arctic University of Norway
• Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
• University College of Southeast Norway

Scholarship programs offered by Norwegian Universities

• Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships – Scholarships for students from developing countries who wish to do coastal & marine engineering
• European Central Bank “ Women in Economics Scholarship”
• Science and Law School Scholarship

Living Costs in Norway

Students should be aware that though the universities in Norway offer free courses, it is a high-cost nation. Depending on where you stay whether it is the city center or on the outskirts, you would be paying anywhere between 400 euros and 1000 euros per month.

Germany

The public universities in Germany charge no tuition fee for both the local and international students since the government law in 2014 abolished tuition fees for students. The student would need to pay a “ semester contribution” which would be around 300 euros. The fee is collected towards administrative costs, student union and public transport.

However private universities have the freedom to decide their fees individually. Private universities in Germany may charge a maximum of 30000 euros/ year. The MBA and engineering degrees are usually the most expensive.

Here are a few top-ranked public universities in the country:-

• Technical University of Munich
• Ludwig Maximilian University
• University of Heidelberg
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• Humboldt University Berlin

Some of the scholarship programs offered by the country:

• DAAD Scholarships
• Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships
• Humboldt Scholarships
• Helmholtz Scholarships

Living costs in Germany

Rental accommodation in the case of a single bedroom apartment would be 530 Euros and the cost for local public transport and meals would be 2.7 and 10 Euros (1 person )respectively.

New Zealand

A safe and student-friendly nation, NewZealand offers high-quality courses with a wide range of specializations. The universities have the right to set the tuition fees and it may vary depending on the course and the university chosen by the student.

The average fee for undergraduate courses- NZ$ 22000-32000 per year

Higher fees can be expected for value-added courses like medicine and veterinary sciences

The average tuition fee for postgraduate courses- NZ$26000-37000

The tuition fee for PhD students- NZ$6,500-$9,000( same for both local & international students)

Here are a few affordable public universities in NewZealand

• University of Canterbury
• Massey University:
• Laidlaw College( Public university)
• Lincoln University
• University of Auckland:

Given below are some of the scholarships availed by international students in the country.

• New Zealand International Scholarships

These are scholarships issued by the New Zealand government for international students who want to study full time in a public or a pacific university in the country. The scholarship can be availed by students from Pacific, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean as well as Commonwealth countries.

New Zealand University Scholarships

• UC International First-Year Scholarships
• ADB Scholarships at the University of Auckland
• University of Otago International Research Masters Scholarships
• Victoria Masters Scholarships

Living Costs in New Zealand

Groceries: NZ$150

Entertainment: NZ$50

Transport: NZ$40

Calls and Internet: NZ$ 60

Hope you can now choose your favorite country and pursue your dream course without worrying about your budget.