15 Cheapest European Countries to Study Abroad

Studying abroad especially in Europe comes at a price. If you can afford the tuition and living cost in Europe, then you should count yourself lucky. Also, if you’re able to get a scholarship opportunity to study abroad, you’re also lucky.

In as much as studying abroad is expensive, there are also some cheapest universities in Europe for international that you can enrol today. Additionally, some European countries also offer tuition-free tertiary education to international students.

Furthermore, we’ll be bringing you the top 15 cheapest European countries to study abroad as an international student. Apart from the low tuition, we’re also considering the cost of living in these countries for international students.

With a low budget, you can successfully earn your bachelors, masters or PhD in any of these European countries.

15 Cheapest European Countries to Study Abroad

Below is the list of cheapest European countries to study abroad as an international student. Explore these study destinations to earn your degree abroad with a low budget.

1. Norway

Norway is one of the cheapest European countries to earn your degree abroad. First, all public universities in Norway do not charge international student tuition fees with the exception of a few specialized programs.

Europe’s Nordic countries are known for their high quality of life and stunning natural beauty, and Norway is no exception. Another reason to study in Norway is the availability of English-taught programs at all study levels, plus a high number of locals proficient in English.

Although the cost of living in Norway may be high, however, the cost of living for students can be drastically reduced as a result of a mandatory tax called the student union fee. Benefits of paying this tax include taking school exams, discount on public transport, museums, etc.

2. Germany

One of the best places to get an affordable education in Europe is Germany. International students can enjoy tuition-free education in most parts of Germany. The few German regions that charge tuition fee have an average tuition fee as low as €500. An additional mandatory fee of €32-64 is required per semester for the student union.

Additionally, the cost of living in German cities is not as expensive as the living cost in other famous European cities. The overall cost depends on the lifestyle of students. The cost of living for students in Germany is estimated to be about €300 per month.

3. Belgium

Belgium is one of the cheapest countries to study in Europe. The capital city of Belgium, Brussels, alongside other major cities in Belgium host universities where international students can study without spending a fortune.

In addition to the cheap tuition fee that is paid in universities in Belgium, cities in Belgium are not financially demanding for international students. Although the cost of living in Brussels and other cities in Belgium is low, the standard of living is high.

With a tuition fee of €1,500 annually, international students can get a good quality education in Belgium. However, you may want to make enquiries as it pertains your interest to see if it’ll be an affordable shot for you. This is because they give EU students more preference than other foreign students.

4. Sweden

International students can study in Sweden at an affordable fee. Sweden offers tuition-free education to EU/EEA/Switzerland students, however, international students from non-EU countries are expected to pay tuition fees.

However, many Swedish universities offer partial and full scholarships packaged as tuition waivers for international students. If you are enrolled in a school that is a partner university to universities in Sweden, you can take part in their study abroad exchange programs. PhD programs are free however, for international students.

5. Poland

Another European country where you can study abroad on a low budget is Poland. Poland offers a high quality of education, along with plenty of fantastic culture and history to explore.

As an international student, you can study for free if you can speak Polish and if you take the same entrance exams as Polish students and study your course in Polish. However, there are also many English-taught programs available, costing around €2,000-3000 per year.

Cost of living in Poland for students is also on the low side with an average of €500 monthly. Interestingly, the capital city, Warsaw, was ranked within the top 20 cities for affordability in the latest QS Best Student Cities index, and 53^rd overall.

6. Hungary

Hungary is among the cheapest European universities to study abroad for international students. Tuition fees in Hungarian universities are based on the school in question and the course of study.

However, you can get a quality education in Hungary at an affordable price. The average tuition fee in universities in Hungary for international students is €1,200. Additionally, the accommodation charges are equally affordable.

Hungarian universities also have various scholarship packages for international students. The overall cost of living in Hungarian cities is inexpensive compared to other European cities, making the destination one of the cheapest countries to study abroad. The cost of living is about €450 to €500 per month.

7. Luxembourg

One of the cheapest countries to study in Europe is Luxembourg. With its modern, multilingual and multicultural society, it will be one of the most charming places you’ll ever visit! It’s also among the safest destinations in Europe, making it perfect for an international student.

University education in Luxembourg is very affordable for both locals and international students. Furthermore, there are hostels for international students which are very affordable.

8. Cyprus

Geographically, Cyprus is located in Asia, however, it is part of the EU. This, therefore, makes it a country in Europe. There are 12 major universities in Cyprus and these universities attend to the academic needs of over 6, 000 international students. The quality of education in Cyprus is great. In addition to this, university education in Cyprus is also affordable.

The amount that international students in Cyprus have to pay is a lot dependent on the University and the type of degree. All things being equal, international undergraduate students in Cyprus pay less than €3,500 annually. This is with the exception of pharmacy. Tuition fee is even less for postgraduate students as they have to pay between €2000 -2500 annually. In addition to the affordable tuition fees, the cost of living in Cyprus is also affordable.

9. Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the cheapest countries to study abroad in Europe, with its universities offering one of the cheapest engineering and medical education compared to other European countries. The admission requirements are simple as TOEFL and ILETS are not required, all payments are made on arrival.

The cost of living in Ukraine is low yet the standard of living compares favourably with other European countries. There are also job opportunities during the summer holidays. Deserving students are assured of receiving a  student visa. The tuition fee starts at €1,700 to about €5,000 per year.

10. Finland

Prior to now, Finland was one of the countries known to offer lots of tuition-free packages to international students. Although these packages no longer exist, Finland is still one of the cheapest countries to study in Europe for non-EU students.

Finland is not necessarily one of the cheapest places to study because of tuition fees are cheap. International students who choose to study in Finnish as opposed to English enjoys tuition-free education.

11. Austria

International students can study in some of the best universities in Austria at a very affordable cost. EU students in any public university in Austria is only expected to pay €19.20 per semester, while non-EU foreign students pay €726.72 per semester.

Interestingly, international students from developing nations can have quality education in Austria without the need to pay any tuition fee. In addition to the cheap tuition fee for international students and the free education that students from developing countries can have access to, life for college students in Austria is also very affordable.

12. Netherlands

The Netherlands is not just a beautiful country. It is a country where international students can get a good quality education at an affordable price. Unlike other countries, tuition is not free for international students, they’ll have to pay a certain amount for their studies.

Nonetheless, the amount that international students have to pay to get god quality education in this country is not one that will cause them to undergo any strain financially.

13. Spain

Spain is very famous as a travel destination for many tourists from all over the world. But in addition to that, it is also a very popular choice for students who wish to study in Europe. Each year, the Spanish government sets the course fees of the public universities to the lowest level possible.

On the average, international students can pay between €1,500 to €5,000 as tuition fee per year.

14. Italy

Italy is one of the cheapest countries to study in Europe. With an average tuition fee of €1,500 per academic year, international students can get quality education in Italy.

In addition to the low tuition fees that international students that are interested in studying in Italy have to pay, universities in Italy make accommodation available at very affordable prices. While the standard of education in Italy is generally high, there are certain courses that are best studied in Italian universities.  These courses cover areas such as humanities, history, and fashion.

15. Estonia

International students can also access quality education in Estonia with a low budget. Although Estonian is the official language of Estonia, there are many degree programs in this country that are taught in English.

The tuition fees that international students studying in Estonia have to pay is very low. This includes the fees for Masters Programs, as well as that for Bachelors programs. Apart from medicine student which pay more than €1,660 annually, other international students in Estonia pay €1,660 per academic year.

Furthermore, there are certain people that do not have to pay tuition fees while studying in an Estonian university. These people include international students with exceptional academic performances and those with financial difficulties.