Where are the Most Affordable Countries to Study Abroad?

Many students dream of studying abroad for many reasons: a prestigious diploma, the experience of independently living in a foreign country, cultivating invaluable professional and personal relationships. After graduating from a leading foreign university offering the best quality of education, you’ll feel like fish in water in your new profession. You too can join the international student community – you don’t have to be a millionaire in order to study abroad! We will show you the most affordable countries to study abroad, where you can get an excellent education without breaking the bank.

• Austria

It might be surprising that we start our list with this country. After all, Austria is a country with an excellent quality of life, so you wouldn’t necessarily expect to study here cheaply! But you’d be wrong – tuition for foreigners at public universities is very reasonable. For students from the EU and EEA, tuition costs approximately €1000 per year, and for other international students is around €720 per semester. There are plenty of student hostels where you can find a room for significantly cheaper than normal private renting. Fees at private universities are much more expensive, costing thousands of euros per semester.

Most programmes are taught in German and English. After successfully passing the language exam with favorable grades, you can enrol without taking entrance examinations. Alternatively, applicants without knowledge of German or who need to pass supplementary exams must take a University Preparation Programme. After that, you can choose your direction of study and start your dream education! 

We recommend you check out the International College of Tourism and Management (ITM), which lies just 30 minutes from Vienna! Find more information on our website.

• Czech Republic

How could we not mention one of the most hospitable countries there is – the Czech Republic! Over 40,000 international students come together here, as Czech education is valued everywhere. Each university has a different admissions process, so make sure to keep a close eye on application deadlines. After passing the entrance exam to your university of choice, you’ll be ready to start your adventure!

Studying in Czech-language programmes is free of charge for all nationalities, so if you can speak Czech, this is certainly one of the most affordable countries to study abroad in! It’s not too difficult to learn Czech – there are lots of courses available, and the teachers are sympathetic to foreign students.😊 Programmes in English and other languages range from no cost to thousands of dollars per year depending on your specialization and university, though there are lots of scholarships available! Living costs in the Czech Republic are also much more reasonable than in other European countries – you can expect to pay $350-750 per month, including accommodation!

We advise you to consider the Anglo-American University in Prague, one of the most international universities in the Czech Republic! Visit Aplic.io to discover the range of courses offered there, including Law, Business, Humanities, and more.

• Finland

Education in Finnish or Swedish languages is free for all nationalities, as is education for EU or EEA students. For other foreign students, or those studying in English, tuition is paid and starts at around €4,000 per year. Universities are ready to support students with scholarships, especially if your specialization is related to environmental protection – a big focus in Finland. (By the way, Finland is a really eco-friendly country, so whilst living there you’ll also become more aware of environmental issues – another plus of studying in Finland!)

Living costs are not as cheap in Finland, but vary depending on where you live, and you can find a room in a shared apartment for as little as €250 per month. Bear in mind that some scholarships also cover living costs.

Why don’t you check out Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Häme University of Applied Sciences, or maybe HUMAK University of Applied Sciences? We offer dozens of excellent Finnish programmes to suit your interests, from Adventure and Outdoor Education to Environmental Engineering! 

• Germany

Fantastic news for international applicants – Germany abolished undergraduate tuition fees in 2014! (The exception is the state of Baden-Wurttemburg, which charges fees of around €3,000 per year for non-EU students). At public universities, you will pay only an administrative fee of approximately €250 per semester, and in return receive a world-class education! As well as this, EU and some non-EU students are eligible for the Federal Student Financial Aid Programme. This truly makes Germany one of the most affordable countries to study abroad in.

You should expect to pay an average of €850 per month for living costs, though this varies by city – Munich is the most expensive city to live in, but you can find a room in a shared flat in a cheaper city for €300 or less!

German education is very thorough, covering a wide range of specializations and disciplines, and there are no entrance exams – it’s enough to successfully finish school and pass a language test to enter a German university. Most programmes are taught in German, though some are offered in English. For international students whose school leaver qualifications don’t meet the entrance requirements, you must attend a Studienkolleg for a one-year preparatory course in German and subjects related to your specialization.

On our website, you can learn more about German universities such as IUBH University of Applied Sciences or WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management. From an MSc in Artificial Intelligence to a bachelor’s degree in International Events Management, we have the German study abroad opportunity for you. We also offer a number of scholarships to help you fund your dream education in Germany!

• Greece

You can enter a Greek university without entrance exams on the basis of your school leavers certificate. Applicants can submit documents to several educational institutions at once, and international students do not even need to fly to Greece before beginning their studies, which is very convenient! The undoubted advantage of studying at Greek universities is that in the first year of study you can change faculty if you realise that you’ve chosen the wrong specialization.

English-language courses are generally only offered at private universities, which have more expensive fees. The cost of studying at a public university is free for EU students, or around €1500 per year for international students. Living costs are cheap in Greece, and living costs can amount to as little as €450 per month including accommodation! 

University scholarships are available for academic excellence. If you participate in research programmes on Greek history and culture or in summer seminars on Greek language and culture, then you can get additional scholarships for the duration of such programmes! 

Explore Aplic.io to discover Greek universities such as the Hellenic American College or European Law & Governance School!

• Italy

Home to the world’s oldest university, the University of Bologna, as well as great weather, fascinating culture, and delicious cuisine, Italy is a popular place to study abroad among international students, who can get excellent higher education there at affordable prices.

Italian higher education is not free, but is reasonably priced – from €900-4,000 per year at public universities, depending on the nationality of the foreign student, institution, and specialization. Private universities are much more expensive! Monthly accommodation costs in Italy can be as low as €200 euros, and if you really need to save money, youth hostel rooms can be found for even less!!

If you’re ready to work hard at universities like Florence’s Leonardo da Vinci Art Academy, Scuola Politecnica di Design, or University of Milano-Bicocca, then look no further than Aplic.io’s university search. Don’t forget to look for scholarships too!

• Spain

Sunny Spain beckons – who would turn down the chance to study in a historical city in the heart of Spain? To gain admission to a Spanish state university, you have to pass the Spanish-language selectividad entrance exam covering a number of areas: text analysis, another foreign language, history or philosophy, and a section related to your discipline.

Spanish higher education is paid for, though annual tuition costs at public universities are very reasonable, making Spain one of the most affordable countries to study abroad in Europe. At public universities fees are charged per credit and range from approximately €700-1300 per year; private universities charge €5,000-18,000 per year. Living costs vary, and accommodation in Barcelona and Madrid is more expensive.

Browse the Spanish universities available on Aplic.io, including the Marbella Design Academy and the EU Business School in Barcelona. There are also scholarships available to make your studies even easier!

• Canada

For a world-class education at a reasonable price, head to Canada – it is the most affordable of all the Anglophone countries for international students! Aside from studying, you can enjoy Canada’s multicultural and vibrant cities, and explore its beautiful landscapes.

Each Canadian university sets its own fees, which differ for Canadian and international students. The average annual tuition fee for international students is around $20,000-30,000, but vary depending on your chosen institution and programme: studying humanities courses is much cheaper than subjects like engineering and medicine. Living costs also vary significantly, and Toronto and Vancouver are the most expensive cities to live in. Expect to pay between $600-1,500 per month including accommodation – those on a budget can find student residences for as little as $180 per month.

Just as each Canadian university sets its own fees, Canada has no centralised university application system. You will need to stay on top of deadlines, and our dedicated study abroad mentors at Aplic.io can help you out. After finding your dream university and major, and demonstrating proficiency in English or French, you’ll be ready to go!

Visit our website to search dozens of scholarships and hundreds of programmes in Canada!

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This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the places where you can obtain a reasonably priced but excellent education abroad! Check out Aplic.io’s website to find your dream programmes and scholarships, and take a look at the full list of useful articles on Aplic.io blog to find many more affordable countries and universities to study abroad in.