Europe has world class universities that are recognised across the globe. As universities in Europe offer more and more degrees taught in English the number of international students choosing to study in Europe has grown.

European universities offer a both traditional lecture/ seminar model and Problem based learning (PBL) were students work in groups to provide solutions to set problems.

Information on higher education systems and policies across Europe is available on the European Commission's Eurydice website.

Tuition fees in Europe at public universities are generally a lot cheaper than the UK.

Austria

There are no higher education fees at Austrian universities.

Cyprus

In Cyprus, there are significant variations in the fees students pay to attend university. There are no tuition fees for undergraduate studies at state universities, however in private universities tuition fees apply and these vary between universities and courses provided.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic there are no tuition fees or other costs at public universities. Private higher education institutions my charge study-related fees and these are set out in their internal regulations. However universities may charge administrative fees.

Denmark

Tuition is free for Danish students and EU/EEA students at Danish public institutions and at most private educational institutions.

Estonia

Students in Estonia may study on state-commissioned or non-state-commissioned study places. Students on state-commissioned student places do not pay any type of fees, this accounts for about half of all students in Estonia. Students have to compete for places in state-commissioned institutions. The other fifty per cent of students pay for their studies.

Fees at non-state-commissioned institutions are determined by the higher education institution. The amount of tuition fees charged varies depending on the university, course, conducting language and admission year; for example, tuition fees for the academic year 2011/2012 in Tartu University range from 800 euros per semester in the faculty of theology (if taught in Estonian), to 3,700 euros in the faculty of medicine (if taught in English).

Finland

In Finland university students do not have to pay tuition fees,.

France

In France higher education fees vary by university and by course. From 2012 fees for home students at universities in France will range from 177 to 372 euros. Fees at private schools or prestigious schools of university level with competitive entrance examination can vary from 4,000 euros to 13,500 euros a year.

Germany

Tuition fees are only charged in some Länders; the legal regulations on fees vary from Land to Land and in some Länders from university to university. Fee exemptions are available in certain circumstances, for example students can be fully or partially exempted when they are in charge of their own children, are disabled or affected by chronic disease, or are appointed to university committees. Students can also benefit from an exemption for exceptional merit in studies.

Fees may also be charged for student representation or for accident insurance.

The minimum amount (including registration, tuition, administration and other fees) payable by students in the first cycle is 50 euros per semester, the maximum amount is 3,000 euros per semester; the most common amount charged is 500 euros per semester and the most common length of study is eight semesters. 6

The student support system consists of a combination of grants and loans for students and of tax benefits for parents. The Federal Training Assistance Act provides 50 per cent of support as a grant and 50 per cent as a loan. The individual amount depends on the earnings of the students and their parents or spouses and this support should cover the cost of training and living expenses.

There is also an educational loan which is focused on educational aims and is suitable for advanced training. Repayment is dependent on income but nobody has to pay more than 10.000 euros for his/her loan.

Hungary

In the Hungarian educational system university students tend to study either on full-time courses or through distance learning. The costs vary depending on the university and on the course, all higher educational institution set their own fees.

Iceland

Students at state universities in Iceland pay only registration fees, while students at private universities pay tuition fees. The registration fee at state universities for the academic year 2011-2012 is 280 euros irrespective of the level of study.

The tuition fees at the University of Reykjavík, the largest of two private universities in Iceland, vary depending on the level of studies: undergraduate degrees cost 880 euros a term and postgraduate studies range from 1,891 to 5,000 euros a term. The other private university, Bifröst University, charges fees by credits, undergraduates pay 53 euros per credit, postgraduates pay 81 euros.

Italy

In Italy higher education fees vary by university and by course. Private universities are much more expensive than public ones.

Universities and other higher education institutions establish their own fees, but the overall amount of a students' contribution to the costs and services of universities cannot exceed 20 per cent of the state funding.

Tuition fees vary not only by university and by course, but also in relation to the income levels of the students' families. The ratio between income level and tuition fees charged is 7

not uniform throughout the country, universities in the northern regions are the most expensive in that they apply higher fees in relation to comparable levels of income. Using the average amount of fees for each of the five statistical groups of income earners, university fees vary from 470 euros (for the lower group) to 1,770 euros (for the highest).

Lithuania

Higher education fees in Lithuania vary by university and by study programmes. In 2011 the tuition fees for home students at universities in Lithuania varied between 1,128 euros and 5,265 euros per year, depending on the university and study programme. The cheapest study programmes are in social sciences and the most expensive study programmes are odontology and art. Students also pay registration charges of 35 euros in the first year.

Norway

All general universities in Norway are state universities, but there are also state and private specialised universities and university colleges. More than ninety per cent of the student population in Norway attend state institutions.

State institutions may not, by law, claim fees from students for ordinary courses leading to a degree or for professional training courses. Students only pay a very low semester fee, of around 130 euro per year, to a student welfare scheme.

Poland

In Poland higher education fees vary by university and by course, no tuition fees are charged by public HEIs for full-time degree programmes and full-time doctoral programmes.

Portugal

In Portugal higher education fees vary by university and by course.

In the 2011/2012 academic year the annual amount students are charged for higher education will range from 630.15 euros to 999.71 euros.

Romania

Tuition fees are set by the university and are based on the costs of the providing the education. Higher education institutions can also charge a registration fee, the amount of the fee is established by the university. Certain exemption rules may be devised and applied and by law teachers’ children are exempted from registration fees.

Slovakia

Higher education fees vary by university and by public and private sector.

Spain

In Spain higher education fees vary by university and by course; every Spanish Self-governing Community can decide their own prices, however, they have to observe a range of maximum and minimum prices which are set annually by a body which is overseen by the Ministry of Education.

In general terms, undergraduate study at a higher education institution in Spain costs from 3,512 to 7,880 euros depending whether a student is enrolling for their first, second or third year. In 2010-2011, the average price per credit varied from 10.26 to 17.90 euros.

Sweden

There are no tuition fees in Sweden and there are no fees for registration or examinations.

Please refer to individual country pages for living costs and funding options. 

UK  students are not allowed to take their UK students loans and grants outside of the UK.

Admissions and entrance criteria is different in each country and at each university.  Please refer to individual country pages or contact enquiries@degreesahead.co.uk