AFFORDABLE COUNTRIES TO STUDY IN EUROPE

Especially in Europe, there are several countries where Brazilians can study for free (or at very friendly prices). When it comes to studying abroad, the most popular destinations for Brazilians are Canada, the United States, and Ireland., according to the Brazilian Association of International and Cultural Travel Organizers Belta. Although North American countries are at the top, students often run into a difficult point to overcome: the high cost!

That's why Europe is such an interesting option. In addition to excellent universities, there are at least 8 countries where you can study for free or at much lower prices, and the best part: many of the programs are in English, even though this is not the official language of any of these nations. Estudar Fora has gathered eight options for places where exchanges are much more accessible.

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Study for free in Germany

Since October 2014, all German universities do not charge tuition fees to any student, including foreign students, for both undergraduate and integrated master's programs.

In some federal universities, a semester contribution and/or administrative fees (around 50 euros) are charged. This policy may change in the future; however, you can keep an eye on this information page for foreign students in Germany to see which institutions charge which fees(around 50 euros)

Separate master's courses (those that do not take place in the final year of a degree program) are usually charged in Germany. However, they turn out to be cheaper than in other European countries. Ph.D. programs in Germany are usually free. In some cases, students only pay from the second semester onwards, but even in these cases, a contribution of 150 to 200 euros is paid per semester. More commonly, however, Ph.D. students work on a research project for a salary or to earn a scholarship to study.

However, in addition to studies, there are living expenses. And students in Germany spend around €850 a month on food, transport, accommodation, and other expenses. Generally, the German government requires 8,500 euros for a year from those who want to study in the country.

To pay the costs, Germany allows university students to hold part-time jobs for up to 120 days a year. It is also possible to carry out full-time or 240-day jobs, but in these cases, it is necessary to place an extra order. About 60% of international students in the country keep this type of work to supplement their income. There is a wide variety of jobs available for college students, ranging from aides and babysitting to those related to the course's field of study.

Another option country makes available is the financing of expenses through student loans for international students. These loans can be either governmental or non-governmental, including some universities.

Study for free in Austria

For foreign students, public or federal universities in Austria only charge about €726 per semester for tuition fees, according to Study in Austria.The. There is also a fee of 20.20 euros for participation in the country's student union and accident insurance for students.

Even in these cases, there are opportunities for waivers or refunds for these fees. These opportunities exist for participants in certain exchange programs, for members of partner universities, or for citizens of developing countries (a category in which Brazil is often included). However, you need to check these opportunities individually at each university and for each course.

Other than that, there are also scholarship opportunities in the country. A list of these opportunities can be seen here.. Some of them cover, in addition to study costs, living costs in the country, which are around 950 euros per month.

Study for free in Norway

According to the Study In Norway website, Norwegian state universities and colleges generally do not charge tuition fees to students, including foreign students. This applies to all levels, including undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees. However, students must contribute a fee of around NOK 600 per semester.

Still, some public institutions in Norway may charge tuition fees for students enrolled in some specific programs, usually at the master's level. And most private institutions charge tuition fees
for all programs. Even in this case, they are often lower than in other countries for courses at the same level, and the fees for foreign students are no higher than for Norwegians.

On the other hand, the cost of living in Norway is higher. Students can expect to spend around NOK 123,000 a year on food, accommodation, and transport there.

Study for free (or almost) in Finland

Finland is one of the nations with the best quality of education and life in the world. And according to the Study in Finland website, Ph.D. students do not pay tuition fees. Most commonly, they receive a salary or scholarships while working as researchers.

For master's and undergraduate courses, however, both public and private institutions have been charging tuition fees since the second half of 2017. Even so, in some cases, it is possible to be exempt from these fees. This page shows some cases where it is possible to obtain an exemption.

And even if you have to pay, there are also scholarship opportunities for institutions in the country. They need to be verified at every university, and for every course, however. A list of Finnish universities can be seen here.

In addition, the student will need to pay for his/her expenses. According to the website, these expenses vary between 700 and 1000 euros per month. But the country allows non-European university students to work 25 hours a week during term time, which can help. The Finnish Embassy website in Brazil also offers a lot of information in Portuguese for those who want to study there.

 

Study for free (or almost) in Sweden

As in Finland, foreign students in Sweden do not have to pay tuition fees for doctoral programs. The most common is that they receive a salary or, at least, a scholarship.

However, in the case of undergraduate or master's programs, these fees may apply. Even so, the Study in Sweden website shows a list of universities offering scholarships. for foreign students.

The cost of living in the country, in turn, is around 700 and 1200 euros per month including food, accommodation, and transport.

Study for free (or almost) in Iceland

For those who don't mind the cold weather, Iceland is another Nordic country where you can go to college for little money.

The country has seven universities, four of which are public. And in them, according to QS, there are no tuition fees just an administrative registration fee, which costs about $600 a year. Converting and taking the average, it gives about R$200 per month to study at an Icelandic university.

On the other hand, the cost of living in the country can be prohibitive, even considering the low prices paid to study. There are, however, at least two universities that award scholarships to international students. Scholarships, according to the Study in Iceland website, are also offered by the Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, and vary each year.

Studying for little money in Spain

As in many other countries, universities in Spain are divided between public and private, with approximately one-third of them being public. And in these institutions, it is possible to obtain a degree for a price comparable to that of private universities in Brazil.

At public universities such as the University of Barcelona, ​​the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and the Autonomous University of Madrid, undergraduate courses are between €750 and €2,500 per year.

Of course, it is still necessary to enter the cost of living into this calculation. In cities like Madrid and Barcelona, ​​it is not cheap, being more expensive than in Brazilian capitals (according to Expatisan). However, there are also public universities in cities in the interior of the country, such as the University of Valencia and the University of Granada. And in these other cities, the cost of living is much lower.

Postgraduate in France

France has over 76 degree courses in English, but most are offered by private universities and are often expensive. For those looking for a postgraduate degree, there are very attractive prices.

According to the French government, university students need 800 euros a month to support themselves while studying in the country. International students can work up to 964 hours a year in France, which corresponds to 60% of the workload of a person with a full-time job.