Europe is one of the most popular study abroad destinations for international students. It has all the qualities to make it the most desirable place to study and live. Europe has a world-class education system, elite universities, developed economy, and diverse culture and the list don’t stop here it goes on and on. Europe is a continent full of options and attractions, with 44 countries it can be tough to choose one as your study abroad destination. These 44 countries have their charm and uniqueness that will keep you hooked to it.
Europe is not only a place providing top-notch education, but it is also one of the famous tourist destinations in the world. Distinctly divided into three regions – Western Europe, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe, each one is more attractive than the other for tourists. Europe is full of surprises for the ones who are traveling there for the first time, you will take a lot of time to absorb all this excitement. It’s one of the most captivated continents of the world and that makes it in the list of top most desirable places to study and live among international students.
Students who plan to study abroad have so much in mind when it comes to deciding one particular country or city. Students usually have to consider factors like safety, affordability, best options for educational institutes, proper accommodations and yes sometimes they have to see availabilities of part-time jobs. These are some of the key factors that students usually keep in mind before making any final decisions. Sometimes choosing a city as your study abroad destination can be as important as choosing the right university for your degree. After all, studying abroad is not only about the study, students do wish to enjoy life abroad and want to explore the place they are living in.
For students who love to travel, explore new places and see a different side of the world, Europe is the best place to consider as a study abroad destination. It is the perfect mix to have an amazing experience of studying abroad. Choosing any country and city in Europe will give you easy access to the whole of Europe, which means you have a lot to explore, travel and experience. According to QS best student cities, 2019 ranking following are the best places to study abroad in Europe for international students.
Berlin, Germany:
Berlin is one of the most attractive city for international students it is also one of the popular study abroad destinations. It is ranked 5th in the world for providing a high quality of education. Although Germany itself is one of the most popular countries in the world for education, also because universities in Germany do not charge any tuition fee which makes it even more considerable as a study abroad destination. If you are one of those, who love history and has a passion to learn about a new culture than berlin is the best place for you, It’s divided firmly by the Berlin Wall, Berlin has a very rich culture and fascinating history that can keep history buffs captivated.
Other than that, Berlin is known for its affordability as compared to other European cities. It is the best option for students with minimum resources of income. Germany is the second cheapest country in the world for affordable education and living. Berlin offers multiple discounts and free services to students like free travel around the city or discounts at a departmental store, libraries, and galleries. Berlin is German’s cheapest city to live and it offers a high quality of life and education.
Best universities in Berlin:
Berlin has 5 major public universities that are offering quality education without any tuition fee and 20 private universities offering courses in different fields and disciplines. To study free in one of the best public institutes all you need is to have required grades and you can get admission easily.
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Freie Universität Berlin
- Berlin Institute of Technology
- Technische Universität BerlinHTW Berlin University of Applied science
How much will it cost to study and live in Berlin?
Berlin is one of the most affordable cities in Germany, public universities do not charge any tuition fee while providing quality education and comparatively other expenses are affordable. Your budget highly depends on your lifestyle it is recommended to go abroad with a decent amount of budget. Food, traveling and accommodations cheaper in berlin and you can find many student discounts on them as well. In state-owned universities they don’t have any tuition fee, It just the small amount they charge as semester fees that varies from university to university. Mostly it is around 159 – 200 euros.
Munich, Bavaria:
It is the second-best city in Europe for international students. It is ranked 6th in the city ranking as the perfect place for students to live and study. It is home to centuries-old buildings, it has numerous museums. Munich is a perfect blend of history and modernized culture of Europe; it will give you the perfect vibes of pure European Lifestyle. It has multiple globally recognized universities providing education without any tuition fee. Universities in Munich are recognized by the whole world.
Munich is a hub of Hi-tech innovations; you will experience the blend of hi-tech and pure German life in Munich during your stay. Munich is home to several multinational companies. It is also the hub for the software, biotechnology, and services industry; it is the largest publishing city in Europe. Means graduates have multiple options to kick start their career after completing their degree.
Universities in Munich:
Some of the best universities in Europe are located in Munich; also, it is the leading world location for science and research. Munich is the country’s biggest educational hub. Many universities offer courses in German and English language here to attract overseas students. Universities in Munich offer programs in all subjects but they are famous in their business and applied sciences.
- The University of Munich (Ludwig Maximilian University)
- The Technical University of Munich
- Munich University of Applied Science
- Akademie der Bildenden Kunste Munich
- Munich Business School
How much does it cost to live and study in Munich?
Most of the universities in Munich do not charge any fees (public universities) for the undergraduate program. However, they do have tuition fees for some of the master’s level programs. In private sectors, universities charge tuition fees as per program or course. Although Munich comes under the expensive cities in Europe it is relatively cheaper than other big cities in the world. As estimated, you must have around $10,000 to $15000 for your living cost including traveling, food, and accommodation.
Lisbon, Portugal:
Portugal is one of the smallest countries in Europe, but it enriched by culture and characters. The capital of Lisbon is the best place to explore if you are studying in any part of the country or the whole of Europe. Its relaxed environment and pleasant weather make it even more attractive for international students. Lisbon is the place that gives you the view of Sapphire blue- beaches and medieval streets all in one. It is famous for its delicious food. The city is becoming a new favorite for tech-savvy entrepreneurs. Lisbon has one of the most reputed universities in the world “the University of Lisbon” which is home to thousands of international students. Lisbon is packed with unique cultural sites, the common language here is Portuguese but people can be seen talking in the English language as well. It’s not as big as London or Paris but it is surely full of fun and excitement.
Top universities in Lisbon:
Students who want to study broadly in Lisbon can take courses in the following universities. Lisbon has some of the best and globally recognized universities.
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL)
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE)
- iXperience Lisbon
- Catholic University of Portugal Porto – average tuition fees 700 EUR/year
- Polytechnic Institute of Bragança
How much does it cost to live and study in Lisbon, Portugal?
Before planning to study in Portugal, you should know that public universities are cheaper than private once. However, some private universities offer scholarships and discounts as well. If you planning for public university you are supposed to pay a fee annually but if its private university you might have to pay a part of total tuition monthly. The tuition fee in public universities for Bachelor’s and Master’s programs can be between 950 and 1,250 EUR/academic year. The tuition fee in private universities varies from university to university but it can be between 3,323 and 3,872 EUR/year for any degree level.
Talking about living expenses Portugal is a very affordable country since its one of the cheapest countries in Europe it can be a great place to live. Although living cost in Portugal varies from region to region the average is around 500 to 800 euros per month.
Barcelona, Spain:
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain It’s the second-largest city and the economic hub of Spain. It is a place where you can enjoy your morning on the beaches and afternoon exploring Picasso’s arts. A perfect place to live and explore different lifestyles and cultures. Barcelona is a perfect blend of centuries-old culture and stylish lifestyle of today. As an international student, you will get to experience all of it altogether. It is home to Spain’s top-notch universities like Universitat Autònima de Barcelona. It is perfect for students who want to study and enjoy their stay in Europe at the fullest. You will not find another city as fashionable, intriguing, unique and charming as Barcelona.
Top universities in Barcelona:
- University of Barcelona (UB)
- Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
- Polytechnic University of Catalunya
- University Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- University Ramon Llul
How much it Cost to study and live abroad in Barcelona:
The city of Barcelona is pretty affordable as compared to other major European cities. Traveling, food accommodation is almost half the price as other European destinations yet you will experience the great quality of life here. Barcelona provides an equally great quality of education as compared to London, Paris, and Belin. Barcelona is a relatively affordable city in Spain so international students do not need to feel pressured. In cities like Barcelona or Madrid, you will need around 900-1100 euros for living expenses. Although it highly depends on the student’s lifestyle and how they prefer to spend money. Barcelona is a quiet pocket-friendly option for international students to choose it as a study abroad destination.
Tuition fees in Barcelona depend on the level of education and course as well. Also, the major factor is private and public universities. In public universities fees for international students are around 150 – 3,500 EUR/year for Bachelor’s programs and 300 – 3,500 euros/year for Master’s programs.
Amsterdam, Netherlands:
If you are looking to explore beautiful canals and countryside and taking courses in English only and making new friends than Netherland seems the best option for you. Netherland is in the middle of Belgium and Germany. The smallest country with top-notch education, amazing history and great quality of life. It has a huge student population, which includes international students as well. Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherland, It is also called the Venice of the north. If you are one of those students who struggle to learn new languages or find it difficult to communicate in any other language than English than Amsterdam in Europe is the best place for you to study because most of the universities in Amsterdam provide courses and programs in English for local and international students.
Amsterdam has improved its ranking to 24th best city in the world for international students in 2019. The improvement reflects its high quality of life, great student community and good rating from graduate employers both locally and further afield. Apart from that as an international student, you will get plenty of time to explore Amsterdam and its beauty.
Top universities in Amsterdam:
Amsterdam does not have a huge list of universities like Paris or London, but there are some of the universities providing top-notch education. As per QS World University Ranking, the following universities are the top universities in Amsterdam.
- University of Amsterdam
- University of Twente (UT)
- Amsterdam university of Applied Sciences
- Gerrit Rietveld Academia
- Amsterdam University of the Arts – Academy of Architecture
How much does it cost to study and live in Amsterdam, Netherlands:
The living cost in Amsterdam is higher than other capitals of Europe, As know, It is not the cheapest destination. The living cost can be around 1000 to 1200 euros/per month. Accommodation is expensive in Amsterdam you can spend around 400 to 800 euros on rent and for other expenses 350 to 500 euros.
Public Dutch universities charge tuition fee to all of the students, Non-EU/EEA pay very less tuition fee as compared to students coming from other countries. The average tuition fee for bachelors is around 1040-2083 euros per year and for the Postgraduate program, it can be 1,070 and 2,083 euros per year.
Milan, Italy:
Milan considers to be the fashion hub in Europe, is the capital city of Italy. Milan has outranked other cities and become the best city to study abroad in Italy, Europe. Milan is the complete package for students looking for beauty, charm, and excitement in their study abroad destination. Italy is full of fashion designers and brands, you will see different designer’s outlets in almost every street of it. Milan is considered as an educational hub for not only fashion studies but business and health & medicine as well. It has some of the top-ranked universities of Italy providing an excellent education to local and international students.
Milan is Italy’s leading financial hub. It has so much to offer to students. Milan’s best score for Best student Cities ranking is for employer activity, It is ranked 15th in the world. Students with a passion to start their career at an early stage can find many internships and opportunities in Milan. Milan is famous for producing highly employable graduates in the whole of Europe.
Top universities in Milan, Italy:
Milan has several top-ranked universities providing quality education. As its home of art, swanky designer stores, and art galleries. It has a variety of courses and programs to offer. International students are attracted to because of its high quality of education and lifestyle.
- University of Milan
- Politecnico di Milano
- Catholic university of sacred heart
- Bocconi university
- Building university Milano-Bicocca
How much does it cost to live and study in Milan, Italy:
As Milan is the fashion capital of the world, It plays a major part in Europe’s economy. The cost of living in Milan is very high, although these expenses totally depend on your lifestyle and habits but for students, it is costly to studying live in Milan on a tight budget. Rent or accommodation is highly expensive here, it will cost you around 400 to 1000 euros per month. Then come other factors like, food, traveling, bills, etc which is also costly as compare to a city like Valencia.
Tuition fees in Milan totally depend on your course and program, especially in public universities. The average tuition fee for graduate and postgraduate can be 850 to 1000 euros per year.
London, England:
The UK is one of the most popular study abroad destinations after the US and Australia. It has the third-largest number of international students. London is the capital of England and the hub for top-notch educational institutes. London is the largest city in the whole of Europe with a large number of international students than the rest of Europe. It means London is one of the most culturally diverse cities as well. London offers several globally recognized universities providing top quality of education. It has one of the best educational institutes in the whole world. Universities in London have a high tuition fee but the quality of education and experience you will get here would always help you in your career growth.
Top universities in London, England:
London comes in the top 5 cities in the world for providing top-notch education. You will find a hundred options for higher education. It’s considered as one of the favorite cities among international students. Options to study in London are various and vibrant.
- University College London
- Imperial London College
- King’s college London
- London school of Economics and political science
- Queen Mary, University of London
How much does it cost to live and study in London?
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. The tuition fee in London is very high for both EU and Non-EU students. For international student tuition fee starts from £10000 to £38000 for graduate and postgraduate degree. It is even for higher medical-related courses.
Similarly, living cost in London is on the higher side, people here have a very rich and modernized way of living and you cannot cope up with it without spending a small fortune. On average student needs around £12200 to live happily for a year.
Oslo, Norway:
Norway is the paradise for a nature lover, It’s known for mountain view, breathtaking northern lights and epic fjords. If you are outdoorsy than this is going to be the perfect place for you. It is famous for its natural beauty and its seaside capital Oslo is perfect for international students. Norway is also known for its universities providing quality education, One of the oldest and largest universities “the university of Oslo” is considered as top universities in the world. Norway is one of the countries providing free education. They do not have any tuition fees for most Undergrad and Postgrad degrees. Courses are offered in the English language so you do not have to learn any new language to study abroad. This city of Norway provides amazing social life to students and this is one of its charms. UN consistently ranks it best for having the highest standards of living in the world on the bases of the average level of education and income.
Top Universities in Oslo, Norway:
Norway comes under the top priorities of students who plan to study abroad in Europe with affordable tuition fees. It has some of the highest-ranked universities in the world. Universities offer several courses and programs for local and international students. Some of the top universities in Norway are:
- University of Bergen
- University of Oslo
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)UIT the Arctic University of Norway
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
How much does it cost to live and study in Oslo, Norway?
Public universities in Norway do not charge any tuition fee; they promote education and make sure its free of cost or on the lower fee to provide equal opportunity for local and international students. They offer free programs including master, graduation, and PhDs. Some of the private universities can charge you up from 7000 to 9000 euros per year.
Living cost in Norway is affordable for local and international students. You might need 1200- 2000 euros per month on average to live in Oslo, Norway. Accommodations are a bit expensive here as students spend 35% of their total living costs on accommodation and rent. The most famous accommodation options are sharing in Oslo and students can find mates to share the burden easily.
Geneva, Switzerland:
Switzerland is one of the mountainous countries in the world with amazing chocolate, high standards of living and alpine skiing, this is the economic and adventure powerhouse. It is in the middle of western Europe. You will find people speaking a different language here including, German, Italian and French. It has thousands of international organizations, including the European union’s branch of the United Nations. Geneva in Switzerland in the best place to study abroad. It offers quality education in economics, International relationship, and international business. It also offers a quality lifestyle. Being the European business hub it provides a lot of opportunities to graduate to kick start their career in Geneva. Its multicultural environment makes it easier for international students to study and live here.
Top universities in Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva is the capital of Switzerland, one of the most beautiful places in the world and international students prefer to study in this part of Europe. We have listed down some of the best universities in Geneva.
- Université de Genève
- Institut de Hautes études Internationales et du développement
- Webster University Geneva
- The International University in Geneva
- Geneva Business School
How much does it cost to live and study in Geneva, Switzerland?
Being one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, it attracts thousands of tourists and international students every year. It is famous for its high standard of education and groundbreaking research. Its MBA’s and Ph.D. programs are globally recognized and appreciated. Switzerland is a business hub for Europe and for that reason students plan to study and pursue their career here in Switzerland.
Swiss government funds public universities and that is the reason that they charge an equal or low tuition fee. The average tuition fee is around 400 to 3700 euros per year for graduate and postgraduate programs. For PhD’s, it can be 100 to 900 euros per year.
Well talking about living expenses so this business hub of Europe is expensive with high quality of living standards. Living and studying in Switzerland without making compromises is not possible. International students should have at least an average of 1300 to 1700 euros per month for living expenses.
Copenhagen, Denmark:
This capital of Denmark is known for its high quality of life and forward-thinking policies on development. Just like Amsterdam, you will find so many people talking in English. It is famous for its café culture and unique designs of architecture. This is one of the most sophisticated cities in Europe with tones of museums and musical and theater venues. It is considered as one of the happiest countries in the world and tops the list of must-visit capitals of Europe. Talking about student life so Denmark has excellent student life, universities are providing no tuition fee courses for international students and that makes it more attractive.
If you’re interested in street fashion, Copenhagen is home to many fashion-conscious young people – particularly within the hip Nørrebro district – where monochromic layers, block-colored bikes, and stripped-back sophistication are the standard. Copenhagen is a city that celebrates all the festivals from fashion, food to music and literature. No wonders why it is considered the best city to live in Europe. Universities in Copenhagen participate in different events and festivals and keep their students involved in these festivals to promote unity and happiness.
Top universities in Copenhagen, Denmark:
Although it just a nation of 5 million people in Denmark but it has some of the best places to visit and live. Copenhagen being the capital of a country is famous among international students. It is home to some of the top universities in the world.
- The University of Copenhagen,
- Technical University of Denmark
- IT University of Copenhagen
- Copenhagen Business School
- Aalborg University
How much it cost to live and study in Copenhagen, Denmark:
Denmark is one of the popular study abroad destinations in Europe because of its low tuition fees and high quality of education. Here you can easily find English taught master’s programs which is a great attraction for international students. International students prefer Copenhagen, Denmark because of great living standard and the range of courses universities are offering is incredible.
The average tuition fee for international students is around 6000 to 16000 euros per year for graduate and postgraduate programs. Denmark is a place providing a high quality of life, which means living costs, and average prices are a bit higher than in other parts of Europe. Although it can still be affordable to live here if you plan your expenses wisely. You should have an average budget in your mind before you plan to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The average living cost an international student needs to live in Copenhagen, Denmark is around 800 to 1200 euros per month. The cost can depend on the lifestyle and living standards of an individual. How much you like to spend on shopping and going out or travel. The average living cost can cover-up your accommodation, traveling, and food.
