Free Education in Europe: Where to Apply in the EU

Obtaining higher education in one of the universities in Europe is a cherished dream for many applicants. But how can you do it when studying in the EU will probably require significant investments, lengthy communication with the consulate, and collecting a lot of documents?

In fact, things are not so complicated, although they will still take some effort. To begin with, we suggest familiarizing yourself with the basic information about studying in European universities, main requirements, and free admission options. We will cover all of this in our article.

Previously, we wrote about How to Open a Bank Account in Europe.

The higher education system in Europe includes two levels: bachelor’s and master’s. The first one involves studying for 3-4 years and allows you to find a highly paid job after graduation. The master’s degree is the second stage of higher education in the EU (1-2 years) and allows you to develop some special professional knowledge or continue your scientific career.

Studying in Europe is a very promising thing, as European diplomas are valued not only within the EU but also beyond its borders. Moreover, this education attracts applicants from almost all over the world due to accessible programs, the opportunity to receive a grant, scholarship, and study in Europe for free, as well as to start a career in a prestigious European company after graduation.

Although foreign students can be enrolled in both bachelor’s and master’s programs, the latter is in the highest demand. Firstly, having completed the first stage of higher education in their country of origin, the student approaches the choice of a further education and a career path more consciously. Secondly, in Europe, there are many more master’s programs in English than bachelor’s programs, and not all foreign students want to study in the national language, to some extent tying themselves to the country of study.

The largest number of courses in English (excluding the UK) is offered in the Netherlands, but studying there will require paying a tuition fee.

In addition, those who want to enroll in a master’s program in Europe can count on a greater number of assistance programs. For example, the Erasmus Mundus project, which provides scholarships to foreign students, only works with master’s students. We will tell you more about this later. The opportunity to study for free in the EU for a bachelor’s degree also exists.

To give you an idea of the options for free education in Europe, we have put this information into brief notes and compiled them in a table.

Since in most EU countries education in school lasts for 12 years, applicants from post-Soviet countries where full secondary education takes 10-11 years will need to “catch up” 1-2 years when applying for a bachelor’s degree at a European university. This can be done in two ways:

Foundation is the general name for a one-year course for foreign students, which includes studying language and some subjects necessary for studying at a university in a chosen specialty.

Typically, studying in Europe on a foundation course is paid. In some countries, there are special preparation programs. For example, in Germany, foreign students are offered to study at a Studienkolleg before enrolling in a bachelor’s program.

In Greece, an applicant is instantly enrolled in a university even without knowing the language, but the first year is still devoted to learning Modern Greek.

As we have already mentioned, Master’s programs are in higher demand in Europe. Their advantage is that not only recent graduates, but also those who have long graduated from university and are building their careers can apply for the second level of higher education. Moreover, it is a perfectly viable option for relocating permanently, even with the whole family. For this, one of the spouses needs to become a student, and the family can be relocated under the family reunification program. This scheme is relevant, for example, for relocation to Germany.

Education in a Master’s program in Europe is possible in national languages and English. In most EU countries, free options can be found, as well as grants and scholarships to cover living expenses.

For example, with a diploma in pedagogical psychology, one can apply for a course in behavioral psychology or social pedagogy, but it will not be accepted to retrain as a PR or marketing specialist.

The application process for European universities varies from country to country and from university to university, but there are some basic points to consider. Let’s look at how to apply for undergraduate and graduate programs.

As we have already mentioned, secondary education in most European countries lasts for 12 years. This is relevant for Austria, Albania, Belgium, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, and France. Children begin their education at the age of 6. This directly affects admission to bachelor’s programs: graduates of 11-year schools cannot immediately become university students (see foundation above).

Some higher education institutions may require other documents. All papers must be translated into the national language and certified. An apostille is required for educational documents.

An apostille is an internationally standardized form of document authentication that represents an information sign (stamp). It is better to apply for an apostille before translation and notarization.

It is significantly more difficult for college graduates to enter a European university, as a diploma in secondary vocational education is not highly regarded here. They will have to study at a university for 1 or 2 years and only then attempt to apply for a bachelor’s program.

Applicants from non-EU countries should contact the International Office of the university they would like to attend to verify their qualifications for admission to the university. If the certificate from the country of origin is not recognized, then the applicant may be required to take exams or undergo other assessments of their knowledge level.

1. Choose a country, university, and program. Determine the language of instruction, course, and requirements by looking at websites, program descriptions, and application deadlines. Find out the cost of living in the country, as well as the cost of tuition, housing, and other expenses.

2. Contact the admissions office to learn more about enrollment and student requirements. If this information is not available on the website, look for the application/questionnaire/registration form. Determine the exact list of documents required for a specific course/courses. It is recommended to apply to several courses at different universities.

3. Take language tests and other exams (if necessary).

4. Prepare documents, translate and certify them.

5. Fill out the application form and attach the documents. Wait for a response. Some universities require entrance exams or an interview, while others only need a CV, motivation letter, and transcript scores.

6. After receiving a positive response, apply for a visa.

In some countries, there are student portals where you can apply to several universities at once. In France, this is Campus France. Follow the link to the section for applicants in French.

We have already mentioned that studying in European public universities is free, but there are other expenses besides tuition. These can be covered by various scholarship grants. Let’s look at some of them.

Two of the most popular and prestigious scholarship programs, working with dozens of universities, are Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus+. The former is for master’s and doctoral degree programs, while the latter involves student exchanges between universities. Let’s focus on the first program.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) provides funding for obtaining a master’s degree at more than 4,000 European universities. EMJMD participants study not only in one university, but change their place of study every semester.

The Erasmus Mundus grant covers the following expenses:

To receive funding under the Erasmus Mundus program, you must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree and a high GPA, as well as demonstrate proficiency in English with an IELTS score of at least 6.5 or a TOEFL score of at least 90.

CEEPUS is the Central European Exchange Program for University Studies, an academic exchange program for research and education involving 15 Central European countries. It offers both teachers and students the opportunity to study abroad at partner universities.

Participation in CEEPUS is only possible after two semesters of study. For students from countries that are not part of this university project, a free mover scholarship is available.

DAAD is the German Academic Exchange Service: a self-governing organization of German universities that brings together more than 200 German universities. DAAD has 15 foreign offices and awards about 100,000 scholarships per year.

When selecting candidates for a scholarship program, academic performance, exam results, scientific qualification, the quality and relevance of the research project, motivation, and knowledge of German or English language are taken into account.

Finally, regarding the review of opportunities for free higher education in Europe, let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

Yes, many EU countries offer free education for foreigners in state universities. Fees may be charged for the use of libraries, laboratories, and other facilities. All these costs are included in the semester fee.

Conditions vary. The grant/scholarship may cover tuition fees, if any, and living expenses. The grant may be a fixed amount or determined individually.

Yes, some universities pay scholarships to foreign students with good academic performance.

Some EU countries require students to open a bank account and deposit a sum of money required for living expenses. The student can withdraw a fixed amount each month.

Often, those who go to study in Europe start earning money from the first days of their student life. However, they not only spend the money on their life in a European country but also send part of the funds to their loved ones back home. This could be money for a birthday present, material assistance in a difficult period, or just a financial surprise for any other occasion.

The Korona mobile app helps transfer money without a commission. It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. The app works in almost all EU countries, as well as in the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and other countries, and allows you to send money transfers to 50+ countries, including the CIS.

In our blog, we write a lot about living and working in Europe. You can see the full list of our articles here.