Higher Education in European Countries

Studying abroad has always been a high desire in the mind of many aspirants. At that point, everyone would definitely be considering a country from Europe, even if you yourself are a European, isn’t it?

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 11,33,749 Indian students study abroad. Despite a sharp drop in numbers during the pandemic and lockdown, a good number of students are preparing to move abroad again. Every Indian student who wants to study abroad has several destinations to choose from. But Europe, especially the UK, offers all the benefits of studying abroad, making it one of the best and most cost-effective destinations for international students. As Europe is one of the oldest continents, each of its countries is absolutely unique and steeped in history, and you can always find something new and interesting regardless of the study destination you prefer.

Why European Countries?

Europe has a long tradition of learning and education, and the quality of teaching and learning in Europe is constantly monitored and improved by the European Higher Education Region (EHEA) created by the Bologna Process. Another reason why European countries are becoming educational centers is that they have a rich history with diverse cultures, which in their own way are vibrant and attractive. Music and the arts thrive in Europe, the cradle of Western civilization, and are home to many philosophers, politicians, economists, and scientists who have contributed much to the world. After graduating from a European institution, international graduates receive a grace period to seek work in their host country and easily obtain a work permit. This is an extraordinary achievement that allows new graduates to gain experience working in international markets – a valuable benefit for multinational companies in a globalized world.

The benefits 

Despite all these benefits one of the major concerns about studying abroad is excessive price, student loans, and even debts. But, when looking into the education policies of different European countries and improving our understanding, we will find that many countries encourage students from international backgrounds to come and study in their own countries. There are numerous scholarships and financial support schemes available across Europe for international students who wish to study in Europe. There are schemes that cover part of the tuition fees, while some cover all of the tuition fees plus support living costs too. European countries such as Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Finland provide world-class education at universities for free and this is applicable to international students as well. The advantage of getting an education from these countries is that you may have to pay an administrative fee of a few hundred euros, with no other expenses to pay for education. Students can even borrow money for studying as well. They may borrow up to Euro 12,000 for a one-year master’s degree program or Euro 18,000 for a two-year Master’s degree program to study in one of the 33 European Erasmus+ program countries.

Through Erasmus+, international students can study in one of 33 European Erasmus+ program countries for a period of 3 – 12 months as part of their study program. As part of this scheme, students do not have to pay tuition fees for their time abroad. Some students may also be eligible to get a grant contributing to their living costs and travel expenses.  To be eligible, the aspirant needs to be studying at a higher education institution that is part of the Erasmus+ scheme.

Germany

Germany ranked first for access to higher education and hence became the top pick for students who want to study abroad in Europe is Germany, Offering a fantastic opportunity for quality education and exciting student life in urban centers like Berlin or student cities like Freiburg. Above all, you can get a world-class education because public universities have abolished tuition fees for domestic and international students!

Sweden

Along With high English language proficiency, Sweden has so much more to offer students abroad! Before starting your new career, graduate from one of the best universities in the world in cities like Uppsala, Stockholm, or Gothenburg. In student cities like Linköping and Lund, there are exciting traditions led by student organizations. When doing Ph.D. positions, in Sweden the candidate is eligible to get a monthly salary with no fees charged.

Switzerland

Living in Switzerland can be expensive, but tuition fee at most public universities is the same for all international students, regardless of nationality. This is different from most European countries where EU / EEA citizens pay less than non-EU / EEA students.

Norway

Norway offers free education for undergraduate, graduate, and directorate level programs to 2 students of any nationality. However, the condition here is that the aspirants need to become proficient in the Norwegian language because most degree courses are taught in their native language itself. For a candidate who wants to learn a new language, Norway is a great option where one can study Norwegian and gain proof of proficiency in the language.

Academics

The aspirants will be able to find a huge range of higher education study programs on offer across Europe in areas like Astrophysics, Biotechnology, Business, Chemical Engineering, Football management, Geography, Green energy management, History, Information Technology, diplomacy, Languages, Law, Literature, Medicine, Sociology, Teaching, Tourism, Zoology, and lots of more. The qualifications available are bachelor’s degree, Master’s Degree, or Doctorate/Ph.D. Most of the study programs follow a ‘modular’ structure. Where students can create a personalized program by choosing several different modules or units of study each year from a wide selection. For example, for a student studying Fashion, there will be an option to choose one module on Fashion Marketing, one module on Textile Design, and one module on Ethical Textile Production. This is very helpful for students who want to study along with doing part-time jobs.

The long-cherished, bucket-listed item is no longer just a dream. Aspirants can go ahead and enroll themselves for guaranteed quality education at international universities at minimal or no cost.