10 Affordable and Top-quality European countries to school in.

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  Personally, scouring the internet for awesome countries to further your education at any level has always been a very tasking quest, with hundreds of countries around the world to pick from, most offering great student experience both academically and socially, the choices should have been endless, you could just scroll through, pick a school, submit your admission, and pack your bags for an experience of a life time. Sadly that's not the case, due to the expensive tuition fees and costs-of-living in many countries, we can't all just zoom off to any country of our choice, else I'd be studying at an ivy league school or some top notch Canadian universities.

Apart from scholarships and aids, there's still hope for those like me who will like to expand their educational experience abroad, many countries seeing the importance of education have made their tuition fees affordable, some even go a step further to make studying in their countries free for both their citizens and international students, some of these countries even have a lower cost-of-living than what you'd find in most countries.  
So, per request i'll be looking to Europe, home to rich histories, delicious cuisines, beautiful languages, and many scenic attractions for my compilation on some of the most affordable countries to school in.
 Europe is also the location of some of the worlds greatest and renowned universities, some of these universities have produced many a great mind throughout history and most importantly has some of the most affordable yet, top quality universities in the world.

For this list I'll be looking at the tuition fees, in these countries and their cost of living as well as a few minor details, and I'll also be posting links for further researches on these different countries and more at the end of this post.  

And also, let's bear in mind that due to the Corona-Virus pandemic, many countries might change their policies on education, so if you're interested in staying up-to-date please follow the various links and subscribe to the various pages.
 Lastly in staying faithful to my fellow Nigerians, I'll be using only two currencies; the Euro and the Naira, so bear with me.

So in no particular order here's my top pick of some amazing and affordable countries:-
  • Hungary
  • Norway
  • Germany
  • Austria
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Belgium
  • Spain
  • Lithuania
  • Russia
Hungary


In terms of Personal picks Hungary has always been a top one for most students.The quiet and peaceful country has always been a favorite for international students seeking a conducive environment to learn in.
Located in central Europe, Hungary though not as popular as other European countries has always been a great place for International studies, from its top-quality bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees to its many beautiful sites and cities. Hungary has definitely earned a place on this list.

Hungary offers tuition fees ranging from 600 to 8000 euros per semester (about 270000 to 3500000 naira) depending on your Faculty and school, this is due to the fact that private schools are more expensive than their federal or public counterparts.

The Cost of living in Hungary varies between 350 and 800 euros per month  (150000-350000 naira) depending on your accommodation type, lifestyle and daily habits. 

Also its important to note that English isn't widely spoken in Hungary although, most of it's schools offer study programs in English as well as other languages.
Its important to note that like most programs on this list you might be asked to submit an exam certificate proving your proficiency in English. IELTS ( International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language)  are the most widely recognized certificates in Europe.
Generally a score between  5.0 - 6.0 for undergraduate students using IELTS and a score of 60 - 80 for those using the TOEFL test is generally required. The required scores for graduate students may be higher than these, some being around 5.5 - 6.5 for IELTS and 70 - 90 for TOEFL, note that all these depends on the school or country.

Also, another important reason Hungary is a great choice for international students is the Hungarian scholarship awarded to all students, so in the chance that you still can't afford the tuition fees you can enroll for the scholarship, the scholarship covers tuition fees, medical insurance, a housing allowance and a monthly stipend.

You can also work up to 24 hours per week during term time and 66 days during holiday periods, although it might be hard getting a job if you don't speak Hungarian.


Norway


Norway is a Nordic country in northern Europe. Norway is known for having some of the worlds most gorgeous mountains an fjords, this country of breath taking scenes is one of the few countries offering free tuition fees for international students within and outside the EU at their public universities with an exception of a few specialized programs, although you'll be required to pay a student union fee between 30 - 60 euros (13000-26000 naira).
Private universities in Norway aren't free so you might be charged a tuition fee ranging between 7000 - 19000 euros (3100000-8300000 naira). 

Norway's official language is Norwegian but English is also widely spoken by most of its people, there's also an availability of English-taught programs at all study levels.
cost-of-living in Norway is estimated at about 1140 euro per month (500000 naira).


Germany

Germany is a popular country located in Western and Central Europe, it is home to some of the best universities in the world, a combination of free tuition fees for bachelors/masters degree, and a high quality of life makes Germany a great study destination.
Germany Has over 300 public university's and more than 100 study programs offering free tuition, although not all  study programs are free.
The only fees you'll  have to pay while studying in Germany's free public schools is an administrative fee varying from 100 - 350 euros per semester (44000-153000). 

If you wish to study in Germany's private universities, tuition fees are not free and most can be as high as 26000 euro per year (11400000 naira)for undergraduate programs and as high as 40000 euros (17500000 naira) for Graduate programs.

The cost of living in Germany is quite high and can average between 1500 to 700 per month, this includes accommodation, feeding, transportation and such.


Austria

Located in central Europe, Austria is one of the best countries when it comes to studying abroad, with many of its universities ranking high internationally.
Tuition fees in Austria's Federal/Public universities for international students outside the  EU is 1500 euro per year (656000 naira) plus 20.20 euro (8800 naira)for student membership union fees.
Private universities set their tuition fees which are considerably higher than those of the federal/public universities.
Cost of living in Austria is about 800 euro per month (350100 naira) and covers accommodation, feeding, transportation and other personal expenses.


Greece

Greece is home to some of the most beautiful historic locations in Europe, It also offers very affordable tuition fees and a moderate cost of living.
 International students outside the EU pay a tuition fee of 1500 - 9000 euros per year (656000-3940000 naira).

For Admission to English study programs,  GMAT, TOEFLS/IELTS scores which are set by individual universities may be required, although students enrolling for a bachelors degree are required to take a one-year preparatory course on the Greek language.

Living expenses may cost between 450 - 700 (197000-310000 naira) euros per month. Interestingly, health care in Greece is free for all study programs (undergraduate or masters/PhD).
 For those who'd like to work and study in Greece, student visas will allow you to work part time for up to 20 hours per week.


Italy

Italy is a country located in North-Central Europe, Italy is known for its magnificent cuisines and great tourist site, it is one of Europe's top countries when it comes to World-class and affordable universities, with public universities charging around 1000 euro per year (440000 naira), although top ranked universities may charge more.
Private universities are also considerably higher in terms of tuition fees,with  fees ranging from 3000- 35000 euros per year (1300000-1500000 naira).

Cost-of-living like in most European countries may vary depending on your location in Italy, because larger cities cost more, overall cost-of-living in Italy might range between 700 - 1000 euros per month (31000-44000 naira), covering everything from accommodation to entertainment.

 
Belgium

Belgium sometimes known as the heart of Europe, and the center of international networking in Europe, is one of the most interesting countries in it. Belgium's capital, Brussels is the capital of the European Union government, it is also home to a number of highly reputed and top-ranking universities in the world.
Belgium is divided linguistically into three areas; Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, with two of these areas influencing the higher education system; the Dutch speaking Flanders and the French speaking Wallonia. Universities in Belgium fall under either of the two areas and never both.
Although the capital Brussels is slightly different, Brussels lies between the two areas and has a mix of both languages, as well as English and a host of others.
 Belgium also offers English taught programs at all levels although you might have to check each universities IELTS/TOEFLS required score.

In the Universities under Wallonia, international students from outside the EU have to pay specific tuition fees ranging from 835- 4200 euros per year (370000-1800000 naira) while in the Flemish region both EU and non EU students have to pay different tuition fees, all starting around 900 euro per year (394000 naira) and above.
So generally tuition fees in Belgium might cost more than 835 euro per year and can change annually.

Costs of living in Belgium usually vary between 700 - 950 euros monthly (310000-420000 naira).
Belgium offers many scholarships for those who can't afford to pay some of its fees and your also allowed  to work for 20 hours a week during term time (with a work permit) and during official school holidays (without a work permit).


Spain


Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe, it is a beautiful country with a rich history, culture and beautiful climate.
Spain is also home to a large number of universities with high international reputations. Sadly for our English-speakers, most universities in Spain teach their courses in Spanish. So if you're planning on schooling in Spain especially in its public universities, you'll probably have to learn how to speak, read and write in Spanish.

Tuition fees for Bachelor programs range from 750 to 2500 euro per year (330000-1100000 naira), and tuition fees for Masters and Doctorate  range from 1000 to 3000 euros per year (440000-1300000 naira).
 Private universities in Spain generally set their own tuition fees which can be as high as 20000 euro per year.

Costs-of-living in Spain varies depending on your location and city of choice, averagely it should cost about 700-1100 euro per month (310000-500000 naira).
Along with Spain's scholarship opportunities for international students you can also work during term time for 20 hours a week.


Lithuania 


Though not as popular as many European countries, Lithuania is a beautiful country located in the northern part of Europe, home to one of the EU's fastest growing economies, Lithuania offers a low cost-of-living compared to other countries.

Tuition fees in Lithuania vary between universities, study levels and programs, courses in Lithuania are taught in both Lithuanian and English language.
The average fee you should expect for a Bachelor's degree should range from 1000-5620 euro per year (440000-2500000 naira),  2200-6500 euros per year (960000-2800000 naira) for Master's degrees and for a PhD degree 7520-9000 euro per year (3300000-3900000 naira).
Not quite affordable right? but on the bright side what Lithuania lacks in very affordable tuition fees it makes up with a very affordable cost of living, with living costs in Lithuania between 400-1000 euro  per month (180000-440000 naira).

As with most European countries a work permit of a 20 hours per week duration during term time is allowed, so far as it doesn't come in-between your school time.


Russia

Located in Eastern Europe, Russia is the largest country in the world (in terms of land mass)  and is a popular study destination for international students seeking quality and affordable education.
Russia offers courses in both Russian and English languages, although your required to take either a one year compulsory course in the Russian language or learn the Russian language alongside your studies in English, for a set duration, after which subsequent courses will  be taught fully in Russian.

Russia offers affordable tuition fees alongside a low cost of living.
Tuition fees costs an average of 1700- 26500 euro per year (740000-11600000 naira), although the cost may vary depending on the course of study.
Russia's cost of living is about 220-355 euro per month (96000-155000 naira) not covering accommodations.
 

There you have it, my list of some of the most affordable countries in Europe to study in, hope it was insightful, if you have any questions or topic-requests please type them in the comment section down below.

Please note that some of converted naira has been approximated for better understanding, Thank you.

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