Free Masters degree for international students

By Toby Lior Carmel

If you are about to go abroad for studies for an extended period of time, you probably realized already that, unless you are on a full-ride scholarship that pays for absolutely everything, most likely you will have to pay special attention to how much you will be spending in your new destination.

In Europe, free tuition fees usually apply to foreign students coming from countries belonging to the European Union. Students pay no tuition when they go to study abroad in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland, Austria and most of Germany, while several other countries such as Belgium offer tuition at very low prices – under €1, 000 a year. This can come as a shock to those who are used to paying a lot for tuition, in particular British students who have been accustomed to paying around £8, 000 in tuition fees.

Many of the Southern and Eastern European countries, while happily accepting of international students and offering many programs in English, do charge tuition fees, and these are normally higher than those found in the Western part of the continent. A degree course in Estonia will run at least a couple of thousand Euros per year. In Poland, expect to pay around €2, 500 a year, while Spain charges around €1, 000 annually.

Some universities and colleges in the United States also offer free tuition fees for all international students. Some offer full scholarship coverage of tuition fees, while also financing food or accommodation expenses. Other higher education institutions offer students the opportunity to pay for their tuition by working no more than 20 hours a week on the university premises.

Many Australian universities attract international students with generous scholarships covering most or all tuition fees. Such scholarships and tuition waivers are funded by the Australian government to encourage international students to enrol in universities around the country.

Some universities in China offer exclusive one-year free tuition to international students coming from all over the world.