University Of Crete Greece
Established in 1973 and committed to excellence in research and teaching, the University of Crete offers different undergraduate, masters and doctoral degree programs for students to enjoin, gain knowledge and develop their skills.
The University of Crete, too, is one of the cheapest universities you will find in Europe for international students and does NOT charge tuition fees for EU nationals enrolled in her undergraduate programs.
Only 11 of the 52 postgraduate study programmes offered at the University of Crete have tuition fees but there are no tuition fees for Ph.D. students.
Residence Permit In Germany
The US citizens enjoy visa-free travel to Germany for stays of up to 90 days. However, if one individual is willing to remain for longer than that like it is the case with attending university, then he/she must get a residence permit after entering Germany.
There are three types of residence permits according to the intended length of your stay in Germany:
- Temporary Residence Permit
- The EU Blue Card
- Permanent Residence Permit
The US students who want to study in Germany must apply for a temporary residence permit. First, you must register your address of residence in Germany and collect the required funds to cover the cost of living and studying if you havent yet.
Once you do that youre ready to apply. Remember your application for the residence permit in Germany must contain the following documents:
- A Valid Passport
- A certificate showing you have no criminal record
- German health insurance
- Proof of German Language Proficiency
- Proof of Financial Resources
- A medical certificate which proves you have gone through specific medical checks
How Far Would You Travel For Free College
Free college already exists. You just have to move to Europe.
Germany, Norway, and Iceland offer tuition-free degrees even to American students and the education is world-class. Some of the universities are among the top 100 global schools.
Studying permanently abroad in those countries means fewer burdensome college loans after graduation, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars. The average cost of tuition and fees in the U.S. is $36,880 per year at private colleges and $10,440 at public universities, according to College Board.
Its actually very surprising not just for American students but also for others that you can study at the world’s leading universities essentially for free, said Gerrit Blöss, CEO of Study.eu, a portal for international students in Europe.
You dont have to speak the local language, either, so theres no need to sign up for intense foreign- language courses. Speaking English is enough.
The number of English-taught programs in Europe has been increasing rapidly over the past years, said Carmen Neghina, a marketing analyst at Studyportals, an information portal for international students in Europe. What started as a trend for graduate programs is now also expanding at the undergraduate level.
Heres a list of high-ranking foreign universities that are tuition-free.
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Top Universities In Europe
One look at the QS World University Rankings® 2020, and youll see the UK remains Europes leader at the top of the tables, with four UK universities in the top 10 and a total of 18 UK entries in the top 100. Of these, the University of Oxford leads in fourth place, while the University of Cambridge is unsurprisingly not far behind at seventh.
Switzerland also has two universities ranked within the global top 20, with ETH Zurich in sixth place and EPFL joint 18th. Other top European universities include Frances Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University and Ecole Polytechnique , the Netherlands Delft University of Technology , Denmarks University of Copenhagen , Germanys Technische Universität München and many more
Ready to study in Europe? Click on the country guides above for more detailed information.
- QS World University Rankings
Will I Get A Residency Spot
The graduates of the European schools are eligible for participation in the U.S. National Resident Matching Program and the Canadian Residency Matching Service . In the CaRMS match, foreign-trained and foreign-born medical school graduates participate in the second round of the match where there are fewer spots in fewer specialties.
We have shared some thoughts on this question generally in our blog post about medical school in the Caribbean.
The Jagiellonian published its residency match results and 26 people matched to North American residencies. They allow 40 students per class and five did not apply this year. However, this doesnt mean that Jag has a 74% match rate because we dont know how many students from the year before participated in the match. Also, Jag didnt publish results from 2013, 2014 or 2016 which makes us suspicious.
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Countries Where Americans Can Study At Universities In English For Free
Since 1985, U.S. college costs have surged by about 500 percent, and tuition fees keep rising. In Germany, they’ve done the opposite.
The country’s universities have been tuition-free since the beginning of October, when Lower Saxony became the last state to scrap the fees. Tuition rates were always low in Germany, but now the German government fully funds the education of its citizens — and even of foreigners.
Explaining the change, Dorothee Stapelfeldt, a senator in the northern city of Hamburg, said tuition fees “discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up study. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany.”
What might interest potential university students in the United States is that Germany offers some programs in English — and it’s not the only country. Let’s take a look at the surprising — and very cheap — alternatives to pricey American college degrees.
Germany
In fact, the German government would be happy if you decided to make use of its higher education system. The vast degree offerings in English are intended to prepare German students to communicate in a foreign language, but also to attract foreign students, because the country needs more skilled workers.
Finland
France
Sweden
Norway
Slovenia
Brazil
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Familiarize Yourself With The Education System
One of the major draws of a European education is that most degrees can be completed in a shorter time frame than it takes to obtain the same degree in the U.S. However, this advantage also represents a challenge because more coursework is crammed into a shorter period of time. Additionally, grading systems can be quite different in Europe. Few students receive A grades, and Cs are very common. These differences can be quite a shock if you’re not prepared for them.
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When To Apply For European Universities & Residency
Typically Americans are doing their college research in their junior year of high school. SATs or other college entry exams need to be taken and applications are done well in advance. In Europe, this process varies.
For Lars, he applied for his university in Holland during the winter of his senior year. I believe there were 3 application periods, all during his senior year . He applied in February 2020, as we needed to know if he was accepted before we could start the residency application. Most of the residency paperwork needed to be completed by the end of June 2020.
In Spain, as residents he didnt apply to universities until just after high school graduation, usually in July. This may vary for incoming international students from abroad, so check with each university for their timeline.
International students not only need to consider applying for the university, but there also needs to be sufficient time to apply for the student resident visa. So, when you are doing your research for Europe, make note of the application windows for international students. Also keep a list of important dates and deadlines for residency applications.
Cost Of Living Calculators:
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The Two Types Of Master’s Degrees In Europe
There are a couple of different types of Master’s Degrees in Europe. A taught Masters is a Masters program during which you take courses and your degree culminates with a dissertation. Your completion of the degree is based on your course grades and your thesis.
As a way to attract more international students, universities are offering more and more English Master’s courses.
A research Masters is the same program, but based entirely on your dissertation. The advice I have should be roughly the same. However, in writing your statements about MPhil programs, you really should put emphasis on what professors you would want to be your advisors, and establishing contact with them before applying would be a big help.
*I applied to universities in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and the Erasmus Mundus taught Masters programs, so most of my knowledge base is coming out of these.
Free Tuition Universities In Europe
To get things started, research is the key. You do not want to make a hasty decision during this process. This is, after all, one of the most important choices in your life. Your chosen course, university, or degree can very well affect your next ten to twenty years of life.
Public universities in most developed countries offer up to free tuition fees both for local and international students. The government funds these schools, so if you are looking for a lighter load in the fees, public universities are a great place to start.
Being an international student also opens up opportunities from local governments or the school itself in the form of scholarships. These can help international students in transitioning into their new schools, as well as help out in daily expenses.
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American College Of Thessaloniki In Thessaloniki Greece
The incredible city of Thessaloniki is home to the American College of Thessaloniki , a school that sits on an astounding 45-acre campus. The ACT is comprised of students from Greece and over 30 different countries, all following an advanced program that is accredited both in the U.S. and with Open University in the UK.
Student life at the ACT features lots of opportunities to get involved in the school and the community through workshops, clubs, field trips, and volunteer opportunities. Spend your weekdays following a top academic program, and your weekends hiking Mount Olympus with new friends.
Popular Colleges In Germany
Photo by fauxels from Pexels
While we cannot recommend the perfect university for you as this varies on your study program, we have compiled some categories which international students like to use to begin their search. Below we have listed the top nationally ranked institutions in Germany as well as trending universities that have been getting more traffic from students abroad. Take a look at these great universities and click on your preferred choices to browse through their study programs. If youd like to start your search by subject or city, then let our StudyFinder be your guide!
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Benefits Of A 529 Plan
There are many benefits to participating in your states 529 plan. However, with those benefits come restrictions, since qualified withdrawals are strictly limited to specified higher-education expenditures.
When you invest in a 529 account, the savings grow significantly faster than your average savings account. This is the main benefit of a 529 that makes the cost of studying abroad much more manageable than a traditional savings account.
Planning Your Family Move To Spain
Clearly, the differences between college in Europe vs America are extensive. I hope, in understanding them, they provide further food for thought as you weigh education in Spain for your move abroad.
I always stress one singular point to parents. Theres never one right answer. Believe me, I wish there were! The reality is, theres no magic move your family to another country formula. What works for one family wont be the right fit for another. In fact, even children within the same family might have very different needs to be successful in their expat setting.
This information also assumes you have the freedom to make the ideal choices for your kids education abroad. Thats not possible for all families in all situations. Sometimes, the best you can do is understand your childs academic, emotional and social needs, and work with what you have.
Are you confused about education in Spain? Do you want support wading through education options for your school aged children? I can provide detailed info on state school, private school and concertado options in Spain. We can also discuss why you might make different decisions for your different children. Contact me for a Move to Spain consult.
For more information on colleges in Europe whether youre moving abroad in advance or not visit BeyondtheStates.com.
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How Much Do They Cost
European medical schools arent for profit but they do appreciate that they can charge international students much higher tuition to supplement the schools budgets. This happens with all universities in the Western world in some program or another.
The prices vary annually. But the cheapest school is the Jagiellonian at 11,200 Euros per year. The Irish medical schools are about as expensive as the Caribbean ones and students should expect debt loads in the region of $300,000 once travelling is considered.
The major banks on occasion issue lines of credit to students studying in Europe for medical school. Please explore your region to get specific guidance on this.
American University Center Of Provence In Provence France
If youre interested in studying in France but would like to explore somewhere other than Paris, the American University Center of Provence may be a better option. For serious French language students, this university offers intensive French immersion programs in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.
Unlike the American University of Paris, you will experience total immersion in all-french classes, and youll even stay with a French host family. Although it may seem a little scary at first, this level of immersion is one of the best ways to become fluent, and many students leave this program feeling like they speak French like a native speaker.
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Transparent Yes Holistic No
If youve ever eyed competitive colleges in the US, for either yourself or a child, then you know how stressful the process is. Viemont couldnt wrap it up anymore succinctly. Students pad their high school resume with extracurricular activities theyre not really interested in just to check off boxes they hope will make them stand out from the crowd. But universities in Europe dont care that you were captain of your soccer team. That holistic model is not the case in Europe. They care about whether your performance in high school is a good fit for the program youre interested in.
Viemont confessed it was her distaste for the college admissions system in the US that led her to create Beyond the States in the first place. She valued higher education immensely. But not the way she was seeing it play out. Once she realized European universities were an option for American students, she jumped all over it.
Can I Find A Master’s Program In English In Europe
Yes! There are actually quite a few Master’s programs taught in English — even outside of the UK. Especially at the graduate level, coursework at European universities are frequently done in English, rather than the local language.
Fortunately and unfortunately, English is the lingua franca for many international businesses and organizations. As a way to attract more international students, universities are offering more and more English masters courses.
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Cheapest Universities In Europe For International Students
This article features a list of the cheapest universities in Europe for international students, the fees paid by international students in these schools will wow you! Some of the schools funded by the government in Europe operate totally free-tuition education and students are to pay just nominal fees less than $300 per semester.
Worthy of note, these schools are the cheapest for European students too.
There are some schools that may be cheap for domestic students but they wont be cheap for international students so on this research we decided to put more interest in finding schools in Europe that are either totally tuition-free or offer very low tuition fees to international students.
Generally, schools offering affordable fees to international students are much more affordable to domestic students.
What Can A 529 Not Be Used To Pay
While the definition of a qualified expense appears to be all-inclusive, there are many expenses that are not covered as a qualified expense. In fact, many people mistakenly claim some of these expenses only to find that they are not qualified expenses, which can result in unexpected tax penalties.
Travel: Costs to commute to and from school do not qualify. Surprisingly, gas, airfare, and bus fare are all excluded from transportation costs. A word of caution- if you go on weekend trips or spring-break trips not related to educational activities away from your study abroad campus, those expenses will not be covered.
Sports and Activity Fees: Expenses for extracurricular activities such as sports and recreational activities cannot be reimbursed from a 529 account. Interestingly enough, even if the beneficiary has a sports scholarship, the expenses related to sports activities still cannot be paid from a 529 account.
Student loans: A 529 account cannot be use to pay back student loans.
Certain Electronics: While computers and software are now allowed as a qualified expense, other electronics traditionally used for entertainment, such as theater equipment are projectors are not qualified expenses .
Insurance: Medical expenses and health insurance premium do not qualify. Neither are international healthcare costs or, not unsurprisingly, foreign transaction fees. Such ineligible expenses need to be figured into the overall cost of the trip.
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