European universities still preserve centuries-old traditions and high quality of education. At the same time, unlike expensive English-language education, education at state universities in European countries is free or extremely cheap. However, teaching is, of course, in the language of the country. English-language programs (paid) exist only in some universities for the most popular, usually applied, specialties.
A significant plus: there are countries where our applicants can enter a university directly after school. The first and main condition is knowledge of the language. But we will manage that somehow...
Spain
In Spain, higher education is paid. However, the fee is so low that it can safely be called symbolic. At some universities, it is about $700 per year – you will agree that this is affordable for almost everyone.
But getting into a Spanish university is not so easy. No, with certificates, as a rule, there are no difficulties – documents on secondary education are reviewed by the Office for Recognition and Confirmation of Equivalence of Degrees, and a domestic certificate, if it contains the appropriate grades, is often recognized as equivalent to the Spanish one. But this is only the first stage, meaning that you are allowed to take entrance exams. And the exams are not so simple: Spanish and a foreign language, two core subjects, two subjects of choice.
The Espanol+ consortium will help a foreign applicant prepare for the exams. It includes the University of Madrid, the Barcelona business school ESADE, and two language centers – Estudio International Sampere and Malaca Instituto. Academic preparatory programs at these institutions last one academic year and include a Spanish course plus subjects required for admission.
The courses accept applicants from all countries with any certificate. But they do not guarantee admission: you will take exams on a general basis. No, not quite on a general basis: compared to Spaniards, foreigners are given some concessions. At least, that is the case now, while foreign students have not yet completely filled the classrooms of Spanish universities.
Scandinavia
The Scandinavian countries – Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and traditionally adjacent Finland, although not located on the Scandinavian Peninsula – have the highest education budget in Europe. And it must be said that Scandinavian diplomas are highly regarded worldwide.
Higher education in all these countries is free, moreover, there is even the opportunity to receive a scholarship and a loan for the expenses that a student must bear – registration fees and small student contributions. The education system of the Scandinavian countries is built on roughly the same model, although there are some differences in admission requirements.
Admission to Norwegian universities is handled by a special service, Samordna opptak – the University and College Admission Service. There are no entrance exams – applicants are enrolled based on the competition of certificates. But school education includes, in addition to the compulsory ten-year program, also upper secondary school – another two years of targeted preparation for university. However, preparatory courses for foreigners are practically not provided here – only Norwegian language courses for students from abroad are available at the universities of Bergen, Tromsø, Trondheim, and Oslo.
In Denmark, enrollment is also based on the average grade of the certificate. Most educational institutions here require foreign applicants to submit a document on secondary education equivalent to the Danish one. But if it is not available, the applicant for study in Denmark is not sent away, but is offered to take a preparatory course at a special university center and, upon completion, pass an exam. There, you will also be taught Danish.
Preparatory departments also exist at Swedish universities. As a rule, those who do not know Swedish get there. Although, in principle, to enroll, sometimes you can get by with English. As for the equivalence of certificates, this issue is decided by a special National Center under the Ministry of Education.
But with the University of Helsinki in Finland, the situation is both simpler and more complicated. On the one hand, our certificate is unconditionally recognized as equivalent to the Finnish one. On the other hand, the average grade must be high. In addition, here you need to take an entrance exam (the only exceptions are the faculties of theology and agriculture and forestry). Only those who pass the document competition are allowed to take the exams. Some faculties set quotas for foreigners.
And there are no preparatory programs. Except for a language center where you can learn Finnish and Swedish. So far, education at Finnish universities for foreign students, as well as for local ones, is free. The student pays for study materials and annual fees for mandatory membership in student unions (on average €45-90). The minimum monthly student budget, including food and accommodation, is estimated at €600-900. However, starting from 2007, students are expected to be charged from €3,500 to €12,000 per year. True, this will primarily affect English-language programs.
Switzerland
Swiss education has traditionally (and rightfully) been highly valued.
Higher education in Switzerland is divided into university and professional. University-type institutions include 10 cantonal universities and 2 federal institutes of technology. The universities of German-speaking Switzerland are Basel, Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Zurich, plus the Federal Institute of Technology (sometimes called a school) in Zurich. In the French-speaking part – Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel, plus the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Teaching at the University of Fribourg is in German and French, and in Italian at the Universita della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano (Canton Ticino).
Universities of the Confederation are more than autonomous, so their programs vary. Therefore, when choosing an educational institution, you need to consider not only its prestige but also established traditions. The Swiss themselves, for example, believe that economics should be studied in St. Gallen, law in Freiburg, Lausanne or Neuchâtel, history in Neuchâtel, and philology in Geneva. Mathematics, exact sciences, engineering and architecture are best taught at the already mentioned polytechnic schools in Zurich and Lausanne. These institutions are highly rated in the world: according to the Times Higher Educational Supplement, ETH Zurich is among the top 20 universities in the world and among the top 10 universities in Europe. The same top 10 includes the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, 10th place). It is also worth noting that in the rankings of the world's best universities in exact, natural and technological sciences, ETH Zurich ranks 12th (data from October 2005).
Swiss universities accept foreigners aged 18 and older who speak the language of instruction - German, French or Italian. You must have a document of secondary education equivalent to the Swiss one. However, each educational institution has its own admission requirements.
Foreigners in Switzerland practically cannot enter the medical faculty - there are not enough places even for local applicants.
Some Swiss universities accept students only after completing the second year of university in their home country. Moreover, they admit them to the first year, and the courses completed and exams passed at home are not taken into account.
The applicant is usually required to provide the following documents: an application, a copy of the secondary school certificate or a copy of the grade book, results of entrance exams (if any) and a detailed autobiography. All documents must be sent to the educational institution as early as possible, as correspondence with the university can take up to three months.
The Swiss pre-university preparation program for foreigners – University Preparatory Courses for Studies at Swiss Universities - is taught at the University of Fribourg (www.unifr.ch). It prepares students for the unified entrance exam to Swiss universities. The preparation is intensive: 22-36 lectures per week for three months. Classes are conducted in German and French. The main subjects do not depend on the chosen language, they are mathematics, history and two elective subjects. Classes start in October. The cost of the program is about 4.2-4.5 thousand Swiss francs. To enroll in the preparatory program, you need to pass an exam in German or French.
Netherlands
It would seem natural that Dutch universities teach in the Dutch language. That is the case, but with one 'but': absolutely all institutions have programs in English as well. There are more than a thousand such courses, and they are attended not only by foreigners but also by locals, for whom knowing English is almost as necessary as their native language. By the way, the Netherlands was the first non-English-speaking country to offer academic programs in English at all levels of professional and university education - both certification, diploma, bachelor's, master's and doctoral courses. For example, at Utrecht University, you can earn a bachelor's degree in economics, exact sciences and humanities in English. There are even more master's programs: these include natural sciences, earth sciences, medicine and health care, social sciences, arts and humanities, law, economics and management.
In addition, each university has its own strong faculties and departments. For example, at Leiden University, future politicians and workers of international organizations receive their education. The best minds studied at this university, such as René Descartes, and it is traditionally visited by members of the royal family. This university is famous for teaching humanities and social sciences, political science and economics. And, say, Delft University of Technology is highly regarded among engineers.
Other circumstances also speak in favor of the Netherlands. Education in this country, though not free, is inexpensive compared to many other countries. In public institutions, tuition fees range from €1,500 to €3,000 per year. The cost of living in the country is also low. According to the latest Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, Amsterdam - not to mention other Dutch cities - lags far behind the major world capitals. Student expenses roughly fall into the following amounts: rent for a room/apartment - €250-350 per month, food, clothing and transport - about €350 per month, textbooks - about €100 per trimester, insurance - €20-40 per month.
To enroll in a Dutch university, you first need to contact it and request information about admission conditions for foreigners. Programs in English and admission requirements are described in a special catalog, International Study Programmes Brochure, as well as on the website Study in Holland (www.studyin.nl).
For locals, everything is simpler: after completing an academic track in secondary school (lasting six years - from 12 to 18 years old) and obtaining a VWO diploma, you are welcome at the university; after studying for five years in a professional profile and obtaining an HAVO diploma, you are welcome at hogescholen. A foreigner, on the other hand, will have to verify their own educational documents for compliance with Dutch ones (especially for applicants from non-EU countries) and take language exams - Dutch if a program in that language is chosen, or English. Average passing TOEFL scores are 500-550, IELTS 5.5-7. For master's programs, a completed higher education (bachelor's degree) is required.
The Dutch government aims to make education accessible to as many students and young professionals from different countries as possible. There are many scholarship and grant programs designed for different categories of students and graduate students. Young people from the European Union have the most opportunities, but the doors are not closed to others. One of the most powerful Dutch scholarship programs – the Hoygens Scholarship Programme – is open to absolutely everyone. The conditions for obtaining scholarships for the next academic year are changing; details can be found on the website www.nuffic.nl/huygens.
Another international scholarship program – Erasmus Mundus – is run by the European Commission. It is intended for students from non-EU countries and involves studying in joint master's programs in which at least three European countries participate. The total grant amount is €21,000 per year. Details are on the website www.europe.eu.
It is also worth sending a scholarship inquiry to the international office of the chosen university: in addition to those listed, there may be other types of financial aid.
A student visa does not give the right to work for foreign students from non-EU countries. However, they can obtain a special permit from the Dutch immigration authorities: in this case, they can work no more than 10 hours per week during the semester and full-time in the summer.
Malta
We are used to considering Malta an English-speaking country, and we go there primarily to learn English. The only university in Malta also teaches in English. Yet the first official language of this country is Maltese. You can also study in it... But foreigners are not even required to know it.
The main thing is that the University of Malta, one of the oldest in Europe, has an excellent reputation, and its diplomas are recognized worldwide. For example, many bachelor's graduates of the University of Malta continue their studies for master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, and Cambridge. The University of Malta has students from more than 70 countries.
Can you enroll at the University of Malta with our high school diploma? Theoretically, yes. Practically, it's unrealistic: after all, their education system is British. However, the university has a foundation program, and with our diploma, you are welcome. They teach the same as in other foundation programs: English plus major subjects, and the training lasts a year. After that, you automatically enroll in the first year of your chosen faculty (one of 10). Of course, if your IELTS or TOEFL score meets the admission requirements.