If you want to study in Europe, your parent's income may not be the decider in the quality of education you receive. There are tuition free universities in European countries such as Norway, Sweden and Germany.
Norway
International students flock to Norway to study as they get a high quality education at little to no cost. The Norwegian government finances education with taxpayers' money so foreign students along with native students can enjoy a free ride at state universities. But the catch with studying in Norway is that living expenses can be high with NOK 8,900 (approx. 1,200 GBP) needed just for subsistence per month. This will cover room and board, clothing, healthcare, transport and miscellaneous expenses.
In Norway, there are eight universities, twenty state university colleges and sixteen private colleges. The University of Oslo, University of Bergen, University of Stavanger, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), University of Agder (UiA) and the University of Nordland are some of the tuition free universities that this Scandinavian country boasts of.
The Norwegian Universities and College Admission Service (NUCAS) is the coordinator of undergraduate admission.
University of Oslo
The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), or otherwise known as the Shanghai Ranking, has ranked it the 67th best university in the world. The University of Oslo has several noteworthy academics and alumni, spanning many disciplines. The university has produced five Nobel Prize winners and is institutionally connected to some of the world's most prestigious prizes. Between 1947 and 1989, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded at this university. Furthermore, it is the only university to host a Nobel Prize ceremony.
Sweden
Up until 2010, Sweden had been one of the few European nations countries that had no tuition fees. It did not matter what your nationality was as Swedish taxpayers would foot the bill. But all good things come to an end and in 2010, the Swedish parliament passed a law to charge tuition and application fees for non-EU/EEA students. At the same time, scholarship programs were offered.
Even though there are no tuition free universities in Sweden anymore, a large number of these institutions offer full scholarships (tuition waivers, etc) for international students.
Top Tuition Free Swedish Universities
Lund University
Halmstad University
Uppsala University
Stockholm University
Stockholm School of Economics
Jonkoping University
Uppsala University
This research university in Uppsala, Sweden, is actually the country's oldest having been founded in 1477. It ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe and it is quite prominent in international rankings too.
The university became considerably recognized during the rise of the Swedish Empire at the end of the 16th century.
Germany
German universities have only recently started charging tuition fees for undergraduate study programs. Right now, just 4 out of 16 Federal states - Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Hamburg, and Lower Saxony- charge tuition fees that are as little as 500 Euros per semester. All other federal states just request a small semester contribution of around 50 Euros with no tuition fees charged.
Tuition fees for Graduate Programs
Tuition fees are generally charged for Master's programs. Here the fees range from 650 Euros to 3,000 Euros per Semester. The estimated cost of studying and living in Germany is much less than
Denmark
Most colleges in Denmark offer free education (for Citizens, EEU, people with certain visa types etc). Major Universities (which are one of the best in Europe) are University of Copenhagen and University of Kiel. All Danish citizens are also offered tuition aid/scholarships.
Finland
Currently there is no tuition fees for studying in Finland. From 2017 non EU/EEA students will have to pay tuition fees (for courses offered in English). Each University will have it's own fee structure. University of Helsinki and University of Turku are top ranked universities of Finland. Students need to cover their living expenses.
Norway and other Nordic countries. On average, German students spend roughly 800 Euros for accommodation, transport, food, and other necessities. Germany's research driven programs are a top draw and they have been the inspiration for today's American graduate schools.
