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Europe is a good choice for people looking to study abroad. Many international students prefer to study in Europe because it is home to top-ranking universities in the world, offers a wide range of courses, provides modern facilities, a high standard of living, and better income to graduates.
There is a common query among Indian students regarding "which exam is required for study in Europe ?". It is suggested to prepare for examination related to English Proficiency like IELTS, or TOEFL. Many universities in Europe also demand GRE or GMAT scores as a proof for enrolling in courses related to Business, or Engineering.
Some of the cheapest universities in Europe for international students without IELTS include Nord University, University of Padua, Technical University of Braunschweig, University of Pisa, University of Vienna, and many more. In recent years, it has become a popular demand among international students to facilitate without IELTS study in Europe.
European countries such as the UK, France, Germany , and Ireland have world-class educational facilities to study in Europe. Countries like Germany also have good post-study work options. Many European nations offer the option of working while studying.
Now the next step becomes applying for Europe study visa which takes approximately a period of 3 to 4 months of duration for international students. Some of the basic Europe study visa requirements are academic transcripts, an admission letter from a university in the country, passport-size photos, copy of visa application form, English language proficiency exam proof, proof of funds, and much more.
Read the article to know more about study in Europe without IELTS, Europe college admissions, requirements to study in Europe, and Europe study visa.
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Study in Europe 2024-Intakes
The United Kingdom, France and Germany are a few of the best countries to study in Europe for Indian students. When it comes to making applications for universities in Europe, students must be aware that the deadlines vary from country to country and deadlines can depend on the fact whether students will require a student visa.
For students planning to apply for the autumn semester of a particular year, the applications might close as early as January of that year for some countries while for some countries it might be as late as July or even September. Once they zero in a country or a university it is better that students do thorough research on admission intakes so that they do not miss these crucial admission deadlines.
Since Europe has many countries with different universities, choosing the right one to study in can be difficult. However, there are certain factors that students can take into consideration when making a choice. The first important factor to consider would be the country’s attitude towards foreign students. Countries with a higher percentage of foreign student population indicate that the country encourages foreign students to pursue their studies.
The next factor is to look at top-ranking universities in Europe and the countries they are located. For instance, many universities in the UK appear in the list of top-ranking universities. Another factor would be the cost of studying in Europe. Students can make a comparison of the tuition costs and living expenses in different countries and choose the one that matches their budget.
Students can also consider the scholarships that will be available and their eligibility for a student loan before making their choice. They should also consider the subject that they want to study and universities in Europe that have the best faculty and expertise to teach the subject.
Choose the study program and the course they want to study.
Make a list of the European countries and the universities where their course is offered.
Contact shortlisted colleges and universities.
Check on the eligibility and admission requirements.
Take the tests required for admission.
Explore options to finance their studies.
Get confirmation for admission.
Apply for a student visa.
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Here are some common eligibility criteria to study in Europe:
Students must be at least 17 years of age.
Students must have a minimum score of 50% on their high school exam.
Students may have to write the entrance exam for admission to some of the European universities.
Students may sometimes be required to give a test in the language of the specific European country where they wish to seek admission.
English language proficiency test results are compulsory for certain European universities.
Popular Exams for Study Abroad
International students must distinguish between different types of visas before applying to visa in Europe. Following are the different types of Europe study visas.
This is a temporary visa for international students who wish to study in Europe. This Europe study visa is valid in those European countries that are members of the Schengen group of countries. This student visa in Europe is valid for 90 days but can be extended. Students can get this visa without the requirement to write an English language proficiency test or a language test specific to the country.
This visa is for international students who wish to enrol in courses and programs that require a stay in Europe for more than six months. This Europe study visa also includes a residency permit. This visa is required for masters in Europe for Indian students.
This is the most common Europe student visa issued by European countries for international students who wish to study in Europe.They can apply for this student visa in Europe once they have an admission letter or offer of admission from a European university.
These are the documents required for the Europe student visa from India:
Completed visa application form of the specific European country that they have selected
Certificate to prove that they meet the age requirement of the country
Valid passport
Proof of having adequate funds to meet their expenses for student visa Europe.
Proof that they meet the language requirements of student visa for Europe.
Like for many other countries, cost of education includes tuition fees along with living expenses for international students. These estimates are required for student visa purposes.
The tuition fees vary across different countries in Europe. The fees depend upon the course, country and university they choose to study in. Some universities charge no tuition fees from students for bachelor's, masters and Ph.D. in Germany. This is because of the tuition-free universities in Germany for international students universities that exist. For MBBS in Europe, Germany is the best option as the tuition fees are relatively low. However, students will need enough funds to meet living costs.
Average tuition fees for international students in Europe
Study Program | Average Tuition Fees in EUR |
Bachelor’s Degrees | 42,500 Euros per year |
Master’s Degree | 56,000 Euros per year |
Living expenses for foreign students also vary depending on the country of residence. Living costs in some of the best countries to study in Europe will include accommodation, food transport etc.
Entertainment costs and mobile phone recharge costs can be added to living costs. European countries that have lower living costs are Italy, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden etc. Students can choose their country based on their budget and the course and university they wish to study.
Living Cost factors to study in Europe
Type of living cost | Description |
Accommodation cost to study in Europe | In general, there are three common types of accommodation available. Students can choose to live on campus, or off-campus in rented apartments. Students can also stay with families, as paying guests. Usually, staying on campus is expensive. It is cheaper to stay just outside in rented apartments, while the cheapest option is the homestay option. |
Food expenses | This is an important component of the total cost of any international student. All countries, restaurants and their food chains understand this. So, from local restaurants to food chains, there are a number of inexpensive eateries in and around where students live, in every student destination. |
Transportation costs | This is an important component of the total cost of any international student. All countries, restaurants and their food chains understand this. So, from local restaurants to food chains, there are a number of inexpensive eateries in and around where students live, in every student destination. |
Average living cost for students in major European countries
Name of country | Average living cost per year (EUR) |
UK | 12,180 |
France | 9,900 |
Germany | 10,200 |
Ireland | 12,000 |
Netherlands | 900-13,500 |
The good news is that international students who wish to study in Europe have access to a number of scholarships. Some of these scholarships will cover a part of the tuition fees while some will take care of the whole tuition expenses and part of the living costs as well.
Some of these scholarships are funded by governments of European countries while some others are private scholarships. Here are some of the significant scholarships available to international students who plan to study in Europe.
DAAD Scholarships with Relevance to Developing Countries (Germany)
Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (Sweden)
VLIR-UOS Scholarship Awards (Belgium)
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program (France)
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Students (Switzerland)
Danish Government Scholarships for Non-EU/EEA Students (Denmark)
British Council GREAT Education Full Scholarships - British Council IELTS scholarship
The Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarship
Scotland’s Saltire scholarships
Orange Tulip scholarship
Some of the oldest universities in the world like Oxford, and Cambridge are located in Europe and the academic excellence of these universities set the standard for the rest of the world’s universities. According to the latest QS world university rankings, here are the top ten universities in Europe.
Cheapest universities in Europe for international students without IELTS
S.no | Name of University | QS Ranking 2025 |
1 | 5 | |
2 | 3 | |
3 | 2 | |
4 | ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology | 7 |
5 | UCL | 9 |
6 | 27 | |
7 | Université PSL | 24 |
8 | =34 | |
9 | EPFL | 26 |
10 | Technical University of Munich | 28 |
11 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris | 46 |
12 | =40 | |
13 | =50 | |
14 | Delft University of Technology | 49 |
15 | University of Bristol | 54 |
Business management
Engineering
Culinary arts
Design
Pure and applied sciences
Medicine
Arts and humanities
Finance
Best countries to study abroad
Working while studying: International students studying in Europe can work part-time in certain countries. The rules differ from country to country. Candidates must check their options in the country that they have chosen to study in.
Post-study work options: Many European countries offer various post-study work options for students. They can apply for temporary residence or a work permit as soon as they graduate to stay back in the country and work.
Access to world-class education: The universities are well-known for their excellent standards of education. The universities in Europe have good infrastructure, excellent academic standards and a wide range of courses. The cutting-edge research facilities are another advantage of studying in Europe for international students.
Low tuition fees: The tuition fees in European public universities are lower compared to other countries. In some countries such as Germany, there are no tuition fees in public universities.
Study in English: Most of the European universities offer courses in the English language which means that candidates need not necessarily learn the local language to study in Europe in English.
Post-study career opportunities: Most countries in Europe give an opportunity to stay back and work in the country once students have finished their studies. This will not only give a boost to their career but also give them a chance to settle down in that country.
Opportunity to travel: Students will get an opportunity to travel to other countries on the continent. This is especially true when they are studying in a country belonging to the Schengen group of nations when they can travel to other nations in the Schengen area without a visa.
Experience of cultural diversity: European universities have students from different countries. This allows students to interact with people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
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Many European countries offer free education in public universities while in some other universities you may be required to pay a minimum amount for tuition fees. However you have to pay for your living costs. Apart from this, you will have access to scholarships and stipends for which you will have to apply.
The good news is that IELTS is no longer mandatory for admission to some European universities. If you have a degree from a university with English medium or have completed your education in any of the English speaking countries like USA, Canada or Australia you will be exempted from the IELTS.
Apart from this, certain European universities accept scores of other English language proficiency tests apart from the IELTS. These tests are:
No, it is not necessary to learn the local language for international students who wish to study in Europe because most of the universities here offer courses in English. However it is better to learn the local language to interact with the local people and learning a new language comes with its own benefits.
It is possible to work part-time during your course and also during vacations to support your studies. However each country will have restrictions on the maximum number of hours a student can work. So you must check the rules in the country you are studying in.
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