Do you want to save yourself the financial burden of high PhD fees? Then you will be pleased to know that there are several countries where PhD tuition is free and world-leading. As many students choose to do, you can choose to study for free, or relatively cheap, in Germany, France, Finland, Sweden or Norway at top-rated institutions.
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Countries to study a PhD at low cost
Studying a PhD in Germany
Germany is known for its high academic standards, high standard of living, and free tuition (regardless of nationality). As many as 43 German universities, in fact, feature in the top 750 in the world in the QS World University Rankings® 2019, including Technische Universität München (61st), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (62nd), and Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (64th). German cities that made the QS list of best cities for students include Berlin, home to the currywurst museum and a fleet of cool algorithm startups, and Munich, famous for its annual Oktoberfest beer festival.
Studying a PhD in France
With 11 universities in the top 300 in the world in the QS World University Rankings, including Université PSL (ranked 50th in the world) and Ecole Polytechnique (ranked 65th), France offers low PhD tuition fees at its public universities. While the fee may be higher at a Grande École, public universities in France charge a nominal fee of approximately €380 (~$440) per year. Top student cities in France include Lyon, Toulouse, and of course Paris, which consistently ranks in the top five of the QS index of best cities for students thanks to its low tuition fees and high concentration of world-class universities.
Studying a PhD in Finland
Tuition fees are completely free for all PhD students in Finland, regardless of nationality. And the Finnish capital Helsinki, ranked 75th in the QS Best Cities for Students ranking, is home to two of the world’s top 150 universities, the University of Helsinki and Aalto University. Also worth mentioning are Finland’s wide open spaces and incredible natural phenomena, such as the eerie midnight sun and the magnificent Aurora Borealis, which lights up the Finnish night sky between 10 and 20 nights a year.
Studying a PhD in Sweden
Sweden, the EU country with the highest share of renewable energy, has no fewer than 29 magnificent national parks and 4,000 nature reserves. The progressive politics for which it is known are also reflected in its higher education system. Tuition is free for all PhD students in Sweden, and there are plenty of scholarships to cover living costs, through the Swedish Institute, for example, or individual universities. Eight Swedish universities are among the world’s top 350 in the QS World University Rankings, including Lund University, ranked 92nd in the world, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, ranked 104th.
Studying a PhD in Norway
To conclude our look at affordable European destinations to study a PhD with another Nordic country, tuition at public universities in Norway is free for all students, regardless of nationality. You will have to pay a small semester fee to the student union to cover things like exams and sports facilities, which is usually no more than 300-600 Norwegian kroner (~$36-$72). Of course, as in all Nordic countries, the cost of living is still high, so you’ll likely want to find a scholarship to help you out. As for universities, there are four Norwegian universities in the QS World University Rankings, topped by the University of Oslo, which is ranked 135th.
