While the craze to study Masters and work abroad is high, there are various roadblocks that stop many Indian students from getting there. As an Indian student, the biggest hurdles you would face while considering education abroad is the cost. Earlier, we have discussed the cheapest and most affordable study abroad destinations. However, if you’re keen to study abroad for free, and you are happy to research and navigate through extra paperwork and applications, there’s good news for you as you could find yourself studying abroad for free.
Top Countries to Study Masters for Free from India
Co-authored by Parinita Gupta
1. Germany
Germany is well known for its robust and excellent education system. It tops the list of countries where Indian students can pursue higher education practically free of cost. Almost all public universities in Germany do not charge any tuition fees. Though, a semester fee is charged to cover administration costs, which are around EUR 150-250. All the public universities do charge this nominal administration fee for all study programs. This semester fee also allows international students to travel (using public transport) for free.
Additionally, Indian students can also avail of the DAAD scholarship to cover living expenses.
2. Norway
It is a priority for Norwegian authorities to maintain and develop an education system of high quality, which is open to all, regardless of the student’s social and economic background. This also counts for international students. Norway is a very wealthy country. Norwegians enjoy a highly developed welfare state, where education and health services are, to a large extent, free.
Public universities in Norway do generally not charge tuition fees. There are fees to join the student association, which also pays for the exams at the end of the semester. But that won’t set you back more than 600 NOK (around 60 – 66 Euros).
Private universities, not being funded by the state, do charge tuition fees, often as high as in other countries in Europe. But international students pay the same amount as the Norwegian and EU/EEA students. Read more about Study in Norway for Free.
3. Sweden
Sweden is a global leader in innovation and research.The education framework in Sweden is one of the best in the world for their teaching methods. The universities in Sweden teach you to think critically, independently, and creatively.
Universities in Sweden don’t just focus on completing credits to get a degree. They are focused on reasoning, rationality, and most importantly, application. You will be challenged (and encouraged) to contribute and take your education into your own hands. The faculty members and review committees will be hyper-critical of your coursework and assignments but in a constructive (and practical) way. Read more about Studying Masters in Sweden.
Swedish universities do charge tuition fees. But, several universities likeKTH,Uppsala University,Karolinska Institute,Lund University, Chalmers University of Technology, andthe University of Gothenburg offer generous and full tuition-fee scholarships to Indian students. In fact, KTH also offers a monthly living stipend along with a full tuition-fee scholarship to Indian students.
4. Switzerland
Switzerlandhas a huge reputation for providing a strong rate of vocational training and a high level of skill diversity.In total there are 12 universities in Switzerland and a smaller number of science and research specific higher education institutions. Eight of these universities in the QS World University Rankings, with the highest being ETH Zurich, ranked at number 10. Four of these universities are also listed in the top 100.
Switzerland charges very nominal tuition fees to international students. However,top universities likeETH Zurich, EPFL, University of Lausanne, IMD, etc. do provide scholarships to cover living expenses to meritorious international students pursuing a Masters’s degree. Read more about theScholarships to Study in Switzerland.
5. USA
On paper, the US is one of the most expensive countries to study as an international student. But, for meritorious students with excellent profiles, full tuition fee scholarships along with living stipends is pretty possible. It’s definitely competitive; but, possible.
Don’t believe it?
Here are a few stories of Indian students who studied abroad (MS and MBA degrees) at the top US universities for free:
- MIT MS in US with full scholarship
- Stanford MBA with full scholarship
- How I got a free MBA in USA and saved 70 lakh rupees
- Full scholarship for MBA in US with stipend for Indian student
- Carlson MBA admit with full scholarship (and no application fees!)
- Full MBA scholarship & graduate assistantship in second attempt
6. France
Surprised?
Francemay not be quite as widely known as Germany for affordable higher education, but international students may be surprised to hear they can also study in France for free (or, at a very low cost), regardless of their nationality.
Themajority of programs offering the chance to study in France for free are taught in the native language. However, there are a growing number of opportunities to study in English, particularly at the graduate level.
7. Other Countries
You can also consider countries like Slovenia, Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria, Brazil, and Mexico. However, in those countries, you need to know the native language.
Related Articles:
Cheapest Countries to Study Abroad for Indian Students
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Author Parinita Gupta: Parinita is a full-time banking professional. Additionally, she is also a passionate blogger and digital marketer.
She mostly writes about the Banking & Finance, Technology, and FinTech sector. But, she also enjoys writing on other topics as well.You can follow her on Twitter.
