European education has always been valued highly. Today, the European Diploma of higher education institution can give graduates the opportunity to find a high-paying job, be a great specialist and gain invaluable knowledge and experience. Also the option, when foreign students after graduation stay to live in one of the EU countries, is relevant, which would have been impossible under normal conditions. One way or another, but the admission into the European higher education institution is seen by many foreign students as a good platform for the career development and whole life. But not all can pay for education in a foreign university, so students are looking for different ways to reduce training costs.
How to choose the university? First of all, when choosing a university, make sure that the quality of education there will be much higher than domestic, and that you expect good prospects for its completion. You must start from the specialty you are interested and looking to the institutions and schools included in the top 20-200 around the world, depending on your ambitions. Also, of course, you need to consider your preferences on the country and language, as well as the possibility of financing the program. In any case, it must be remembered that the study abroad should not be a goal in itself.
What degree is most possible to get abroad? The receiving of the first bachelor’s degree is complicated by the fact that training is often conducted in the national language. In English-speaking countries, as a rule, bachelor program is expensive, and funding opportunities are minimal. Therefore, the best option is to get the first degree in the homeland and continuing education (Master’s degree or doctorate) abroad. However, different countries have their own nuances. In the U.S., there are virtually no free magistrates, at the same time, post-graduate students for teaching and research assistantship are conversely paid additional scholarship. To enter a decent free Masters in France and Germany will not be difficult even for the average student, but scholarships are only to the most prominent.
The most expensive education in prestigious British universities – the highest level of education is noticed there, the classical system, wonderful teachers work and a diploma, for example, of Oxford is valued very highly in the world. But for those who are not willing to pay a premium for their education, have the opportunity to study at prestigious universities in other countries for free.
One of the most prosperous and developed regions of Europe is Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark). And the highest in all of Europe budget is fixed here that is allocated to the development of education – about 7 – 8% of GDP. Scandinavians are very thorough in everything; they have achieved a good standard of life, but to dwell on the excellent quality of higher education in the external market do not hurry, avoiding a large influx of foreign students.
In Norway and Finland, the higher education for foreign students is absolutely free, as it is funded by the state. In this case, the student will have to pay for accommodation only (food, personal needs, entertainment, and hostel). Previously, the education was free in Sweden, but in 2011, the situation has changed and now students have to pay tuition at universities. It should be noted that in these countries many benefits are offered to students – states support students in every way they can.
Foreign students have the right to for special benefits while getting a place in the hostel. Also, any foreign student has the right to officially work while studying full-time. Most of the universities in Sweden, Norway and Finland accept foreign students according to special conditions on exchange programs, which here are called free movers or visiting students. It is also possible the reception of foreign students who do not belong to any programs.
What to enter and get a scholarship? In order to enter the prestigious Masters and/or receive a scholarship you do not have to be a genius. But, by the time of submitting the application, you must have a set of specific skills, experience and knowledge to characterize you as an outstanding student (top 10%). You must have a high average score (at least 4.5), excellent knowledge of English (TOEFL iBT > 90) and optionally other learning language, work experience and participation in conferences, publications and other successful extracurricular activities. Since the marks are often not the main selection criteria, so even if you “woke up” in the last year, you still have a chance. In practice, the work experience, conferences, publications and even the knowledge of the language can be received for a year or even, with a strong desire, for six months.
What are the types of scholarships? First of all, scholarships vary according to the source of their funding: they are national, university and other private foundations. In addition, grants can be divided into general (international), and aimed at a social or ethnic group. After all – grants may be allocated on merit or financial need.
Another differentiation of scholarships is due to their size. Scholarships may cover only part of the tuition (partial tuition waiver), the entire cost of education (full tuition waiver) and, most interestingly, the entire cost of tuition and accommodation / food / insurance, which is usually expressed as a monthly transferred amount of money. The amount depends on the specific program and is usually between 500 and 2000 euros (post-graduate students always receive more).
So, Erasmus Mundus is a program set by EU for student exchange between the EU countries and the states of the “third world”. According to it the citizens “third” countries receive scholarships to study in the EU and vice versa. In the “Erasmus” there are master scholarships, but the course can only be selected from a list proposed by the program. Master program of “Erasmus” lasts for 1-2 years and is at least at two different European universities (the consortium), and sometimes at a whole dozen institutions, after which the student receives several diplomas. The program is designed for representatives of almost all existing professions: physicists, lyricists, and undecided. Scholarship by “Erasmus” is $21,000 a year. This amount covers all costs: on education, travel, accommodation, and a maximum of student needs – books, food, photocopies. The school year usually begins in the period from August to November. Documents should be applied directly to the chosen course, each of which is set with deadline. To participate in this program it is necessary to be a bachelor of something you like and have good skills of language of at least one of the host universities. In this case, English, Spanish or Italian, this should be confirmed with the degree of surrender language exam.
What is the application process? Importantly in most cases you do not need to pass any exams. Your application consists of a number of required documents, according to the selection of which the decision on your admission (or a scholarship) will be taken. Usually they are certified copies of diplomas + their and applications translations, language certificate (TOEFL, IELTS), cover letter and/or a research proposal, CV, and an example of written work. For post-graduate students the test GRE certificate for checking verbal, analytical and mathematical ability may be required.
Thus, the receiving of higher education abroad depends on how morally and financially you are ready to foreign culture. Even though the free training in high school is available, do not forget about local life level, which requires certain costs – buying food, clothing, if necessary, a trip to another city or a neighboring country. So be prepared for the costs and make a shot in order to achieve the desired success!
