Students enter Western universities in order to live abroad and get more opportunities for further employment. But tuition fees at many universities run into the thousands of dollars, and after the fall of the ruble, education abroad has become even less affordable for Russians.
But a diploma from a good Western university can be obtained for free or for little money. The Village spoke with students who went to study in the USA, Canada, France, Italy and Germany, and asked how they managed to enter the budget and what they did for this.
How to proceed?
Sofya Rakitina
student at Tor Vergata University, Rome
I graduated from the sociological faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University last year. The dream of going to study abroad came to me back in school - I remember how, when I was applying to Moscow State University, I saw a wall newspaper on the first floor of the social faculty building with the students' impressions of internships in Finland and Germany, this largely determined my choice when applying for admission. Unfortunately, during my studies, I never succeeded in fulfilling my dream: visits to the international department of Moscow State University ended in the fact that I was sent to my faculty, where they replied that I needed to go back to the main building. Collected information bit by bit.
Then I chose the country and the training program rather from the available offers than based on any of my own desires, although, of course, English-speaking countries were in priority. After graduating from Moscow State University, I entered the master's program at The University of Bradford. I chose the university according to the rating and the passing scores of the IELTS exam. That year, the exchange rate went up very much, and after much deliberation, my parents and I decided that even with the scholarships covering tuition, living expenses, textbooks and flights would hit our family's budget very hard. I had to give up this opportunity.
This year, my choice fell on the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata), where I will study in the Master's program at the Faculty of Economics. I also entered the University of Pisa, but decided that I still want to study and live in Rome. It is captivating that it is easier to find a job in a big city, and besides, I really like to spend my leisure time without sitting on the couch.
The admission process was long and not without a hassle. I applied for documents back in March. I received an answer from the universities only in mid-June, and then ran frantically, filling out the documents. In general, according to the rules for admission in Italy, documents can be submitted to only one university, and the procedure for communication with the university takes place through the cultural center of Italy. A student brings documents there, he sends them to the university, and after a while, lists of students are published, whose candidacies are approved by the admissions committee.
There is no budgetary higher education in Italy... Studying at public universities is relatively inexpensive - from 300 to 3 thousand euros per year, in private schools the price tag is much higher
To submit documents, you need to translate the diploma into Italian, make an apostille of the diploma and issue Dichiarazione di valore - confirmation of education documents at the Italian consulate, which also costs money and time. But, probably, in order to increase the number of applicants, some universities are ready, without these papers, to give students an answer in advance about the possibility of admission, so that, having secured their approval, they can calmly begin to draw up all the papers.
There is no budgetary higher education in Italy. Studying in public universities is relatively inexpensive - from 300 to 3 thousand euros per year, in private schools the price tag is much higher. My university pays tuition for students from poor families (unfortunately or fortunately, I do not fit the criteria). For a scholarship that covers housing costs, I will still fight in the fall, when the competition opens.
Accommodation on the campus that my university offers is very expensive (from 500 to 900 euros per month). Therefore, I will rent a room in an apartment within walking distance of the faculty for 300 euros. There is really a lot of spending: paying for housing immediately two months in advance, air tickets, visas, buying shoes and clothes for the new academic year, and so on. In order to obtain a student visa, you need about 450 thousand rubles on the card.
So far, the plans are to adapt in another country, improve Italian, find work opportunities. I don't like shouting about big goals, I prefer to show results.
Sasha Levkun
PhD student at the University of California, San Diego
In June of this year, I graduated from the bachelor's degree in economics at the Higher School of Economics. Since September, I have been continuing my PhD program at the University of California, San Diego.
At the beginning of the third year of my bachelor's degree, I thought about an academic career, and by the end of the course I had already convinced myself that the level of aspirations and the rhythm of life in the academic environment corresponded to my ambitions and character. Professor Anton Suvorov helped me a lot with his advice and instructions, who was my scientific advisor in the third year and brought me to my thesis supervisor Maarten Janssen. The country selection process was fairly straightforward because most of the leading PhD programs in economics are located in the United States.
The package of documents consists of GRE and TOEFL certificates, a transcript of grades, a resume, a motivation letter and, probably, the most important thing - the recommendations of professors with whom you managed to work during your studies. References are usually a key factor when deciding whether to accept a student for a program. When applying for a PhD, the entire package of documents is sent to 10–20 universities to maximize the chances of admission to a program whose level corresponds to the student's intentions. I have sent documents to nine American universities and one French. The sending of documents itself takes place in December, and responses from universities come from February to mid-April.
PhD programs in the USA usually completely contain students for the period of study, so this was not a problem. All the money comes from the university itself, which covers the tuition fees, and also provides a scholarship and salary for the services of a grader, seminar or laboratory assistant.
The program lasts five years. In the first year, the emphasis is on three core courses: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Econometrics. At the end of the year, I have to pass very important exams for these courses. In the second year of study, an idea usually appears about the field of economics, which is more interesting and within which the student would like to write his dissertation. Accordingly, the student recruits courses that match his interests. The last three years have been devoted to the actual writing of the dissertation. Now I'm interested in something at the intersection of game theory and statistics, but perhaps my field of interest will change or expand.
For the first year, I and two of my classmates rent a house near the university - this is a common practice, at least in California. The costs of moving themselves are the purchase of plane tickets and visa fees. The expected costs on site, which include rent, transportation, food, clothing, and so on, should be covered by the scholarship with a small margin. Scholarships at universities are different, which is naturally due to different living costs in different cities: it ranges from 20 to 35 thousand dollars a year.
Now I want to successfully complete the first year of my studies. I am not yet ready to answer about a longer time interval.
Nastya Dreval
Sorbonne student, Paris
Before moving, I studied in the magistracy at the theater department of GITIS. I was interested in the theater of the absurd and the drama of the absurd. I began to study Beckett a lot. That is how I decided to continue my studies abroad: I decided that for the complete absurdity, I want to sit on Beckett's grave and write a dissertation on Beckett. And Beckett's grave is in Paris, and to enter the Sorbonne or the Higher Normal School is beautiful. This is how I chose the University Paris III New Sorbonne (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3 - Département: Institut d "Etudes Théâtrales, IET).
I do not think that studying abroad gives any special advantages in finding a job, for example. In my opinion, the more mobile a person is, the more mobile his thought. Going somewhere to study or get a job is like adding a little oil to pasta. I don't want to get stuck together, so I look for and use any movement-related opportunities.
The concepts of “for a budget” and “for a headscarf” are not quite appropriate here. In France, all education is free, with the exception of some special schools and institutes. I decided to do it easy. The next stage was, perhaps, the most difficult, but after you really made up your mind, it is impossible to quit this business. There is some kind of unhealthy excitement in collecting documents. In total, this is about 80 scanned pages that need to be filled in a special Campus France dossier. These pages are not only translated copies of the certificate, diploma and certificate from the place of study, but also all documents that are related to my activities in the theater. Few people think about it, but preparing documents is expensive! All these translations and notarization cost me about 30 thousand rubles.
Collection of documents takes place in autumn and winter. Around the same time, it would be nice to still prepare for the language exam. In France, you can take either DALF or TCF. I chose TCF because it seems easier to me. The required passing level is different for all universities. I applied for nine programs, three of which were refused due to a low level of language (I have an average B2).
It is quite difficult to raise money to apply for a visa. Long-term student visa is requested for one year, therefore, in the account there must be a large amount
Having received the result of the exam, I added this last document to my dossier, clicked the "send for verification" button and waited. Campus France checked all documents and invited me for an interview. At the interview, they are asked to tell you who you want to work after training, how well you know English, they may be asked to correct some scans of documents. If everything is in order with the documents and motivation, Campus France clicks the no-return button. Answers from universities begin to arrive by mail from mid-April.
At the beginning of July, as a rule, everything is clear with admission.
I am not getting a scholarship yet, but I hope so. I do not have a schedule yet, but from the program I learned that I will study until about three, theory and practice will be approximately equal, and there will be about a million additional seminars and special courses.
My program does not provide for dorms, so I will rent a room (or rather, half a room in a studio with an attic) with my neighbor. It is possible for the same money or even a little cheaper to rent a private room in some hostels, but I would not like to live in unsafe areas.
It is quite difficult to raise money to apply for a visa. A long-term student visa is requested for a year, therefore, a large amount must be on the account. The website of the visa center says that the monthly living wage is 615 euros. I multiplied 615 euros by 11 months (because we study until July), and my mother collected this amount from her savings and from friends. As soon as I was given a visa, we, of course, gave this money back. Another financial difficulty is renting a house and buying food. I figured that on average, for the first time, I would need about a thousand euros per month, and as soon as I get used to it, about 850 euros. 550 of them is a monthly rent for half a room (chambre partagée) in a good area.
I hope to understand in two years whether I want to build an academic career or work. I also hope that shifting from one cultural background to another will help me write a couple of good stories or a small book.
Anna Malova
student at the University of Glasgow
To be honest, I have always strived to study abroad. While studying at the Faculty of Economics of the Higher School of Economics, I traveled to Canada and realized that I would like to get a PhD abroad. There was only one problem in this scheme - finance. I quickly realized that the easiest and most understandable way for me was to get a scholarship for research programs.
The PhD program is designed for five years, which you must fully and completely spend on research in the chosen field. Tuition is paid in full by the host universities, including room, board and any related expenses. However, the enrollment for such programs is only 10–20 people, and there are many more applicants, so the university needs to prove that you have great research potential and will glorify the university when you become an important shot in the scientific world. One cannot enter the world's top universities without publications in scientific journals and recommendations from literally world-famous professors. I'm not talking about the fact that you have to pass TOEFL or IELTS for a very decent score, GRE (when it comes to economics), write a strong motivation letter and spend a lot of energy filling out all kinds of questionnaires when applying.
In the fall of my fourth year, I thought that I would go to get a PhD in the States, so I passed all the necessary exams, enlisted the support of several teachers and applied to two universities. I was stupid when I was hoping for something, and, naturally, I didn’t go anywhere, because in order to enter, you have to apply to at least ten universities and that there are those on this list, admission to which is almost certain. I, in principle, did not particularly try to enroll in a PhD, because a five-year commitment terribly scared me, and I could not find such scholarships for a master's degree in the United States. By the summer, I calmed down and decided to stay in Russia for a master's degree, and only then decide whether I still want a doctorate degree or not.
But on the day of exams for the MSU master's program, a letter from my faculty came to my personal mail that at the University of Glasgow (Scotland, UK) there is a scholarship for Masters by Research in Economics (such a master's program, which can be completed in two years, three more years and get a PhD), but you need to apply urgently. Since I received all the necessary certificates in the fall, I just decided to try my luck and sent all the documents that I had.
Two days later, the answer came that I was accepted and an urgent need to get a visa: the academic year begins on September 5. The scholarship was enough for the British Embassy to issue me a study visa without hesitation. By the way, the visa itself turned out to be terribly expensive, and since I can only get a scholarship directly in the UK, my mother had to invest. But I promised to return everything to her in a couple of months! The embassy requires about a thousand pounds a month, if the university is not in London, and the scholarship should be slightly higher than this amount. I think you can live on less money - I hope that about 300-400 pounds will remain in my piggy bank every month. By the way, living in a dorm will cost about 450 pounds a month, which is not cheaper than renting an apartment, but I would like to spend at least the first year on campus surrounded by other students. I have lived in a hostel in Moscow for all four years.
For the next two years, I will be going to couples and doing research under the guidance of several professors on a topic that interests me. But if last fall I had not invested in passing exams and recommendations, no one would have invited me to study economics "at the expense of the institution." It is necessary to prepare and plan your studies in at least one and a half to two years, accumulating money for submitting applications and passing exams, doing research activities, in addition to coursework and a diploma. The very filing of an application on the website to a foreign university costs about $ 100, each exam (language certificate and GRE / GMAT) - another $ 255.
Personally, I don't know what will happen in ten years, but I know for sure that in the foreseeable future I would like to get a PhD degree in one of the most prestigious universities in the world, necessarily in the USA, because childhood dreams are ineradicable, and postgraduate education in the States is practically the best in the world.
Lina Markina
student at the University of Avignon and Vaucluse
I love to study, I always wanted to get a second degree. She graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University and a year ago decided to move to France for this purpose. Why exactly there? This is one of the very few countries where free education is possible for foreign citizens. I chose an educational institution according to a slightly strange principle - I was looking for cities that are close to the ocean or sea, relatively calm, not crowded with tourists. I submitted documents to six universities, I was accepted into several, and I decided to go to Avignon - the climate is suitable, and not far from all major cities, well, the sea is several tens of kilometers away (and there is still Provence there, as Yolka sang).
It was necessary to pass only one exam - on knowledge of the language (level B2 – C1, depending on the requirements of the university). In Russia and not only there is a special office called Campus France - their representatives advise future students, conduct interviews, accept your documents in an electronic dossier for applicants to the university. Without this procedure, foreigners simply physically cannot get to study in France.
You must first pay the registration fee, then translate all documents (diploma, certificate, birth certificate, work certificates and / or work book) into French and notarize all this, and even with an apostille. Campus checks all this, if everything is ok - the dossier confirms, and you can start sending documents to universities. The most important thing is also to write a good motivation letter, where you explain why the hell do you need all this and why the hell does this country need you (not your own, but the host country, of course). An application for training must be sent before March 31, then the low season begins until mid-summer - this is when you sit and wait for all universities to respond. Usually they start responding in May, but they can also at the end of July.
To tell the truth, it's a mystery to me how they choose who gets paid and who gets free. Usually in public universities there is a certain quota for students who are provided with free places. In general, the French have a division into a university and a higher school, studying at school is considered much more prestigious, but the cost of education exceeds all imaginable boundaries. Therefore, I just sat and hoped that they would be accepted for free, although I did not really doubt it, because I sent the documents to not the most popular cities (I did not even consider Paris).
I do not yet know exactly how everything will be arranged at my faculty, because studies begin only on September 5, and in August all universities are on vacation. I will wait for the beginning of the month to go through all the administrative and pedagogical procedures and choose my subjects.
I rented a room while in Moscow: the French embassy requires students to provide accommodation reservations for the first three months in France. Why three is not clear. I was looking for housing on the sites. I managed to find an adequate hostess who was ready to rent me a room, never seeing me in my life, and I paid her a deposit and rent for the first month without looking. The stars came together, and now I have a nice room and a 20-meter ivy-covered private courtyard, which can only be used by me and my neighbor.
It is impossible to establish the exact amount of money spent by me and my parents on the move. I can only say that from August to December I spent a lot of money on teachers who prepared me for the DELF exam (during this time I managed to reach B2 level by hook or by crook, although back in July I had A2), I spent literally everything money for this, did not go anywhere, sat and crammed all day and night. After the exam, I began to save almost 70% of my salary for my future life in France. Then you had to provide the visa center with a certificate stating that you have enough money on your current account, buy a plane ticket, pay for the second baggage, buy medicines with you, because everything is according to prescriptions, go to the doctors and much, much more. ...
The program description for my faculty provides a list of positions that I can apply for after graduation. To be honest, I don’t know yet if I would even want to study for two years in Avignon - maybe in three months I’ll miss the birches and leave the smiling French city back to Moscow, grumbling and unhappy with everyone.
What is it like to study abroad
Anastasia Melnichenok
student at the University of Hamburg
I studied for five years at St. Petersburg State University of Economics in St. Petersburg with a degree in Regional Studies in Western Europe, which I graduated in 2015. I decided to study abroad because I believe that Western education is valued more than Russian education even in Russia itself. Most of all, I wanted to go to the International Business and Sustainability program at the University of Hamburg, where I am currently studying. Sustainable development is a very popular and hot topic in Germany. My program is new, it appeared only in 2013, the job market is wide enough, so there should be no problems with work in the future.
There is no paid education in public universities in Germany. Everyone pays only a semester fee - here it is 300 euros. This amount includes the payment of a travel card for the entire semester (170 euros) and fees for the university and student organizations, services, hostels, canteens, and so on. For example, the university has an organization that helps students with financial, psychological, educational and other issues, all for free. The full semester pass is a lifesaver because we can travel all over Hamburg without restrictions.
I am not getting a scholarship. I tried to get a DAAD scholarship, but, unfortunately, it didn't work out. Here in Germany, I did not try to apply, because the rest of the scholarships must be received in the course of study, having marks for exams. I did not pass one exam very well - there is no point in applying: there are few scholarships, and the requirements are high.
The learning process in Germany is very different from that in Russia. You can make the schedule as you want - a list of courses is given, and you yourself choose.
I have six modules, and each requires a certain number of credit points. Usually, for each subject we are given six credit points, for the entire period of study, you need to collect 120 credit points (90 credits for courses and 30 credits for master's work). That is, it turns out that for the entire period of study you pass only about 15 subjects.
The first semester was difficult, because I had to attend many subjects, on which there were both lectures and seminars. I had to walk every day, most often by eight in the morning. One professor, fortunately, posted his lectures on the Internet, so I only attended seminars on his subject, and listened to the lectures at home while preparing for the exam. In my specialty, there are three types of final work at the end of the semester: written exam, presentation plus term paper or only term paper.
We have written exams. On average, they last one and a half to two hours. It is necessary to learn everything that was in the lectures and read additional literature at home. Often professors will tell you which slides from their presentations are important and which will not be in the exam. The best mark in Germany is 1.0. Then there are estimates of 1.3, 1.7, 2.0, and so on. 4.0 is the worst mark, lower - it is considered that you have not passed the exam. I have never gotten a 1.0 on my exams yet, no matter how hard I try.
There are not so many lectures in the second and third semesters, we now have five courses, in which we need to make presentations in the group and then write term papers. There is practically no need to go to the university, only for consultations. As a result, I have more time to work without compromising my studies. In Russia, it was enough to make a beautiful presentation with cool pictures and somehow tell the text. Presenting right there is a lot of work. In general, I do not really like working in a group, but in Germany it is important.
Usually, after presentations, you need to write term papers. There can be two or three coursework per semester, and, as a rule, they must be written during the holidays: the deadline ends two weeks before the start of the next semester.
The master's work is written for six months, and then it is checked for up to three months. My joy knew no bounds when I found out that there is no master's thesis defense, as I am very afraid to speak in front of an audience, and here I would also have to make a serious presentation in a foreign language and then answer tricky questions.
I live in hostel. It is very difficult to get a place in a hostel in Hamburg: there are many students - both foreigners and Germans from other cities. I was lucky, I saw on the website of the student society on time that you can pay for three months at once and I will be given a place in the same hostel. For a hostel I pay 244 euros a month, we have 20 people on the floor, each with his own room, about 14 meters. The room has a bed, a table, a chair, shelves, a bedside table, a wardrobe and a sink with a mirror. On the floor there are four showers and toilets, as well as a kitchen. Every morning the kitchen and toilet are cleaned by a cleaning lady. In other hostels, rooms are newer, they cost up to 380 euros.
In the hostels, no one is watching us, there is a house manager (housemaster) who comes in at nine in the morning to solve any questions and problems.
And there is a universal lock on the front door of the hostel, so everyone who has the keys to the rooms can open it. Some people illegally rent their rooms to other people.
An average of 600-700 euros per month is enough for me to live on. A hostel costs 244 euros, medical insurance costs 86 euros. I pay another 20 euros a month for a fitness room, and put 15 euros a month on my phone. I spend about 150-200 euros on food. Of course, it is much more profitable to take food from home than it is in cafes and canteens. For some time I was lazy to cook, as a result, by the end of the month I was left with almost no money. Of course, I sometimes go to a cafe with my friends, very rarely to a bar.
In general, at first I spent a lot more money. Firstly, because she herself did not earn money, now their money is being spent in a different way. I already choose products and things differently - I make fewer rash decisions.
The most important goal for the near future is to complete a master's degree. I have not yet started my master's work, but I am already planning to start. Many students study here longer than the allotted time. My program, for example, officially lasts two years, but you can study the same amount additionally. I plan to finish my studies on time - I like studying, but I'm tired of sessions, writing articles, presentations. I don’t know yet if I will stay in Hamburg after my studies, but in the future I want to find a job in Germany.
A significant number of applicants dream of getting a good education abroad and staying there. However, many are repelled by the price, because it usually turns out that the guests of the country pay more for education than their native residents. The question often arises: is it possible to get a quality education abroad for free?
Free education in Denmark
One of the countries providing free education for international students is Denmark. Only residents of the European Union countries or students who have arrived officially for exchange can study at free universities in Denmark (there must be a formal agreement between the universities). In all other cases, you will need to pay for your studies. Free education is offered by universities in the most beautiful Danish cities: Copenhagen University, Olboge, Aarhus and Odense. All of them teach in world formats in English.
Copenhagen University
Why is it worth choosing the country Denmark for studying without payment:
- Denmark is a country with one of the best teaching systems.
- Each university has a wide range of specializations.
- The education process takes place in English.
- If you are an EU citizen or came on an exchange, then you will only need to pay for living in a hostel - 300 euros per semester.
- The university provides an opportunity for a part-time job while studying.
To apply for a Danish university, you need to have the following documents:
- Certificate of English proficiency. You can get it for free.
- A letter of recommendation in the language of instruction (from the place of previous training).
- A letter of motivation from you in English (tell us why it is worth choosing you, what you can do and what you want to learn).
- Mandatory presence of a visa.
- A bank statement on the state of your account (confirmation that you have enough to live in a foreign country).
The list of other papers must be checked with the university administration. 
Free education in India
To obtain free knowledge in this eastern country, the applicant must obtain an ITEC certificate, which confirms your completion of the Indian technical and economic cooperation program. Every year the Indian government issues a decree with different professions that fit this program. Most often, visitors apply to the University of Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi and Indian State University of Management. The list of documents can be found at the Indian Embassy in your country, or on the website of the university where you will study. Each has its own list, so you need to learn it personally there. One thing can be said - a visa is required.
Anyone can apply to the University of Unity in India, even an ordinary tourist. This famous institution is engaged in the spiritual development of a person, teaching him the moral values of the world. The university is also called the "Golden City"; there are branches in many cities of the world, including Russian ones. Anyone can come there. Money usually goes only for room and board.
Free education in the UAE
UAE universities have long attracted students from all over the world. There are several types of them in this country: public (only for UAE citizens), private (some of them only for citizens) and international universities. It is precisely the latter who are engaged in free teaching. They have connections with many universities in other countries, so they develop many programs for foreigners. 
Although the language of the state is Arabic, nevertheless, all training takes place in English.
You can enter and receive knowledge for free only if you have passed the entrance exams perfectly. But before that, you must collect and display the following documents:
- A certificate for 11 classes of education at a school with a rating score of at least 3.5.
- Certificate of English proficiency.
- Study visa.
- Certificate of passing the State Testing Academic IELTS or Internet Based TOEFL.
Exams for admission are determined by profession.
Free education in the Baltics
Universities of Latvia do not give free knowledge to visiting applicants even if they pass the entrance tests with excellent marks. Free grants and places are available only for citizens of the country. Therefore, it makes no sense to talk about Latvian universities.
But Lithuanian and Estonian universities with open doors will accept literate foreign students for free education. Therefore, you must show all the necessary documents on time and pass the introductory test perfectly. If everything succeeded, you can safely apply for participation in the competition for a grant and budget places. Here are the documents you need to collect: 
- High school diploma.
- Application for enrollment in Lithuanian and Estonian universities.
- Motivation letter for the institution.
- Certificates of the TOEFL or IELTS form of knowledge of the English language (if the submission of the material will be taught in it).
- Copies of passport and photographs.
- A statement from the bank about sufficient funds for living in a foreign city (approximately 100 euros per month).
Advantages of obtaining a qualification in the Baltics:
- Specializations of the Russian or Kazakh sample are considered equal to the Baltic ones.
- Subjects for some programs are taught in Russian.
- The Baltic diploma is quoted all over the world.
- The university is obliged to send you for an internship.
- During the training, you will be assigned a mentor - a native of the city, who will help you understand the system.
- It is not necessary to know English perfectly, it will be easy to communicate with you in Russian.
In addition to grants, the Baltic States often finance loans for training with further working out of the amount in distribution companies.
Free education in Greece
Universities in Greece provide university education without payment only to visiting citizens! All residents of the country are forced to study in private institutions. This is why prospective students should choose this place: 
- Everything, including food and education, is free for visiting students.
- Registration at the university is carried out during the certificate competition. At the same time, you don't even have to be in the country.
- Knowledge of Greek is not required.
- Greek diplomas are in demand all over the world.
To do this, you need to make only one payment - for the selection of the faculty and assistance in signing papers. The sooner the applicant thinks about it, the less the amount will be. Different universities in Greece have different amounts.
To study in Greece without payment, you must provide:
- Secondary education certificate with a score of at least 4. Otherwise, the applicant will not even be able to participate in the competition.
- Certificate from the bank about the financial condition of the student's family.
- Motivation letter.
The rest of the documents can be found on the website of the selected university.
Free education in Belgium
Difficulties in obtaining knowledge at universities in Belgium are that only 2% of visiting students are taken there annually. This means that the selection is very tough. According to the rules, the number of Belgian citizens in universities should be higher. 
Of course, in order to get their place, a citizen of another country can make an additional contribution - 2000 Euro. But this must be done 10 months before the start of enrollment in the course.
Foreign visitors to the University of Belgium, of course, are given grants for knowledge and free places. Just after passing the entrance exams, you need to apply for participation in the NATO, WHO, UNESCO and UN competition. All conditions can be found on the websites of these organizations. Each applicant must be proficient in the state and English languages.
Knowledge of the language of communication is necessary at least at the initial level.
Free education in the Balkans
Serbian universities give their foreign applicants grants to acquire knowledge. Budget space includes scholarships, tuition-free tuition, and health insurance. But getting such a grant is not easy. You need to collect the following papers: 
- A school leaving certificate or a certificate of the first higher education already received.
- Bank certificate confirming financial security.
- A certificate stating that you are not convicted.
- Conclusion about the healthy state of the body.
- Passport (copy and original).
In addition, entrance exams are held, which determine whether the applicant will give money for training or not. If you did not succeed in enrolling in a university, you can send papers to 16 more Serbian universities.
Universities in Romania and universities in Hungary have the same laws. But the universities of Croatia and the universities of Slovenia cannot provide education without payment to their students from other countries. There, for a year of acquiring knowledge in a regular university, you will need to pay about 2000-2500 euros.
Free study in Portugal
If you are a citizen of the European Union or go to Portugal to exchange knowledge from another university, then you can safely apply for a free place. It is not so easy for those coming from the CIS to get there. But there are still free places.
The requirements for newcomers are no less than for the indigenous ones. All must know perfectly well the Portuguese language and the culture of the people, it does not matter whether you are a local or a newcomer. This is taken into account when passing the introductory test. Before him, you need to show a list of papers: 
- Secondary education certificate.
- Health insurance.
- A certificate from the bank about financial stability.
- Assessment for the Portuguese language proficiency test.
- Visa.
To get an excellent mark in Portuguese, you can enroll in advance for courses hosted by your chosen university. It is best to start preparing for admission in advance, rather than a few weeks before applying.
Universities in Portugal are approved as one of the highest quality and cheapest in the world.
But there are other countries that are popular among foreign applicants. So, for example, the universities of Mexico, Brazil, Thailand do not provide grants for budget-funded places for newcomers, but it is possible, because of excellent studies, to start receiving a scholarship. Thus, at least some money is returned to your hands. It is not difficult to start studying at universities, the same documents are required everywhere. It is clear that the level of education there is significantly lower than in Europe, but their diplomas are also valid all over the world.
Universities in Ireland and universities in Iceland are also not distinguished by free teaching. They train future qualified employees, teaching knowledge in these states is able to compete with the teaching system, for example, in Britain. Thus, the registration of admission to institutes there is far from cheap. Educational institutions in Ireland very often give their students a side job.
Of course, there are a lot of universities abroad waiting for newcomers. Many easily give away budget places, while others teach with the help of a grant only to newcomers. Do not forget that it is possible to get higher education abroad if you have a valid visa, which will not end in the middle of the semester. If this happens, it will be difficult to recover in an educational institution.
Free training outside your country is quite real! You can study in many of the above countries.
In Russia, upon admission to the university, there are some benefits for excellent students, athletes, children with disabilities or from low-income families. Benefits give the right to gold medalists and winners of the All-Russian Olympiads to enter without entrance exams or to budget places.
There is a similar practice in foreign universities.
For athletes
Education in the United States is paid and one of the most expensive in the world. However, almost every university has its own foundation that sponsors talented and outstanding students, as well as those with financial difficulties. The biggest weight in this whole business (and there is no other name for it) are sports teams with a bunch of sponsors who participate in competitions and bring the university fame and even more money. Therefore, if you are a promising athlete, confident in your abilities, then there is every chance to study with a scholarship that pays for tuition, room and board. At the same time, you need to take into account the specifics of sports in this country - choose sports that are popular in American schools - basketball, baseball, gymnastics, volleyball, in order to increase your chances. Many go to high school or college, as it is easier to get there - the requirements for sports talent are lower than when entering a university, and the chance of getting a scholarship is higher. Introduce yourself to get noticed by your college coach. Your best bet is to record a short video of your games / stunts and write a resume of your athletic and academic achievements. High academic performance is a huge advantage not only for ordinary students, but also for athletes.
The largest sports association with more than a thousand educational institutions in the United States is the National University Sports Association. Ivy League universities are also members. Most often, the athletes of this particular league become world famous. you can choose a college or university that is an NCAA member. All universities included in this organization are divided into three divisions. International students can apply for a scholarship from a university of the first and second divisions.
UK universities also support young athletes. For example, Oxford Brookes University provides sports scholarship the most outstanding athletes with high academic performance. The scholarship is designed for one academic year with the possibility of extension, so during the year you need to show yourself well in all areas of student life.
Clever and clever
If you are not sure what sporting achievements will help you with admission, pay attention to your other merits. For example, you took part in the Olympiads in literature or computer science, and, perhaps, even won prizes. This must be reported in a motivation letter that is expected from you somewhere in Oxford. But, as they say in the selection committee, there are already enough smart people here. Your essay should "hook" the commission, which means that you should have some kind of extracurricular activity that sets you apart from the rest of the excellent students. They are looking for talents - excellent musicians, artists, speakers, athletes.
Students from Russia studying at the University of Cambridge say that the most important thing for admission is face-to-face interview, after which 70% of applicants are screened out. No medals and olympiads will help you pass an interview if you cannot prove here and now that you are worthy of studying at Cambridge. There are very few scholarships for international students, and even they cover only part of their studies.
Iamavolunteer
When entering American universities, local applicants must be checked for volunteer experience, for them this is a fad. It is impossible to get a high school diploma if the student did not have 20 hours of experience as a volunteer. Therefore, this can be an advantage for international students, especially if the volunteer work was different from your specialty.
For musicians
In Germany, talented young musicians are encouraged by the Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation. To enter the conservatory and receive a scholarship, you need to have experience performing at music festivals (and even better at international ones). Tell us about all your victories in music competitions. You can interest the fund by playing a rare and unusual instrument.
What are my chances?
Being an excellent student at school and passing exams for the highest score is not a guarantee of admission to a prestigious university. As practice shows, children with a "zest" enter such universities. In other words, if, in addition to your academic performance, of course, you play the harp and at the same time is an excellent swimmer, you have more chances of admission than just a swimmer or a harp. But the chance to pass the competitive selection for a scholarship is quite small, you should not count on luck. It will be much more effective to use other opportunities for admission, for example, to undergo pre-university training for admission to a foreign university - Foundation year or program Pre-Master's... Of course, preparatory programs cost money, and some scholarships even pay for a plane ticket. But not everyone has the desire and time to catch luck by the tail, but they know that they can recoup the real expenses on training in the future. More information on training programs
The time has come to prepare for entering a university, including a foreign one. Many overseas universities complete applications in two periods: December-January and February-May. So we have several months to properly improve our knowledge and solve organizational issues for admission to foreign universities.
On the agenda - practical advice on what things need to be settled in the summer. And let's finish the article with the most common mistakes that inexperienced applicants make when preparing to enter a foreign university.
Here are some practical tips from experts on how to enter a foreign university at any age (even at 36):
- Choosing a university and academic program... You can become completely insolent and apply to the best universities in the world. And you can go to a university in the near abroad, where the enrollment process for foreign citizens from Russia is simplified. In any case, you have to decide on the place. Once the university is selected, the only thing left is to choose an academic program. Foreign students choose 5-7 programs six months before the start of their studies. And in just a couple of months they narrow their search down to 2-3 programs, where they will subsequently submit documents.
- Thinking about recommendations... Do not forget that for admission to any foreign university, among other documents, 2-3 letters of recommendation are required. Look for a teacher who can create a strong recommendation letter for you. If there is no such teacher in the circle of close people, but there is at the university, you need to think about how to establish connections with such a person.
- Preparing for exams... Having found out which foreign university to enroll in, you can easily find out what kind of tests will be at the entrance stage. But first, you should think about passing an exam for a certificate of knowledge of a foreign language (for example, English for admission to foreign universities after school IELTS, TOEFL, FCE and others). And do not forget to register for it 6 weeks before the start of the test (you can do it earlier). If you are going to enroll in a foreign master's program, you should take care of passing the GRE or GMAT.
- We prepare translation of documents... As foreign diplomas must be translated with us, so our documents must be translated for foreign universities. Moreover, translations must be certified by a notary. And here is a list of documents that will have to be translated: a diploma and an application with grades, motivation and recommendation letters.
- Exploring funding opportunities... There are many ways to get a study abroad grant. This will allow you to enter a foreign university for free and continue your studies. Carefully study the requirements of the selected university and prepare a package of documents required for the grant. To participate in the competition, you also need a motivation and recommendation letter.
5 common mistakes when applying to foreign universities
The admission of foreign citizens to Russian universities also has its own difficulties. But our compatriots have a hard time because of the huge difference between the systems of Russian universities and the education systems of Europe and America. And often, poorly prepared or not understanding the subtleties, ours make annoying mistakes that become fatal.
Here are the 5 most popular reasons why students fail to enroll in a foreign university.
Mistake # 1: poor awareness
Often, applicants poorly study the possibilities of the chosen university, and poorly work out the specifics of the choice of academic programs. Also, few people immediately think over the issues of living in the area where the university is located. Moreover, most of the important issues are covered on the website of a foreign university. Before sending the documents, make sure that the university suits you in all the main parameters.
Mistake # 2: being shy
It may sound ridiculous, but quite often applicants fail admission to university because they are afraid to ask questions. It happens that not all interesting points can be found on the university website. It is for this case that in every foreign university there is at least one person who answers the questions of applicants. You must understand that it is perfectly normal to ask questions! To get advice, just write to the address of the university or find the contacts of an employee who is ready to help.
Mistake # 3: not having a plan
Many people underestimate this challenge. Instead of knowing well how to enter a foreign university for free, drawing up a clear plan of action, they prefer to move according to the standard scheme generally accepted at home. But abroad, everything is different: different deadlines for submitting documents, different dates for the tests, and in different universities, the deadlines may also be different. And if you apply to several foreign universities at once without clear planning, you can quickly get confused and miss your chance.
Mistake # 4: no purpose
Studying abroad is not only great opportunities, but also an amazing life experience that not everyone can acquire. But even before submitting documents, it is still better to think about why you need a diploma from this particular university and what you will do with it after graduation. To do this, you will have to understand how training will contribute to the achievement of professional and career goals.
Without understanding the goal, studying abroad will turn into just educational tourism. You will be able to gain knowledge, certain experience and impressions, but without strategic thinking for your future career, it will be completely useless.
Mistake # 5: Lack of self-presentation skills
You will need good presentation skills at home. But abroad you will need something more: a well-written motivation letter.
This document will help the other side see the degree of your readiness, maturity for the chosen academic program. Plus, this is a unique chance to show what you, as a student, can bring to the educational process.
To our great shame, most of our students do not have the skills of self-presentation, they cannot talk about their achievements. And this is not surprising, because it is extremely difficult to do this even in your native language, let alone a foreign one. And if we add to this the volume limits (only one and a half or two pages), then it becomes an impossible task at all.
And even if we manage to cope with all this, another problem emerges - literacy. If parallel constructions and dangling modifiers are completely unfamiliar to you, don't be so hopeful. Most likely, you will not be able to write a motivation letter correctly. But the student service specialists will succeed! However, you can entrust them with almost all the work - from translating documents to drawing up motivation and preparing for tests. You will only have to enter and enjoy new opportunities.
Every year, higher education abroad is becoming more popular and much more accessible for our compatriots. Russians who graduated from foreign universities, as a rule, easily find their niche in the international labor market and successfully move up the career ladder. Higher education abroad - in America, Europe, Canada, Australia or even China - is, of course, also an opportunity to perfectly learn the foreign language in which education is conducted, and more often than not one. We must not forget that often foreign universities have a much more developed educational, material and scientific base than domestic ones. And the time-tested, perfected teaching system provides fundamental knowledge and the ability to use it as efficiently as possible.
22 countries of your choice for higher education!
Higher education programs
Higher education system: from general to specific
Higher education, built according to the classical European system, has a similar structure in different countries. The first stage - obtaining a bachelor's degree - takes 3-4 years. After another 2 years of study at the university, students receive a master's degree. Postgraduate study lasts 2-3 years and is a stage of research work and writing a dissertation, after the delivery of which the degree of doctor (PhD) is awarded.
No less attractive for our compatriots is a second higher education abroad, which is often easier to obtain than the first, as well as additional postgraduate education, for example, an MBA program. Among the foreign universities that teach these programs, the undisputed leader is the American universities, which are the founders of the system of teaching senior management.
Higher education in different countries also has a number of national characteristics. So, in Germany and France, after 2-3 years of the bachelor's program, you can get a professional licentiate diploma (Licentiate), which allows you to teach without having an academic degree.
In France, along with the common European educational standard, there is a system of the so-called "short" and "long" university cycle, at the end of which a diploma of higher technical education and a diploma of higher specialized education (Master 2) are issued, respectively.
Each Spanish university has its own study rules, the level of qualifications assigned to graduates and the number of stages.
Postgraduate studies abroad can also be nationally specific. In Germany, after defending a thesis or dissertation, graduates are awarded a master's degree (Magister Artium). Students with teaching practice can then pass qualifying exams and immediately earn a Doctorate. In other countries, “shortened” postgraduate studies do not exist and training lasts 2-3 years.
In order to be able to objectively assess the knowledge of students obtained in different universities and different countries, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) was introduced. ECTS facilitates academic recognition when transferring from one university to another or taking separate master's courses at several different universities.
Study abroad
In the universities of each individual country, in addition to the variety of courses, programs and disciplines, there are a number of characteristic rules and requirements for applicants. The procedures for accepting documents, interviews, passing exams (where they are provided), making decisions on admission to the university are very individual and depend both on the traditions of the education system of a particular country and on the academic results of the applicant himself.
One of the universal requirements is a sufficient level of proficiency in the language of instruction. Therefore, it is logical to start a student career abroad with language courses and preparation for international exams TOEFL, IELTS, etc.
Since school education in Russia is shorter than the western one by 2-3 years, admission to a foreign university in the year of graduation is most often problematic for our graduates. The way out is to complete 1-2 courses of a domestic university or preparatory courses at a chosen university abroad.
So, to enter a British university, you must have an A-level diploma or complete the Foundation training program. And in Germany, for example, there are special one-year preparatory colleges Studienkolleg. During this year, future students noticeably improve their language level and pass the required qualification exams.
Despite the fact that entrance exams are often not held in European universities, some prestigious universities in England and higher schools in France, for example, can arrange exams and interviews. And for admission to all creative universities, applicants will definitely need a portfolio.
Tuition fees can vary greatly depending on the selected country and the specific university (public or private). But, in some cases, foreign students studying for a master's degree abroad can apply for scholarships and grants from the state, the government of their country or all kinds of funds.