If finances have ever been the reason why you are considering to abort your dream of studying abroad, there is a good news for you. There are many countries that have tuition free universities for Nigerians and other international students.
These universities offer you 0 tuition fee requirement with no scholarship necessary. If you want to study at undergraduate level, masters’ level, or PhD, most of these universities are also open to you.
Countries that offer free-tuition universities
1. Germany
Germany is one of the countries that have a good number of free tuition universities. As a Nigerian, you can benefit from this as it is open to students from all over the world who may be seeking to study in the country.
The catch, however, is that because most of the universities were state owned, you may have to learn the German. Students may be required to pay administrative fee that may be in the range of 100 to 200 dollars.
Here are some of the universities that offer free-tuition to students in Germany:
- Technical University of Munich, Germany
- Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Germany
- University of Berlin, Germany
- University of Mannheim, Germany
- University of Cologne, Germany
2. Norway
Norway also offers free universities to students from all over the world into their public universities.
The only drawback for most people is that the cost of living in Norway can be a little on the high side, requiring you to spend between 700 to 2000 EUR monthly.
It is cheaper for people who prefer to live outside of Oslo. While the tuition is free, students will be required to pay a semester fee of between 30 to 60 EUR for student union. This fee will cover for health, counselling services, sports, cultural activities, and more that are held in the campus.
Here are some of the universities that offer free-tuition to students in Norway:
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway (semester fee of $68)
- Nord University, Norway (semester fee of $85)
- Østfold University/College, Norway (semester fee of $70)
- University of Agder, Norway (semester fee of $83)
- The Arctic University of Norway, Norway (semester fee of $83)
3. Brazil
Brazil has some of the best universities in Latin America and it also offers free education for both citizens and international students studying in its public universities.
One thing to keep in mind is that because of how affordable life is over there, admission is very competitive and there are limited spots.
That said, the university also has its hidden costs and depending on where you want to study, the cost of living may be a little high. Another thing is that you must be fluent in Portuguese before you can gain admission as lessons are taught in the language.
Here are some of the universities that offer free-tuition to students in Brazil:
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) Brazil
4. Argentina
If you are looking for a good country that offers tuition free education at undergraduate level and very affordable postgraduate education, then Argentina is a good option.
Going from Nigeria to Argentina to benefit from its tuition free university education, all you need to do is learn Spanish and complete a one-year preparatory course. There are no entrance examinations needed.
One of the reasons why Argentina is a great choice is because it is open to more international students than both Mexico and Brazil combines,
- University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, Argentina
5. Iceland
One of the most eco-friendly countries in the world, Iceland is one of the countries where you can go and study for free. Public universities in the country are free for both nationals and people from all over the world. Nonetheless, it has an application fee that is non-refundable in the range of between 100 and 250 EUR.
Of the seven universities in the country, 4 are owned by the state and 1 is non-profit. It is into one of these that one can study tuition free.
Here are some of the universities that offer free-tuition to students in Iceland:
- Háskóli Íslands (University of Iceland), Iceland
- Háskólinn á Akureyri (University of Akureyri), Iceland
- Bifröst University, Iceland
- Iceland Academy of Arts, Iceland
- Holar University College, Iceland
6. Slovakia
Located in central Europe, Slovakia is a stable country which offers quality education. It is one of the countries where you can get tuition free university education.
Like most others, one of the main ways that you can be qualified for free tuition studies is if you learn the national language of the country, which is Slovak. This is because the courses are taken in Slovak. If you want to study in English in Slovakia, you will have to pay your tuition fees and other payments.
There are some universities such as Bratislava University of Economics and Management which offers tuition free bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. programs in English language for the first year of studies.
Here are some of the universities that offer free-tuition to students in Slovakia:
- Comenius University in Bratislava
- Slovak University of Technology (STU)
- Technical University of Košice
- Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA)
- University of Economics in Bratislava
- Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice
7. Czech Republic
Another country in Europe which offers free university education at all levels for international students including Nigerians is Czech Republic.
Since courses are offered in Czech, you will need learn the language to qualify for the tuition free university education. Hence you will need o pass the Czech language certification exam (CCE) before you will be accepted into any of the country’s public universities.
English programs and programs taught in other languages are paid for, but affordable
Some universities that offer free-tuition to students in Czech Republic:
- Czech Technical University (CTU)
- Masaryk University
- Brno University of Technology (BUT)
- University of South Bohemia
- Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS)
- University of West Bohemia
Do these countries really offer tuition free?
Yes, these countries have universities that are really tuition free. This is possible thanks to support that the countries get from religious organizations, government, or private funding. To study in some of these universities, students may be required to work on campus so as to save cost rather than hiring workers from the outside
When you get admission into the universities, you will not pay any fee in the form of tuition, but there may be some hidden charges that you may be required to pay.
The hidden costs may come in things including the following:
- Application fee
- Accommodation
- Textbooks
- Insurance
- Semester fee.
