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What is the cost of attendance at university?
Itâs important to consider the cost of attendance when studying at university. From tuition fees to living costs, hereâs everything you need to know.
5 min read
Thinking about going to university is an exciting timeâyouâre exploring locations, picking out courses that interest you and choosing institutions where you know youâll feel at home. But, when picking which university to go to, itâs also very important to remember to factor in the cost of attendance. Thankfully, this guide is here to help in answering your most pressing questions when it comes to financing your education.When you go to university, the cost of attendance is made up of two overarching types of expenditure: your tuition fees and your living costs. But, what is the difference between the two? While tuition fees are determined by the university or country of choice, the city you choose to live in affects your living costs. Learn more about both costs and get an overview of tuition fees across the EU below:Your second biggest expenditure at university that contributes to your cost of attendance is your rent. Looking at the average student accommodation in the EU, hereâs what youâre likely to pay:Once youâve paid your rent, thereâs still a number of other, smaller costs to be coveredâand these can quickly add up! From study supplies through to the basics of daily life, hereâs what you can be expected to pay:During your degree, there will likely be opportunities to participate in a studying abroad program, which will have a considerable impact your cost of attendance. If youâre interested in studying abroad, whether to learn a new language, enjoy a new cultural experience or simply broaden your horizons, there are lots of options available to you:The Erasmus study abroad program offers students within Europe the chance to spend a semester (or an entire year) at a college in a different European country. Youâll pay exactly the same fees as you would be charged at your original university, regardless of the fees levied by the university youâre visiting. Youâll also receive an Erasmus+ grant to help fund your cost of attendance.
What is the average cost of attendance in the EU?
- The UK: (England, Northern Ireland) ÂŁ9,250 per year for UK and EU students
- Wales: ÂŁ9,000 per year for Welsh, UK and EU students
- Scotland: around ÂŁ1,800 per year for Scottish and EU students, and ÂŁ9,250 for students from the rest of the UK
- Germany: No tuition fees at public universities. A small contribution to administrative costs has to be paid (no more than âŹ300/semester)
- Spain: Tuition fees are set by the government for public institutions Fees range from âŹ750 to âŹ1,200 per academic year
- Italy: Just as with Spain, public institution tuition fees are set by the government Public undergraduate courses cost around âŹ850 to âŹ1,000 per academic year
- France: Fees are completely waived for EU students at public institutions Students just have to pay a government-set charge, currently âŹ170/year.
How does student accommodation in the EU and US add to attendance costs?
- The UK: ÂŁ535 per month on accommodation, with this figure rising to ÂŁ640 in London.
- Germany: âŹ300-âŹ500/month.
- France: âŹ150/month for a room in student halls, or âŹ500/month for a shared apartment.
- Italy: âŹ200 to âŹ300 a month for student accommodation
- Spain: just like in Italy, costs vary from âŹ200 to âŹ300 a month
What other (essential) students costs contribute to the cost of attendance?
- Books and supplies: itâs inevitable that youâll have to pay for study materials such as books, notepads and other essential stationery items when you study at university. For example, the average price for a standard A4 notepad from a major retailer could cost the following across these countries:
- The UK: ÂŁ1.99
- Germany: âŹ2.78
- France: âŹ5.78
- Textbooks: the cost depends on your subject, country, and the resources available at your university. For example, students have to pay between ÂŁ450 and ÂŁ750 for textbooks over an entire degree in the UK. But rememberâyou can always head to the library or make use of your universityâs extensive online resources to save a few pennies!
- Travel: although travel discounts are often available for students, you might still have to pay the following depending on where you choose to study. For reference:
- Berlin: A semester ticket costs âŹ180
- London: a monthly student travelcard is ÂŁ160
- Paris: this figure is just shy of âŹ70
- Rome: A monthly student travelcard costs âŹ35
- Madrid: One monthâs travel is âŹ20 for people under 26
- Meals: a shopping basket containing 12 eggs, 1 kg of tomatoes and 500g of local cheese would set you back the following amounts:
- Germany (on average): âŹ10.86
- UK: ÂŁ9.10
- Italy: âŹ12.55
- France: âŹ14.21
- Spain: âŹ10.07
- Personal expenses: to illustrate the range of prices that can apply, here are the costs of a few essentials items:
- A tube of toothpaste
- âŹ2.17 in France
- ÂŁ1.61 in the UK
- A menâs haircut
- âŹ17 in Italy
- âŹ13 in Spain
- course of antibiotics
- âŹ7 in France
- âŹ10 in Germany
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Try instant transfersWhat is the cost of attendance for studying abroad?
- The amount you receive depends on the country you are studying in:
- Germany: up to âŹ270 a month
- Spain: up to âŹ210 a month.
- Outside of Europe, the average cost of tuition fees at college is as follows:
- The US: fees are between $25,000 and $35,000 per year
- China: the figure is around âŹ3,000 per year
- Australia: fees are about $22,000 on average
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