Destinations and costs
Photo: Kyle Glenn, Unsplash LicenseThirty five countries on one honest scale
Year one, tuition and living together, cheapest first. Every figure checked against a government or university source.
From $2,9008 fully funded routesChecked October 2026
The whole range, at a glance
Gold marks a country where a government scholarship pays the whole thing. The scale is honest, which is why Britain runs off to the right.
Where$0$20k$40k$60kYear one
Türkiye$2,900 to $8,600
Slovakia$4,600 to $21,400
Poland$7,000 to $21,000
Czechia$8,100 to $17,400
Croatia$8,100 to $23,200
Serbia$8,500 to $17,400
Malaysia$9,000 to $15,000
Romania$9,300 to $16,800
Slovenia$9,400 to $19,800
Spain$10,100 to $16,500
Bulgaria$10,700 to $13,100
Austria$11,800 to $19,900
Latvia$12,200 to $22,500
Italy$12,300 to $17,100
Greece$12,500 to $26,500
Hungary$12,800 to $18,600
Germany$13,300 to $16,000
France$13,600 to $18,600
Estonia$14,000 to $29,700
Cyprus$14,100 to $16,100
Portugal$14,200 to $22,100
Canada$16,900 plus tuition
Belgium$17,500 to $33,400
Lithuania$17,600 to $21,900
Finland$20,400 to $34,400
Denmark$20,800 to $32,400
Norway$21,200 to $40,400
Sweden$21,700 to $44,200
Netherlands$25,600 to $39,700
Malta$25,800 to $34,100
New Zealand$27,100 to $36,400
Switzerland$27,200 to $31,300
Ireland$27,900 to $43,000
United Kingdom$37,900 to $69,000
Australia$40,000 to $50,000
Show the full table with work rights
| Where | If you choose carefully | At the top end | What you get afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| TürkiyeFunded | $2,900 | $8,600 | 12-month job search permit, extendable to 24 months |
| Slovakia | $4,600 | $21,400 | 9 months to look for work, with no work permit needed during it |
| PolandFunded | $7,000 | $21,000 | 9-month graduate permit to look for work or start a business |
| Czechia | $8,100 | $17,400 | 9-month permit to seek work, with free access to the labour market |
| Croatia | $8,100 | $23,200 | 12 months to find work, renewable for another 12. Two full years. |
| SerbiaFunded | $8,500 | $17,400 | No dedicated job search permit. You need an employer or a recognised diploma lined up before you graduate. |
| Malaysia | $9,000 | $15,000 | 12-month Graduate Pass |
| RomaniaFunded | $9,300 | $16,800 | 9 months to find work, and a full-time contract in your field converts without a separate work visa |
| Slovenia | $9,400 | $19,800 | 9-month permit to seek employment or self-employment |
| Spain | $10,100 | $16,500 | 12-month job search permit that converts to a work permit without leaving Spain |
| Bulgaria | $10,700 | $13,100 | 9 months to seek employment, then standard work permit rules apply |
| Austria | $11,800 | $19,900 | 12 months to seek work, then the Red-White-Red Card for Graduates with no labour market test |
| Latvia | $12,200 | $22,500 | 9 months to seek work, then a work permit without leaving Latvia |
| ItalyFunded | $12,300 | $17,100 | 12-month permit while you wait for work, registered at the employment centre |
| Greece | $12,500 | $26,500 | 12 months to seek work or start a business, new under the 2026 law |
| HungaryFunded | $12,800 | $18,600 | Work options exist but are narrower than Western Europe |
| GermanyFunded | $13,300 | $16,000 | 18-month job seeker visa, then Blue Card and a residence path |
| France | $13,600 | $18,600 | 12 to 24 months to look for work, depending on your degree level |
| Estonia | $14,000 | $29,700 | 9 months to look for work, with the graduate salary threshold waived |
| Cyprus | $14,100 | $16,100 | No confirmed job search permit. Treat the degree as the product, not the residence. |
| Portugal | $14,200 | $22,100 | No separate job search visa. Article 122 lets a graduate convert to a work permit inside Portugal once they have an offer. |
| Canada | $16,900 | plus tuition | Post-Graduation Work Permit, up to 3 years |
| Belgium | $17,500 | $33,400 | 12-month search year for master, postgraduate and doctoral graduates |
| Lithuania | $17,600 | $21,900 | 12 months to look for work or start a business |
| FinlandWaivers | $20,400 | $34,400 | 2 years to look for work or start a business, splittable into blocks |
| DenmarkWaivers | $20,800 | $32,400 | 3 years to look for work. The longest window of any country here. |
| Norway | $21,200 | $40,400 | 12 months as a job seeker, but you must prove about $34,970 for it |
| SwedenFunded | $21,700 | $44,200 | 12 months to look for work or start a business, 18 after a doctorate |
| Netherlands | $25,600 | $39,700 | 12-month orientation year with unrestricted access to the job market, about $282 |
| Malta | $25,800 | $34,100 | 9-month post-study residence permit |
| New Zealand | $27,100 | $36,400 | Post-Study Work visa up to 3 years, any employer |
| Switzerland | $27,200 | $31,300 | 6 months to find work, non-renewable. The shortest window here. |
| Ireland | $27,900 | $43,000 | 12 months after a bachelor, 24 after a master or PhD |
| United Kingdom | $37,900 | $69,000 | Graduate Route, 2 years of work, 3 after a PhD |
| Australia | $40,000 | $50,000 | Temporary Graduate visa 485 |
Before you spend money on America
Some passports cannot get a new US student visa right now
Presidential Proclamation 10998, in force since 1 January 2026, suspends new student visas for nationals of a named list of countries, among them Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon and 9 others. A valid F-1 issued before that date is not affected.
