India takes pride in extraordinary minds, and a wealth of bright students. However, due to competition and sometimes irrational cut-offs, bright students fail to get admission into the best colleges with a course of their choice. Now Indian students have more options of studying abroad than ever before, and foreign universities welcome the Indian students with open arms because they represent hard work and brilliance. Today, India has become a major supplier to the international education market as more and more students opt for studying abroad as a UG (Undergraduate) or a PG (Post Graduate).
Major Study-Abroad Destinations within Budget
Apart from the quality of education, Indian students need to take into consideration the budget, especially when they have not qualified for a scholarship. The following is a list of universities with good repute and yet will not pinch one’s pocket:
USA
The cost of the study per year in the USA varies from $5000 to $50000. This does not include the cost of living which will amount to $6000 to $14000 (per year).
USA offers under-graduate, post-graduate as well as research courses to students. State universities have the lowest tuition fees in the country. The colleges mentioned below get higher federal aid and thus offer low tuition fees without compromising with the quality of education.
North Carolina State University: This university offers quality education and research work, and is internationally acclaimed for its science, technology, engineering and mathematics leadership programmes.
San Diego State University: Established in 1897, this university is one of the oldest and nationally ranked research universities. In fact, it was ranked at the first position as the most productive research university.
California State University: CSU is the largest and most diverse university with 23 campuses. Inspite of being the most affordable, the standard of education is very high here.
San Jose State University: San Jose State University is among the top 200 research universities of the nation and offers bachelor’s and master’s degree in 134 fields. The main attractions of this university are quality teaching and small classes.
UK
The average cost per year to study in the UK at undergraduate level as an international student is UK£11,987 (~US$17,860), while for international postgraduate students this average fee rises to £12,390. The cost of living in the UK is around £12,000 ($17,850). The total average costs to study in the UK come up to £24,000 ($35,710) per year. Following are the universities which offer courses at affordable prices:
Staffordshire University: Quality as well as short spanning undergraduate degrees is available here. The university also offers specialised secondary teacher training courses and is the only university in the country to offer a BA (Hons) in Cartoon and Comic Arts.
Harper Adams University College: This university is ranked in the top 10 in the UK for graduate employment.
Leeds Trinity University: It was opened in the 1960s primarily as two distinct Catholic teacher training colleges, but it went on to become the Leeds Trinity University in December 2012 and specialises in Sport, Health and Nutrition and Psychology.
The University of Bolton: This University apart from quality education also offers unique degrees like Special Effects for Film and TV and Visual Effects for Film and TV. Apart from traditional academic courses, it also has the option of vocational training courses.
Canada
Canada offers premier education, exciting cross-cultural experiences, and a globally recognized degree. The cost of living here is estimated at $600 to $800 per month, while the tuition fees range from $5,000 to $10,000 per academic year. Some of the low budget yet reputed universities are as follows:
Dominican University College: Dominican University College specializes in philosophy and theology programmes, which range from the certificate to the doctoral level. The college also includes the Institut de pastoral des Dominicains (pastoral institute) in Montreal. It offers certificate, undergraduate and graduate programmes.
Brandon University: Brandon University is a student-focused institution that attracts students both locally and globally who seek a personalized education. The University has a distinctive focus on teaching and learning through academic and professional programmes that are based on a strong liberal arts and science tradition and supported by the leading research, scholarly and creative activities of faculty and staff members.
Memorial University of Newfoundland: Memorial University of Newfoundland is Atlantic Canada’s premiere comprehensive university and the only university in Newfoundland and Labrador. It offers a vast array of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in arts, science, education, fine arts, medicine, engineering and applied science, business, music, maritime studies, technology and ocean instrumentation, human kinetics and recreation, nursing, pharmacy, resource management and social work.
Australia
The cost of studying in Australia would amount to around $50,000, including tuition fees, sundry expenses and living expenses, every year. Some of the best and top universities in Australia 2015 with a low budget are:
University of New England: The tuition fees charged here is one of the lowest with no compromise made to the quality of education. UNE has a strength in rural topics like bachelor degrees in Agribusiness, Agriculture and Animal Science.
University of West Sydney: The University offers courses in Business, Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Education, Humanities and Communication Arts, Law, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Social Sciences and Psychology and Science and Health.
University of Southern Queensland: One of the most low cost universities in Australia, USQ offers myriad courses that are available for both on campus as well distance education students.
Germany
Germany is one of the most economic countries education wise. In 2014, 16 states in Germany abolished tuition fees for undergraduate students at all public German universities. This means that international undergraduate students at public universities in Germany are able to study in Germany for free, with just a small fee to cover administration and other costs per semester. Some of the reputed public universities include:
Heidelberg University: This university was founded in 1386 and holds the 55th position in the World University Rankings. Heidelberg University is one of the oldest and considered to be among the most prestigious universities in Western Europe. It is known for being the best in the sciences.
Ludwig Maximilian university of Munich: It is counted among the oldest of Germany’s universitie. LMU has been ranked 60th, if the QS World University Rankings are taken into account, and is globally known and preferred after TUM and Heidelberg.
Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin: It was ranked 99th in the world in the academic year 2012-13 in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking. The Humboldt university is known for cutting-edge research and offers opportunities to work with globally renowned professors in fields such as the history of science, quantitative economics, and climate and sustainability research.
Singapore
The latest entry into the market of education is Singapore. Singapore is rapidly gaining recognition as a world leader in academic research and innovation. Indian students are flocking towards this country as the cost of studying here is much lower when compared to UK, USA, Canada and Australia. The cost of a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree programme will amount to about S$10,000 with the added expenses of S$700-S$2000 for living. The top universities in Singapore include:
National University of Singapore: A leading international institution located in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is the country’s flagship university. It has a global approach to education and research, but at the same time gives attention to Asian perspectives. Its transformative education includes a broad-based curriculum coupled with multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment.
Singapore Management University: Singapore Management University is a private, autonomous national university in Singapore that specialises in business and management studies.
Yale-NUS College: Yale-NUS College is a landmark partnership between Yale University and the National University of Singapore. Drawing on the resources and traditions of two great universities, Yale-NUS aims to redefine liberal arts and science education for a complex, interconnected world.
Conclusion
The cost of studying in the top universities in the world is indeed mind boggling. Here is a sum up of the yearly tuition fees, excluding the cost of living of some of the renowned institutions of the world:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US:
Annual tuition fees 2014/15:
UG programmes: US$45,016
PG programmes: US$43,210
University of Cambridge, UK
Annual tuition fees 2015/16:
UG Programmes: GBP 15,000-23,000
PG programmes: GBP 19,000-27,000
Harvard University, US
Annual tuition fees 2014/15:
UG programmes: US$43,938
PG programmes: US$43,774 + US$10,508 for third and fourth years.
The cost of education is proportional to the name and reputation of a university. The older the university, chances are that the costs are more. However, there are many new universities which offer quality education at budget prices. One has to do a detailed research, and one will find universities which will suit one’s overall requirements.
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