Would you like to receive a master’s university but do not want to charge tuition fees? It is possible. Most Universities across the globe, especially in Europe, offer free Master’s degrees for International Students. Check it out.
Students may need to be from a particular state, region, or low-income environment. Some schools require work or service on campus after graduation. Studying for a master’s degree is a completely different experience than your first basic degree.
When deciding where to study for a postgraduate degree, the key factors you consider are very different from those you considered for your undergraduate degree. This includes funding for the degree program.
Many people stay at the same university to do their Master’s degree. Everything is known; you know the city and the faculty, and you probably have friends who will still be at university, so it’s an easy option.
However, you may also want to consider where else to study if there is a chance that you can get your Master’s for free.
This post will equip you with all you need to know about free Master’s degrees for International Students and countries that offer such opportunities.
Table of contents
- Can I get a master’s degree for free?
- How do I get a master’s degree for free?
- Free Masters Degree for International Students
- #1. MSc Management of Intellectual Property at Queen Mary University of London School of Law
- #2. MIT Media Lab’s Program in Media Arts & Sciences
- #3. Curtis Institute of Music, Master of Music
- #4. University of the People
- #5. MSc Human Rights and Multiculturalism
- #6. MPhil Theory and Practice of Human Rights
- #7. MSc International Human Rights Law
- #8. LLM International Human Rights Law
- #9. LLM Public International Law
- #10. MSc Social Work and Human Rights
- Countries that offer Free Masters Degrees for International Students
- Free Master’s degree-FAQs
- Conclusion
- References
- Writer’s Recommendations
Can I get a master’s degree for free?
Of course, it is 100% possible that you can get a master’s degree for free. We are about to show you the available opportunities to take advantage of.
Over the past three decades, the average cost of university attendance has increased and continues to grow at a higher rate than financial support.
Higher education is indeed in crisis. As students continue to graduate from college with debts in an unstable economy, many wonder how to continue their education without incurring such debt.
While it may come as a surprise to some that there is such a thing, several universities offer high-quality educational experiences with free tuition.
Schools with free tuition fall into several categories, but all share the basic feature of engaging graduates without having to borrow large amounts in their grant packages.
How do I get a master’s degree for free?
The following are tips if you wish to study for your Master’s degree without paying a tuition fee.
#1. Work for a university or college
Many universities offer “tuition waivers” for employees. This is a valuable opportunity for one to get a free masters through tutoring. As a rule, you have to be employed for a certain period because you can use the removal service for tuition fees.
There are usually three caveats when you take advantage of them. You are:
- After you are hired, you must also be accepted into the school as a student.
- You are generally expected to work full time while attending school.
- You may have to pay tax on the market value of tuition fees if it is above a certain amount. The university took the money straight from her paycheck.
#2. Make use of your employer’s tertiary education benefits
Companies that offer Tuition reimbursement often have certain regulations, such as:
- A certain percentage of tuition and materials will be reimbursed within several years.
- A fixed dollar amount is refunded per calendar year.
- You can be expected to adhere to a specific GPA.
When looking for a job, ask about the benefits package and carefully check whether reimbursement of tuition fees is possible. If you already have a permanent job, ask your employer if they offer this benefit and check the specific policies and conditions.
#3. Look for grants, fellowships, and scholarships
Scholarships may offer the opportunity to receive free tuition in a specific area. Sometimes the scholarship requires you to work in a specific location or area for a limited time after graduation, but only sometimes.
Visit worldscholarshipforum.com, a website with an excellent list of funded scholarship opportunities for advanced study programs.
Remember that scholarships are also available for Ph.D. students. Do not limit your search to your professional field.
Want to obtain your Master’s degree as fast as possible? Click the link to check out the 15 Quickest Masters Degree Online.
Are There Graduate Programs Abroad for Free?
Studying graduate programs abroad is quite expensive. However, well-meaning individuals and the government of some developed countries create opportunities for international students to get masters for free abroad.
The main way this is achieved is through offering fully funded scholarships to graduate students. So, you can always apply to scholarships to study both masters and Ph.D. programs abroad for free.
Another way to enroll for graduate programs abroad for free is to offer your services to the institution. Some universities may pay for your graduate program abroad if you are willing and qualified to work for them.
While your chances are quite slim, there are always graduate programs abroad for free if you are qualified.
Free Masters Degree for International Students
A master’s degree does not have to be a major financial expense. There are ways to graduate without debt! You need to do some homework to find the right path.
Let us explore the list of Free Master’s Degrees for International Students.
#1. MSc Management of Intellectual Property at Queen Mary University of London School of Law
The MSc in Management of Intellectual Property examines the fundamentals of this legal area about patents, trademarks, and the other core areas in this area.
This Master of Science is primarily aimed at graduates in the natural sciences and engineering who are pursuing a career as patent or trademark attorneys.
However, it is also open to graduates of all academic backgrounds who wish to study intellectual property (IP) at the postgraduate level.
MSc Management of Intellectual Property can study full-time for one year or part-time over two years. Classes usually start in September, with exams in May or June. Her courses take place at Queen Mary’s Charterhouse Square and Lincoln’s Inn Fields Campus.
#2. MIT Media Lab’s Program in Media Arts & Sciences
MIT accepts 50 students per year for masters and Ph.D. programs. The students come from various fields, including computer science, neuropsychology, and architecture.
The study topics include human-computer interaction, design, and entrepreneurship. Media arts and science students, including tuition, grants, and health insurance, are fully funded.
#3. Curtis Institute of Music, Master of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, has long pursued a scholarship-only policy. This means that all students, regardless of financial circumstances, use the scholarships the school offers to fund their education for the entire Master’s program.
This degree is very selective and only accepts 4% of applicants.
#4. University of the People
This fully accredited US university works entirely online and offers a range of non-teaching programs to choose from, including two non-teaching Master’s programs, MBA and M.Ed.
The MBA program lasts approximately one year and is a fully US-accredited online program offered to graduates of all disciplines who can demonstrate two years of work experience before the program begins.
The course subjects include management, accounting, marketing, business law, and ethics.
UoPeople’s Master of Education in Advanced Teaching offers two specializations: primary/secondary education and secondary education. Students also do an internship at various International Baccalaureate schools. You can earn free masters degree online once you are eligible.
#5. MSc Human Rights and Multiculturalism
At Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Norway, students can earn an MSc in Human Rights and Multiculturalism through a two-year full-time master’s degree on the Drammen campus.
This program takes an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for work in various professional fields, including government, non-profit, education, research, private companies, and the media.
Classes focus on human rights related to cultural diversity with topics such as globalization, migration, civil wars, nation-building, and more. In addition to interdisciplinary research, students are qualified to continue academic research in these areas.
Classes are free, but scholarships are occasionally offered to cover living and travel expenses.
#6. MPhil Theory and Practice of Human Rights
The University of Oslo’s MPhil Theory and Practice for Human Rights is a two-year, full-time program that allows students to study human rights from a legal, political, social science, philosophical, and historical perspective.
All courses focus on human rights, including different approaches, regional focus, methodology, practice, and more. In addition to their coursework, the students take part in internships, discussions, and sham experiments.
As part of their thesis, students complete a master’s thesis in which the methodology and practice of human rights are brought together. Lessons on this program are free.
#7. MSc International Human Rights Law
The Institute for Human Rights and the Legal Department of Abo Akademi University offer a two-year full-time MSc program in international human rights law.
This Master’s degree program will be on the university campus in Turku, Finland, and offers students the opportunity to work in various human rights careers, including public administration, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
The course topics vary from women’s rights to refugees and war to humanitarian law. In addition to the courses, students also complete a research seminar and a master’s thesis. Classes for students from EU/EEA countries are free of charge.
From 2017, tuition fees for non-EU/EEA countries will be €10,000. Scholarships are available for students paying tuition fees, including a full scholarship plus living expenses, a full scholarship, and a study scholarship that covers half of the tuition fees.
#8. LLM International Human Rights Law
The LLM International Human Rights Law degree from Lund University in Lund, Sweden, is a two-year, full-time program that aims to prepare students for work in law firms, international organizations, courts, private companies, and various other sectors in the field of human rights.
Students take part in several courses dealing with aspects of human rights and hear from guest speakers and lecturers with extensive expertise and experience in human rights.
Earlier speakers even included the former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. The University of Lund offers several grants for international students to cover tuition fees.
#9. LLM Public International Law
The University of Oslo in Norway offers an LLM in international public law, a 1½ year master’s program with options for four programs:
- International public law and PIL specializing in international criminal law and humanitarian law
- International environmental and energy law
- International trade, investment, and commercial law
- Human rights
This full-time program on campus is divided into three 30-credit semesters, with the final semester focusing specifically on a master’s thesis.
In addition to the courses, students can deal with topics through lunch, guest lectures, and seminars that introduce specialists and practitioners. Lessons are free-for-all applicants.
This two-year international Master’s program in social work and human rights at the University of Gothenburg focuses on the interface between social work and human rights.
By interlinking the two areas, the students should have a unique perspective on human rights issues and social development at all levels of society. Students with a degree in social work and/or human rights are preferred in competition with students with a degree in related subjects.
Are you from a developing country? Here is a top deal for you. Click here to check out the Scholarships For Developing Countries.
Countries that offer Free Masters Degrees for International Students
It might shock you to know that many countries, especially in Europe, have institutions that offer Free Masters Degrees for International Students.
These institutions have government and organizational-funded schemes that allow local and international students to pursue their Master’s programs without paying tuition fees. Some of these countries include the following;
#1. Norway
If you can catch a cold, Norway is the perfect place to study options for a master’s degree abroad. Totally free tuition for everyone and no fees. Norway also has high-quality English programs at no additional cost and an excellent standard of living!
#2. Czech Republic
Studying in the Czech Republic is completely free for all citizens, but there is a very small fee for English programs. The Czech Republic also offers a high quality of life compared to a low cost of living. Perfect for students.
#3. Germany
With a strong history of innovation – Germany was a leader in the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution – you will find yourself among intellectuals if you choose to study there.
You will probably get away with no debt. The lessons in Germany are free of charge, and the administration fees are between 50 and 250 euros per semester.
#4. Iceland
An annual registration fee of approx. € 600 is charged for studying in Iceland, but no significant administration or tuition fees. Iceland is also a beautiful place to study, with rich and unique scientific research opportunities.
English is also widely spoken, so you don’t have to dust this second or third language off high school.
#5. Belgium
Belgium has French and Flemish universities, both of which offer lessons in English. For international students, there is a fee of only €835 per year, which is worthwhile for studying at an excellent school in Western Europe.
#6. France
France is known for its unique culture and is deeply rooted in art. It is also a great place to study for budget travelers—the average cost of a master’s degree for citizens outside the European Union. If you speak French, so much better, but most programs also offer English.
#7. Luxembourg
Although it is one of the richest European countries and therefore quite expensive to live in, Luxembourg makes up for this with cheap higher education. Master’s degrees have a fixed annual cost of EUR 400.
Since Luxembourg is more of a city country, there are few universities, and competition is high. But it is worthwhile, especially at the University of Luxembourg.
#8. Austria
Higher education in Austria is only partially free. Still, the cost is surprisingly low when considering how much the country offers in terms of science, culture, and everyday life.
As in France, Austrians have fixed tuition fees at public universities, namely EUR726 / year. The old University of Vienna is one of the best and most popular public universities among internationals like you.
#9. Sweden
Next in our Nordic countdown is Sweden, where there are study options for every budget. Some universities may only charge a symbolic tax of EUR 100. However, most of them typically have tuition fees between EUR 1,000 and EUR 5,000/year.
The best thing about studying in Sweden is that even if you pay for your Masters, you get paid for a Ph.D. Ph.D. students in Sweden require some teaching and research that is paid for. As a doctoral candidate, you become an employee of the university.
#10. Finland
Education in public universities used to be free in Finland. However, taxes have been introduced for students outside the EU since 2017. The good thing is that Finnish universities remain affordable.
Tuition fees generally vary between EUR 1,600 and EUR 8,000 per year. But you’re going to study in the best education system in the world.
Free Master’s degree-FAQs
The countries offering free or low-cost college education include Norway, Finland, Germany, and France.
You can study abroad for free or at cheap rates! To get the “best deals” on a study abroad, you must gather your resources and plan at least one semester.
Want to study abroad but have no money? Here’s what to do
Know how much you need to save.
Choose your destination wisely.
Search out scholarships, grants, and fellowships.
Use that financial aid.
Put your skills to work and get a job.
Become a fundraising expert.
Make your budget work for you.
Swap study abroad for something else.
Conclusion
Seeking an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree program abroad is a noble and tasking feat due to the finances and logistics involved. However, it doesn’t have to be that way for you.
You now have access to information that exposes you to the free Master’s degree for international students. Please take advantage of it now and start applying.
References
- www.findamasters.com – European countries where Masters is Free
- www.mastersportal.com – Tuition Free Universities in Finland
- www.afterschoolafrica.com – Top 10 Tuition free universities in the World
- www.study.eu – Study in Europe for Free
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