What is the cheapest country to study abroad?

By university price lists, the lowest starting point is at Italian public universities: from €160 a year, but the fee depends on family income (ISEE). Public universities in Türkiye start from $500 a year. Add living costs as well — the table above compares them for all ten countries.

Where can I study abroad in English?

All ten destinations in the comparison have English-taught programmes. In the UAE, Malaysia, Georgia and both parts of Cyprus, English is the main language of study. In Spain most programmes are in Spanish, with only some in English.

How much does a master's abroad cost?

It depends on the country and the format. At Spanish public universities, about 82–84 € per ECTS credit, roughly 4,900–5,100 € a year. In Malaysia, about RM 26,500–79,100 for the whole programme. In Dubai, most master's degrees cost roughly 76,000–175,000 AED.

Will my degree be recognised back home?

Degrees from Poland, Italy, Spain, Hungary and Cyprus are EU degrees. In the UAE, the degree is awarded by the UK or Australian home campus. North Cyprus is recognised only by Türkiye, so its degrees are not recognised in Europe directly — the working route is YÖK accreditation and legalisation through Turkish authorities. Check recognition in your country before you apply.

Can I work while studying abroad?

The rules differ. In Spain students can work up to 30 hours a week with no separate permit, in Italy up to 20 hours a week, and in Türkiye only with a work permit. The comparison table shows the rules for each country.

How do I choose a country?

Start with your yearly budget and the documents you already have. Send us your school certificate and budget — in a free consultation we will shortlist 3–4 programmes in different countries and tell you honestly where your chances are best.

Study abroad: the best and cheapest countries compared

Tuition, living costs, entry rules, work rights and degree recognition — in one table, with the price year stated.

Where to start

Choosing a destination usually comes down to four questions: what tuition costs, how much you need to live on, what language the programmes are taught in, and what happens to the degree back home. The table below answers them for every destination AcademGo works with.

Prices come from official university price lists. Universities publish next year's prices closer to intake, so read the ranges rather than a single figure.

What a year of tuition costs in euros

Tuition, EUR per academic year, current university price lists

Cyprus, private universitiesabout €9,000–11,820
Hungary, English-taught programmesabout €6,000–10,000
North Cyprus, private after discount€2,800–4,500
Poland, private universitiesfrom €1,500
Spain, public universitiesabout €1,200–8,200
Italy, public universitiesfrom €160

Euro-priced destinations only. Georgia, Türkiye, Malaysia, the UAE and EMU in North Cyprus are in the table above. Italian public fees are income-based (ISEE).

Let's review your case in a free consultation

We will match a country, university and programme to your documents and budget, and explain deadlines and the visa.

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Master's degree abroad: costs and where to study

A master's abroad is open to bachelor's graduates, but each country prices it differently: some charge per ECTS credit, others for the whole programme. Here are three destinations we cover in detail.

Spain. At public universities, non-EU students pay about 82–84 € per ECTS credit for a standard master's — roughly 4,900–5,100 € for a one-year, 60-credit programme. More in masters in Spain.
Malaysia. English-taught programmes at public and private universities, from about RM 26,500 to RM 79,100 for the whole programme. More in masters in Malaysia.

What to know before you choose

Not every destination suits every applicant, and the table already shows why.

North Cyprus is the most affordable English-taught start, but the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Türkiye: the degree is not recognised in Europe directly. There is one working route — a YÖK-listed programme and legalisation of the degree through Turkish authorities. We say this before the first payment, not after graduation.

In Georgia, NCEQE accreditation is WFME-recognised until November 2028, and practising medicine there requires Georgian. In Spain our partner universities do not teach medicine in English. In the UAE the degree is awarded by the UK or Australian home campus — a real advantage, and the price reflects it.

Not sure where to start? Send us your school certificate and your budget for the year. We will shortlist three or four programmes across destinations and tell you honestly where your chances are strongest. The first consultation is free; the AcademGo office is in Warsaw, ul. Złota 7/28.

Ten destinations compared

Every figure comes from a checked source: university websites, ministries and immigration services.

Destination	Tuition	Living	Language of study	Entry and status	Work while studying	Degree recognition
Poland	from €1,500 a year at private universities; medicine from €12,000	€500–600 a month	Polish and English	type D student visa, then a residence card	full-time students need no work permit	EU degree	Learn more
Turkey	from $500 a year at public, from $4,000 at private universities	from $700 a month (Istanbul)	English and Turkish	student visa, then a student residence permit (ikamet)	only with a work permit (çalışma izni)	YÖK-accredited universities; recognition depends on your home country	Learn more
UAE	about AED 60,000–80,000 a year at branch campuses	from AED 5,500 a month (Dubai)	English	student visa sponsored by the university	limited, only through approved schemes	degree awarded by the UK or Australian home campus	Learn more
Malaysia	about RM 35,000–45,000 a year at private universities	from RM 2,000 a month (Kuala Lumpur)	English	Student Pass through EMGS, approved before you travel	up to 20 hours a week during breaks, with approval	MQA accreditation; check recognition in your home country	Learn more
Italy	from €160 a year at public universities (income-based, ISEE)	about €1,100–1,400 a month in Milan	Italian and English	type D visa via Universitaly, then a residence permit	up to 20 hours a week and 1,040 hours a year	EU degree	Learn more
Spain	about €1,200–8,200 a year at public universities; private cost more	from €600 a month (IPREM minimum: €7,200 a year)	Spanish; some programmes in English	student visa, then a TIE card	up to 30 hours a week, no separate permit needed	EU degree	Learn more
Hungary	about €6,000–10,000 a year in English	about €800–1,300 a month (Budapest)	English; Hungarian is needed for clinical work	type D visa, then a residence permit	up to 30 hours a week; full time during breaks, max 90 days a year	EU degree	Learn more
Georgia	MD in English: $5,900–6,500 at private, $8,000 at public universities	about GEL 1,730 a month without rent (Tbilisi, Numbeo)	English	visa-free entry for many countries, then a student residence permit	—	NCEQE accreditation, WFME-recognised until 11.2028; Georgian is required to practise	Learn more
North Cyprus	$4,450–6,400 a year at EMU (public); €2,800–4,500 at private universities after the standard discount	—	English	TRNC student residence permit	—	the TRNC is recognised only by Türkiye: degrees are not recognised in Europe directly — the working route is YÖK accreditation and legalisation through Turkish authorities	Learn more
Cyprus	about €9,000–11,820 a year at private universities; medicine €23,000–24,000	rent €600–1,000 plus €600–900 a month for other costs (university estimates)	English	entry permit applied for by the university	up to 20 hours a week in term time and 38 during breaks, in permitted sectors	EU degree	Learn more

Tuition is shown with the year of the price list. We will confirm the exact figure for your programme during the free consultation.