English Language Degree Courses in Europe

There are a number of English speaking universities in Europe that offer courses taught in English, which is great if you are not proficient in other European languages. These universities can be found in countries such as the Netherlands or Sweden. In the last in our series on 'studying in Europe', Send My Bag takes a look at how to apply for a degree course in the Netherlands and Sweden and how much it might cost you. You can also take a look at our previous blogs to learn about studying for a degree in France, Germany and Spain.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands has a number of English speaking universities that offer English-language courses, including as many as 2,100 international study courses, thus making it a popular destination for UK students.

In order to study at university level in the Netherlands, you need to have a certificate of secondary education to a particular level. The requirement is normally 3 A Level qualifications or 4 Scottish Highers or Advanced Highers. The grades accepted depend on the course being applied for, although A-C grades are those most commonly accepted. Some competitive courses may also require that you take additional assessments.

If taking a course in Dutch, you will need to prove your level of Dutch. You can do this by taking a Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (Certificate of Dutch as a Foreign Language) test, or other equivalent.

As a UK citizen you are unlikely to need to prove your level of English if taking an English-language course.

How to Apply

There are two ways to apply for a course in the Netherlands – either directly with the university or using the Studielink service. Consult with your institution of choice in the first instance to find out their preferred application method.

There is a large window for applying for study commencing the following autumn. Applications tend to open a year in advance of the course start date and close around 7 months later, in May or June. Note that popular courses may have shorter deadlines.

How Much Does it Cost?

For an EU student the undergraduate tuition fees at a Dutch public university are less than 2000 euro a year.

Living costs in the Netherlands are similar to those in the UK. There is also a highly cost-effective mode of transport available, with cyclists being extremely well catered for.

What Funding is Available?

To cover tuition fees there are loans available that are paid in monthly instalments. Repayments must begin two years after you graduate. To cover living costs, you could try for a scholarship administered by Nuffic. Or, you could try to find paid work. If you manage to work for 32 hours a month, for a least three months or more you may be eligible for a grant from the government of 226 euro a month.

Studying in Sweden

Scandinavian countries such as Sweden also have a number of English speaking universities that offer courses taught in English. These countries also come with the benefit of free university courses.

In Sweden you can either choose to take a number of individual courses, for which you obtain credits, and subsequently a diploma or degree if you acquire enough points. Or, you can take a full course, as you would in the UK.

In order to apply to study at a Swedish university, you need a certificate of post-16 secondary education. You also need to speak English to a high level. UK nationals do not need to prove their proficiency in English. If you are taking a course taught in Swedish, however, you will need to prove that you have good proficiency in the language. You can do this by taking a test, such as TISUS (Test in Swedish for University Studies).

Prospective students must also have a sufficient level of training in mathematics – the level required is referred to in Sweden in Mathematics A. This equates to around 10 years of studies in mathematics.

There are also a number of more specific requirements for individual courses.

How to Apply

All applications to study on Swedish university courses are processed by Universityadmissions.se

For courses starting in August, applications open the previous autumn, with the deadline for applications occurring in mid-January. Applicants should be informed of their selection results in March.

How Much Does it Cost?

There are no tuition or application fees at Swedish universities for EU citizens.

However, the cost of in living in Swedish is known to be rather high. The average monthly cost of living for a student has been estimated at around 8,000 Swedish krona, which works out at around £623.

What Funding is Available?

A number of scholarships for international students are offered by the Swedish Institute. Universities also have their own scholarships available. These, of course, are much sought after and cannot be depended upon as a source of funding. Students are permitted to work an unlimited number of hours alongside their studies – another potential source of income to help you afford living costs in Sweden.

Send My Bag has shipping routes to the Netherlands and Sweden. If you are going to study at an English speaking university in either of these countries, you can use our service to ship your possessions there. This means you can bring all the clothes, books and other essentials you need to get set up abroad. Read more about our student shipping service and how to receive your student discount. Struggling to decide what to pack for your time studying abroad? Send My Bag has compiled a helpful packing list for study abroad to help you out!