International students pay no tuition at public universities in Czechia and Slovakia when they study in Czech or Slovak, at most public universities in Germany (Baden-Württemberg and a few universities such as TUM are the exceptions) and at public institutions in Brazil, where teaching is in Portuguese. Austria and France charge non-EU students modest but real fees: $830 (€726.72) per semester in Austria and $3,300 (€2,902) per bachelor's year in France for 2026/27. Italy sets fees by family income, while Norway and Finland charge non-EU students for English-taught degrees. Everywhere you pay for housing, insurance and the bank balance the consulate wants to see, and for Russian citizens Czechia is currently closed at the embassy stage.
Below: a table of ten countries showing what is free and what you still pay, first-year budget examples, the current position for Russian citizens and the second route to free study — government scholarships.
Tuition-free study abroad: 10 countries at a glance
| Country | Who pays no tuition | Language | What everyone pays | Money for the visa or living costs | Russian citizens now | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | public universities in most states, first degree (bachelor's and master's); exceptions: Baden-Württemberg at $1,700 (€1,500) per semester and TUM at $2,270–3,410 (€2,000–3,000) per semester for bachelor's and $4,540–6,810 (€4,000–6,000) for master's | German or English, depending on the programme | semester contribution of $110–510 (€97–453.16) | $13,520 (€11,904) for the first year for the visa | national D visa at the German embassy in Moscow | Free university education in Germany |
| Czechia | public and state universities, Czech-taught programmes, within the standard length plus one year | Czech | application fee of up to $49 (CZK 1,055) in 2026/27; after the free period at least $370 (CZK 7,917) per half-year | $570–910 (€500–800) per month, per the Study in Czechia portal | Czech embassies do not accept long-stay visa or residence applications from Russian citizens | Free university education in Czechia |
| Slovakia | public and state universities, full-time Slovak-taught study within the standard length | Slovak | fees apply after the standard length, for a parallel second programme at the same level or part-time study | proof of funds per the embassy's residence permit list | study residence permit via the Slovak embassy in Moscow | Free university education in Slovakia |
| Austria | EU and Swiss citizens within the standard period; third-country nationals pay | German | non-EU students: $830 (€726.72) per semester plus the $30 (€26.20) students' union fee | for 12 months $9,850 (€8,670.96) under 24 or $17,830 (€15,700.68) from 24 | "Student" residence permit, filed in person at the Austrian embassy in Moscow | Cost of studying in Austria |
| France | nobody studies for free: EU students pay $200 (€178) per bachelor's year, others pay a higher rate unless exempted, for example as French government scholars | French | non-EU students in 2026/27: $3,300 (€2,902) per year for a bachelor's, $4,490 (€3,950) for a master's, $450 (€398) for a doctorate | as required by the consulate | via Campus France Russia and the French visa centre | French student visa |
| Italy | no fully free programmes; the variable part of the fee is waived by family income (ISEE) or a DSU grant | Italian or English | a minimum even with a full waiver, e.g. $180 (€157.04) a year in Bologna | $11,560 (€10,179.85) a year for the visa | type D study visa via the VMS visa centres | Free university education in Italy |
| Serbia | international students normally pay; free study is possible with a Serbian government scholarship | scholarship study is in Serbian only | the scholarship covers tuition and a dormitory place | the scholarship includes a monthly allowance | visa-free for 30 days, study residence issued in Serbia; 30 scholarships for Russian citizens in 2026/27 | Free education in Serbia |
| Norway | EU, EEA and Swiss citizens; students from elsewhere normally pay | Norwegian or English | student welfare organisation fee of about $100 (NOK 1,000) per semester | $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for 2026/27 | not covered in this guide | — |
| Finland | everyone on Finnish- and Swedish-taught programmes and in doctoral study | Finnish, Swedish | non-EU students on English-taught degrees: $10,220–22,710 (€9,000–20,000) a year; application fee $110 (€100) | at least $910 (€800) a month under the immigration service minimum | not covered in this guide | — |
| Brazil | public institutions: free public education is set out in Article 206 of the Constitution | Portuguese | — | — | not covered in this guide | — |
Amounts are for 2026/27 unless stated otherwise. Germany's semester contribution mainly funds student services and the transport pass; every student pays it regardless of nationality.
What "free" really means
The cost of studying abroad has three layers, and "free" usually removes only the first one.
- Tuition. This is what Czechia, Slovakia and most German universities do not charge.
- Compulsory fees: the semester contribution in Germany, the students' union fee in Austria, regional tax and stamp duty in Italy, application fees in Czechia and Finland.
- Living costs and the visa: rent, food, insurance and the balance the consulate expects on your account before departure.
A better question than "where can I study for free?" is "how much does a year in this city cost if tuition is zero?"
Free usually means studying in the local language
Czech and Slovak public universities waive tuition only for programmes taught in Czech and Slovak; their English-taught programmes are fee-paying. Germany works differently: fees do not depend on the language of the programme, so English-taught degrees at public universities in most states are also tuition-free, and the exceptions depend on the state and the university — Baden-Württemberg and TUM.
For a school leaver from Russia or Kazakhstan this means:
- Czech or Slovak must be learned to the level of entrance exams and lectures, usually in a preparatory year.
- For Germany, language is only half of it: an 11-year school certificate usually does not give direct access to a bachelor's, so a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) or university study at home comes first.
- Your school certificate must be recognised in the country of study; see our guides for Czechia, Slovakia and Serbia.
What a "free" first year costs
The minimum for year one is the compulsory fees plus the amount the consulate requires. Treat it as a floor, not a full budget.
| Example | Fees for the year | Living-cost minimum for the visa | Total, at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany, Hannover | 2 × $510 (€453.16) | $13,520 (€11,904) | ≈ $14,550 |
| Austria, student under 24 | 2 × ($830 + $30) | $9,850 (€8,670.96) | ≈ $11,560 |
| Italy, Bologna, full income-based waiver | $180 (€157.04) | $11,560 (€10,179.85) | ≈ $11,740 |
| France, bachelor's | $3,300 (€2,902) | as required by the consulate | from $3,300 plus living costs |
Add a preparatory year if you need one, flights, a first rent payment with deposit and insurance.
The second route: government scholarships
Where tuition is charged, a government scholarship can make study free. These schemes cover tuition and often housing, but competition is tough and deadlines fall six to twelve months before regular university admissions.
- Hungary — Stipendium Hungaricum.
- Korea — the GKS scholarship.
- Japan — the MEXT scholarship.
- China — Chinese Government Scholarships, awarded through universities and national channels.
- Serbia — scholarships under the intergovernmental agreement: 30 places for Russian citizens in 2026/27, Serbian-taught only, with candidates selected and nominated by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
- Italy — regional DSU grants based on family income; see scholarships in Italy.
A summary with amounts and deadlines is in our scholarships abroad 2026 guide.
For Russian citizens: where tuition-free study is open now
A free programme is of no use without a visa. As of September 2026:
- Czechia. Government Regulation No. 55/2024 makes visa and residence applications by Russian citizens at Czech embassies inadmissible. Tuition-free Czech-taught study is realistic only for those already living in Czechia legally.
- Estonia and Latvia. Estonia does not accept visa applications of any type from Russian citizens, including national D visas, outside a short list of cases (relatives, humanitarian grounds, diplomats); study is not on it. Latvia accepts visa applications from Russian citizens only from family members of Latvian and EU citizens, on humanitarian grounds and from people who already hold a right of residence in Latvia.
- Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Italy and France accept study applications from Russian citizens through embassies, consulates or visa centres in Russia.
- Serbia admits Russian citizens visa-free for 30 days, and the study residence permit is issued locally.
Filing locations for each country, payments and degree recognition are covered in our guide to studying abroad as a Russian citizen.
Common mistakes
- Treating "free" as "no costs". A German visa needs $13,520 on account for a year and an Italian one $11,560, even with zero tuition.
- Choosing a free country without checking the visa. For Russian citizens, Czechia, Estonia and Latvia are closed at the application stage, and fluent language skills will not change that.
- Mixing up local-language and English-taught programmes. In Czechia and Slovakia only the former are free.
- Ignoring the time limit. Czechia's free period is the standard length plus a year, Slovakia's the standard length; after that the university charges fees.
- Relying on outdated articles about Norway and Finland. Non-EU students now pay for English-taught degrees there.
- Planning a scholarship at the same time as admission. Government scholarship deadlines usually close before university applications.
FAQ
At most German public universities tuition does not depend on the language of the programme, so English-taught degrees are usually tuition-free too; Baden-Württemberg and TUM are the exceptions. In Czechia and Slovakia only Czech- and Slovak-taught programmes are free, and Norway and Finland charge non-EU students for English-taught degrees.
Most public universities charge no tuition, but after 11th grade you usually need a preparatory college or study at a Russian university to gain access to a bachelor's. You pay the semester contribution ($110–510) and must show $13,520 on account for the visa.
Tuition-free Czech-taught study is open to every nationality, but Czech embassies do not accept study visa or residence applications from Russian citizens. In practice it is realistic only for people already living in Czechia legally; others often look at Slovakia, where the rules on tuition are similar.
No. In 2026/27, non-EU students pay $830 (€726.72) per semester plus a $30 students' union fee. That is among the lowest fees in Western Europe, but not zero; citizens of certain developing countries are exempt, and Russia and Kazakhstan are not on that list.
Consulates set the minimum: $13,520 a year for a German visa, $11,560 for Italy and $9,850 for an Austrian student under 24. Add fees, a preparatory year, flights and a housing deposit.
Government schemes in Hungary (Stipendium Hungaricum), China, Korea (GKS), Japan (MEXT) and Serbia's intergovernmental quota. Conditions, amounts and deadlines differ, so start about a year before you plan to begin studying.
Sources
- Baden-Württemberg: tuition for non-EU students, $1,700 (€1,500) per semester
- TUM: tuition for non-EU students
- Leibniz University Hannover: study costs
- Czech Higher Education Act No. 111/1998, § 58
- Study in Czechia: Czech-taught study without tuition and living costs
- Slovak Higher Education Act No. 300/2025, version from 1 September 2026
- University of Vienna: fee amounts by citizenship
- Campus France: tuition fees in France, 2026/27
- University of Bologna: fees and exemptions 2026/27
- Serbian Ministry of Education: scholarships for foreign students
- Study in Norway: fees, costs and study permit
- Study in Finland: fees and cost of living
- Constitution of Brazil, Article 206
- Czech embassy in Moscow: long-stay visa applications
- Estonia MFA: visa application restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens
- Latvia MFA: who may file a visa application among Russian citizens
- Serbia MFA: entry rules for Russian passport holders
ECB reference rate of 29.09.2026: €1 = $1.1355; crowns via ECB cross rates (CZK 1 ≈ $0.0465, NOK 1 ≈ $0.1044). Rounding step: $1 below $100, otherwise $10. Visa amounts for Germany, Austria and Italy and the Serbian scholarship data come from our country guides, which link to the embassies and ministries.
Matching a country to your language and budget, checking tuition-free conditions at a specific university and preparing documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university decides on admission, the consulate or immigration office on the visa or residence permit, and the fund or ministry on a scholarship. If you want to know which tuition-free route is realistic for you, send us a request.
During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.
Next steps
- Free University Education in Germany for International Students: Where Tuition Is Zero and What You Still Pay
- Free University Education in Czechia: Conditions, What You Still Pay and the Real Annual Cost
- Free University Education in Slovakia: Conditions for International Students and What You Still Pay
- Cost of Studying in Austria in 2026/27: Tuition, the Preparation Year and Living Costs
- French Student Visa in 2026: VLS-TS, the New Funds Threshold and Validation After Arrival
- Free University Education in Italy for International Students: What "Free" Means in 2026/27
