The Study Abroad Dream
Every year, millions of students worldwide apply to foreign universities in the hopes of studying abroad. According to the World Migration Report 2024, China alone has over 1 million students studying abroad. Of these millions upon millions of students worldwide, many are also further limited by a lack of finance and thus also look for not only a placement, but also a scholarship or some sort of financial aid to support their studies. Today, we’ll be looking at some countries that are an affordable option for Pakistani Students looking to study abroad, highlighting the fact that financial constraints are not the end of ones ambition to study outside the nation.

Germany

Germany, one of the most lucrative study-abroad destinations in the world, boasts free public universities for all its students, including free universities for international students. Although there is a semester fee to cover administrative costs, it is relatively low, ranging from PKR 30,000 to PKR 100,000 per semester. This fee often includes transport and access to sports facilities. The cost of living in Germany is also relatively low, coming in at about 1.5-2 lacs per month. This may seem to be a lot, however it should be considered that Germany allows international students to work part time jobs and cover their own expenses. Some of the most renowned universities in the world reside in Germany, including Technical University of Munich (TMU), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Heidelberg University and Humboldt University of Berlin to name a few. These universities have some of the most unique and effective courses to offer at a very reasonable cost.

Poland

Another option for affordable living for international students looking to pursue quality education is Poland. Poland, home to some the most prestigious universities in the world, has relatively low tuition fees for international students, ranging from PKR 6 lac to PKR 14 lac per year. Other than this, there is a monthly cost of living which is around 1-1.5 lacs per month. Once again, this may seem a lot, but Poland allows students to work part time jobs to cover their living expenses. This ensures that they can first, gain work experience, and second, finance themselves to a certain extent, allowing them to ease the strain on their living standards financially. Poland is one of the more affordable places of study in comparison to many North American and European institutions, this makes it quite appealing to international students as it bridges the gap between expenditure and quality education. Among many, some of the most popular universities in Poland are: Warsaw University of Technology, Jagiellonian University Adam Mickiewicz University and  AGH University of Science and Technology. These universities also possess commendable global rankings, ensuring that their affordability is not indicative of compromise in quality.

Greece:

Greece is one of the oldest educational states in the world. Even being so, the cost to live, commute and study at universities within the country are not unreasonably expensive because Europe is generally a more costly continent. For undergraduate degrees, the mean annual tuition cost for non-European students studying in Greece is between 1500 and 2000 euros, this includes the cost for course books. For master’s degrees in public universities the fees is around 1500- 2000 euros per semester. Moreover, the estimated monthly cost for a single person in Greece is only 795.5 Euros (246,844 Rupees) excluding rent. This is a phenomenal ratio when understanding that it is about the same amount needed to sustain oneself within Pakistan too, thus having to spend around about the same amount for comparatively better facilities and educational integrity is a seemingly more positive route to take. Some of the best universities to attend in Greece are: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, National Technical University of Athens and University of Patras.

As we see, there are counties that have either no or very low tuition fee for international students. This may still seem a lot to the average Pakistani household, but students must keep in mind that a huge part of studying abroad is to do a part time jobs and manage your own expenses. Studying abroad is not a luxury, it is a roadway to a successful life and must be treated as such, and all hardships must be born with steadfastness.