Berlin has been named the top European university city for students from England due to lifestyle and the free tuition offered in Germany.
Analysis of the cost of living, the quality of education, tuition fees and the English-taught courses on offer, concluded that the German city was the best place to study for students from England.
The research ranks the top 10 most popular European cities for UK students across 10 different categories.
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Following analysis, Berlin came out on top, closely followed by Paris – which recently topped the QS World University Rankings for top student cities in 2016 – and Copenhagen.
Researchers noted the “famously efficient” transport system, the absence of tuition fees for EU students, the “exciting nightlife” and the price of accommodation in the city as key reasons the city came out on top.
However, despite the lure of low or no tuition fees, nearly two thirds of students would only consider studying in the UK, despite England having, on average, some of the highest course fees in the world.
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According to the survey of 1,000 students, carried out by money transfer platform, TransferWise, 87 per cent of students said going to university in the UK was too expensive, yet many remained unaware of the options available in Europe.
When asked why they wouldn’t consider universities abroad, many cited a reluctance to leave family and friends as a key concern, with language apptitude and cost also playing a part in the decision making process.
Furthermore, according to the study, many students remain unaware that top European cities offer university courses taught in English.
However, the process for applying to European universities could become easier in the future as last year the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) announced that it would allow institutions to join its system if they met the same standards as universities in Britain.
Today’s research also looked at categories including safety, culture, the international student community and the ease at which students could travel home.
When comparing all categories, researchers ranked Berlin as the top city, followed by Paris and Copenhagen. Zurich ranked in tenth position due to the high cost of living
Top 10 European cities for English students
- Berlin
- Paris
- Copenhagen
- Brussels
- Amsterdam
- Vienna
- Stockholm
- Madrid
- Bologna
- Zurich
When comparing the costs with studying in London, tuition fees in the capital average at around £8,300 per year, while a monthly transport ticket can be over double what a student could expect to pay in the German capital.
Nilan Peiris from TransferWise said: “As a British student who studied in Berlin, it’s a shame to see so few British students looking to Europe for their university education.
“My time spent abroad was priceless: I gained a network of friends around the globe and a greater world perspective. Most of all I learned to be independent. I loved Germany so much that I stayed well past my graduation.”
[Source:- telegraph.co.uk]
