FAQ’s for Your Graduate Degree Abroad
I have talked to so many U.S. college students who have:
studied abroad and want more; or
had planned to study abroad but it got cancelled due to COVID and still want to do something abroad; or couldn’t fit in study abroad because of the cost or their academic schedule, but are looking for another way to get abroad.
If one of these are you, the natural next step is to get your graduate school degree abroad. Here are some typical questions students ask regarding how to get abroad again for study:
1. How much does a grad program typically cost?
There is a range of prices abroad. Tuition can be anywhere from free or nearly free (Germany, Norway and Erasmus+) to around $5,000 - $14,000/year (Hungary, Estonia, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, etc.) $15,000 – 23,000/year (UK, New Zealand, Ireland). There are even more expensive ones, but those typically tend to be in England and Australia. Download my free graduate guide.
2. Are there good programs in my academic field?
There are many world-recognized universities and programs around the world. You can search the top universities in your academic field by using QS Rankings or Times Higher Education Rankings. Keep in mind that these rankings are usually driven by research output of the university.
3. Are there programs in English?
Yes! There are many graduate programs in English, even in countries that don’t have English as the primary language. For example, in Germany there are about 1,600 graduate programs in English. There are others throughout Scandinavia, France, Eastern Europe, Italy, China, etc.
4. Can I use FAFSA or 529 plans abroad?
You can use FAFSA loans and/or 529 Savings Plans in about 400 universities abroad. These tend to be programs that cost upward from $15,000/year in tuition. Read more about FAFSA loans and 529 Plans abroad.
5. Can I also work abroad?
Many countries have work visas for students post graduate study (i.e. New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.) If working abroad after your program is important to you, you might want to consider selecting a country that has the work visa built into the post-study experience. Read more about post-study work visas.
6. I feel overwhelmed by the choices and next steps. Who can help me?
There are a lot of factors to take into account when selecting a degree abroad. Be sure to follow Affordable Degrees Abroad’s social media accounts to stay up-to-date with any upcoming free live events (Grad school in New Zealand, in Ireland, in Scotland, Wales, France, etc.)
