It might just be every student’s dream to go abroad to study and have the teenage-movie-university-experience. And while the idea of studying in a new environment, with different cultures and traditions around, away from the atypical settings you had grown up in, is an aspiration we’d all love to achieve, we need to be a bit more realistic and consider the different aspects that come with studying in a different country. We’ve compiled a list of the main countries’ students prefer to study in, and the different costs to consider while studying there.
United Kingdom
· Tuition
The UK is considered a more expensive country for undergraduate academic programs per year for international students, Tuition fees can cost from $17,000 – $55,000. For both public and private universities, degrees in Medicine and Business are the most expensive.
· Living
Living expenses depend on what sort of accommodations you’ll be in and whether you’re living in the city or outside. On average, living expenses cost around $800 – $1,600. Some students remain in the UK over summer holidays, so need to cover expenses for the entire year. Others would return home for summer holidays and so would pay expenses for approximately 9 months.
· Transport
For daily commute, there are various types of public transport available and some of them do offer student discounts. If you have a bus pass, it would cost you about £32 per month.
· Food and groceries
Groceries can cost about $100 – $350 per month.
· Utilities
If you aren’t staying in student dorms then you have to pay certain utility bills. The electric/water/gas bills can cost about $70 – $200 per month, depending on if you stay alone or are sharing a living space with someone.
· Health Insurance
For Immigration Health Surcharge (gives you access to the UK’s National Health Service) you need to pay about $650.
· Student Visa
The student visa fee costs about $480 (which is a one-time fee). UK student visa requirements state that you must have about $1500 in your bank account per month that you will stay in the UK, which is about $18,000 per year.
Canada
Compared to most countries, Canada is much more affordable for students, in tuition fees and other costs.
· Tuition
On average, the range for tuition fees is about $13,000 – $30,000, depending on the program you’re undertaking.
· Living
Living expenses per year can cost around an average of $12,000 – $15,000 depending on the location and your needs.
· Transport
If you live close enough to the university campus, you can walk or bike. There are also options for public transportation, such as buses, subways, commuter trains or ferries; some transit providers offer student discounts. Transport can cost about $80 – $120 per month.
· Food and groceries
Food and groceries can cost about $980 – $1200 per month, or only groceries can cost $300 per month.
· Utilities
If you live in an apartment or other housing, utility bills can cost about $160 – $200 per month.
· Health Insurance
It is mandatory for all international students traveling to Canada to get health insurance before their program starts. This can cost about $600 – $900 per year.
· Student Visa
To study in Canada, you need to get a study permit which will serve as your student visa or the duration of your stay for your program. Applying for a permit can cost about $120.
USA
The USA is one of the most opted for countries to go to for academics, because of the high standard of education that they offer. However, we need to consider the different aspects that come with living and studying in the Land of Opportunities.
· Tuition
Tuition fees on average for different programs for undergraduate degrees can cost from about $20,000 to $40,000 per year. Art, humanities and education courses are commonly cheaper, whereas degrees in medicine and engineering can be more expensive.
Public college fees tend to be less than those of private colleges, about 73% less.
· Living
Living costs in the US has a wide range, depending on the type of accommodations you will be utilizing. An estimate of a living cost for the US is around $10,000 to $18,000 per year, about $1,000 to $1,500 per month. This would include accommodation costs, food, travel, textbooks, clothing and entertainment costs as well.
Most universities offer students with on-campus residence, known as dorms, in which water, electricity, internet and other such utilities are provided for. These dorms can cost about $5,000 to $8,000 per year,
If you choose to stay off-campus, you can share an apartment with other students to reduce the living costs, but you’d have to pay for utilities on your own. This situation can cost a bit more, depending on the apartment and location.
· Transport
If you stay off-campus, you have a wide range of choices among the cheap public transportation that is available, such as: cabs, trains, buses or even rentals. These costs depend on where you’re staying and how far away you would be from your campus. Bus and train passes can cost about $30-$50 per month for students.
· Health Insurance
International students have to secure health insurance for their admission to US colleges. Without health insurance, international students cannot study in the US.
The common cost for health insurance can range between $700 and $1,000 per year.
· Student Visa
To study in the USA, you need to secure a valid student visa which has a non-refundable fee of approximately $160.
Australia
Sunny, bright Australia is not just known for its scary animals or the heat, but also for being one among the countries that provide high quality education. The level of academics and academic programs available in Australia is unmatched. However, as wonderful as the education is, there are some costs that need to be looked at before one decides to make a final decision.
· Tuition
For students who want to apply for Bachelor’s degrees in different universities, the tuition fees can cost from about 20,000 AUD to 45,000 AUD per year. Different cities and regions have different tuition fees for their universities.
· Living
Living expenses are generally listed to be about $21,000 per year, depending on the type of living arrangements.
· Transport
There are many public transport options available for students in Australia, and these can cost up to $30 to $60 per week. In Australia, you can cover short distances with trams, ferries, trains or buses.
· Food and groceries
Food and groceries can cost anywhere from $80 to $280, depending on the type of groceries and food plans you decide on.
· Utilities
If you decide on staying off-campus, you need to pay for some utility bills, such as electricity, gas and water. These can cost you around $25 – $100 per month.
· Health Insurance
For students who are travelling to Australia to study, it is mandatory to get health insurance before the commencement of their program. This is known as the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), which can cost about 30 AUD a month, or $350 a year.
· Student Visa
The current fee for the Student Visa (Subclass 500) is about AUD $575 – $620. For this visa, you need to organize for yourself health insurance (OSHC), which needs to be valid throughout the duration of your stay.
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