Finland another choice?

As part of our continuing efforts to answer some of the questions you may get, are there any lower cost alternatives to studying in the UK if you are likely to be a full-fee paying applicant? Much has been made in recent years of encouraging students to think about EU universities who are Bologna compliant (up to EU set quality standards).

As more and more EU universities in Spain, the central and eastern EU members, the Netherlands and even France are offering degrees taught in English, this likely to be a more frequent question. After all, such alternatives might not result in as much graduation debt and can often offer just as good graduate employment prospects (in our current recession), as well as offering the chance to experience cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Warsaw, Budapest, Prague, Amsterdam and a host of others. So what does Finland have to offer?

Firstly no tuition fees, and whilst the cost of living might mean around £5-6,000 a year - the final graduation debt could be lot lower. Finland claims over 450 courses (not all degrees) being taught in English, one of the highest rates of English speaking amongst of the EU, an incredibly low crime rate and one of the highest standards of living. On top of the attractions of Helsinki and other cities, there are some of the cleanest lakes, an often pristine environment and the chance to see the Northern Lights and the midnight sun up north.

For more info on Finland for you and your students, see the latest issue of “Courses & Careers” e-magazine, which will be hosted on www.course-careers.com in early October.