Countries in Eastern Europe are like unpolished gems. You need to pay a closer look to discover that they are a great international student destination for your English-taught Bachelor’s study.
So put on your lens and discover why Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, and Romania are great places to do an international Bachelor’s degree, easily competing with more popular Western European destinations.
View Bachelors in Eastern Europe
1. Bachelors in Poland – a country of lakes, forests, and castles
One of the most populous European countries, Poland is the best Eastern European country for English as a second language, which makes it a great destination for international students. The Poles are friendly and always love a good joke like the one about the new Polish navy having glass bottom boats to see the old Polish navy.
But they also take higher education very seriously, so many of their universities rank very well in terms of academic quality. The 50,000 international students there go to universities like:
- Warsaw University of Technology
- University of Gdansk
- Poznan University of Technology
- University of Wroclaw
Fees and living costs in Poland are very well balanced. While tuition fees start at around 2,000 EUR for English-taught Bachelors, the living costs start at only 400 EUR/month and don’t go over 700 EUR/month (in the capital). A good way to reduce your tuition fees is to apply for scholarships in Poland.
Student life in Poland is extremely fun. Polish students have a tradition of dressing up statues in hilarious clothes. But don’t let yourself be tricked: Polish students are very disciplined during school terms and work very hard. Plus, they are great debaters, especially over drinks.
If you consider staying in Poland after your studies, there are a lot of job openings in multinational companies that you have surely heard of. Microsoft, Intel, Google, ring any bells? Ding-ding!
2. Bachelors in the Czech Republic — home to the oldest Eastern European university
Looking for academic tradition? The Charles University in Prague was founded in 1348 and was the first of its kind in the region.
Back to modern days, the Czech Republic gets about 35,000 international students every year. Some of the best English-taught undergraduate programmes for international students are at:
Studying in the Czech Republic is also affordable. The living costs can easily be covered with 400 - 700 EUR/month – including fun activities.
If by any chance you speak Czech, you will be exempt from any tuition fees for all Czech- language programmes, regardless of your country of origin.
English-taught programmes have fees for all international students. The fees start at 3,000 EUR/year and go up to 15,000 EUR/ year. If you need help covering them, you can always apply for scholarships in the Czech Republic.
Student life becomes very exciting if you set out on castle tours — or get a pubs' tour from your colleagues. Most international students are positively shocked by the cheap costs of social activities and impressed by Czechs’ friendliness — who also speak English well.
3. Bachelors in Hungary – one of the oldest countries in Europe
Hungary is like Austria, but cheaper. To study in Hungary means to hear first-hand one of the most difficult languages in Europe (next to Finnish). Luckily, you don’t have to understand it unless you want to.
Hungarians have good English skills, and your Bachelor’s will be English-taught. Their universities rank well in terms of academic quality and have impressed most of the 20,000 foreign students they receive every year. Some of the student picks are:
Tuition fees and living costs in Hungary are accessible to students of different backgrounds. The average cost for Bachelor’s programmes for foreigners is 1,000 - 3,000 EUR/ year. Living costs are around 350 - 500 EUR/month. Naturally, you can also search for scholarships in Hungary to reduce some of these costs.
Student life in Hungary will give you the chance to meet other international students from countries like Romania, Slovakia, France, Spain, or Italy. Budapest is world-famous for its nightlife, with clubs for every taste and frequent student parties (So pack some aspirin, too).
4. Bachelors in Lithuania – home of one of the most ancient living languages
At a crossroads between West and East, Lithuania knows how to make the best of both worlds. Education, tourism, and business are some key industries here. The people have the Western calm and shyness when they meet foreigners, but once they get to know you, get ready for Eastern friendliness. They are also big fans of basketball — a rare thing in Eastern Europe where football is the king of sports.
Lithuania has several top universities that rank among the first 200 worldwide. Very good institutions are:
- Kaunas University of Technology
- ISM University of Management and Economics
- Vilniaus Kolegija/University of Applied Sciences
The 5,000 international students who chose this country were also influenced by the accessible tuition fees for English-taught programmes, which start at 1,000 EUR/year and usually don’t go over 5,500 EUR/year.
If you worry about being able to afford tuition fees, there are more than a few awards and scholarships in Lithuania to enable you to get the best of your undergraduate education.
Monthly expenses are incredibly low for students — 400 - 700 EUR/ month. With this money, you will not only cover accommodation and food but also all kinds of social activities you can think of: pubs, museums, art galleries, parties, etc.
Lithuanians like to party. In cities like Vilnius and Kaunas, there are music pubs and discos for every taste. You might get a beer or two spilt on you, but you are sure to make more than a few friends. And even if the winters are brutally cold, that won’t hold down Lithuanian students.
Also, most young Lithuanians have secondary degrees which means you’re in for some smart conversations. Get that Philosophy dictionary out and look for ‘existentialism’.
5. Bachelors in Romania — Dracula and beyond
Country of the world’s fastest internet, Romania has a lot to offer to international students. There’re mountains, there’s the sea, there are Delta and virgin forests — and you can see them all without even crossing the border.
Starting with degrees taught in languages like English, French, German, Romanian, or Hungarian, and continuing with university degrees recognised in Europe and beyond, this country is definitely worth checking out. That’s what convinced the 14,000 foreign students who choose Romania as their study destination, some of them going at universities like:
Romania has some of the lowest tuition fees in the EU, including for foreign students, but they differ according to the field of study. The lowest fees start at about 500 EUR/ year. For more complex degrees like medicine and engineering, expect a fee of at least 2,000 EUR/ year.
The good news is that you can always apply for scholarships in Romania or work your way through your studies. There are so many multinational companies looking for foreign language speakers that the chances of finding a job where you use your native language are quite high.
Living in big cities like Bucharest, Cluj, or Brasov — which are also the main university centres — means you will have to budget about 450 EUR/month for living expenses. To cut costs most students prefer sharing flats or living in dorms.
If there is one word that describes student life in Romania, that’s liberal. The nightlife in Bucharest is widely known because prices are low, and most pubs and clubs are open every night of the week. Every night! However, exam session is lockdown time and you’ll see libraries full of students.
Give Eastern Europe a chance to impress you with a vibe that’s going to make you want to chat and party, and with attractive English-taught Bachelor’s study options at affordable costs. It’s one of the most interesting regions to be an international Bachelor’s student.