Schengen Area is a group of 29 European countries that have easy access to and from each other’s territory without requiring a passport (VISA). This means that citizens of Schengen countries do not need to present a passport to travel to other Schengen countries.
Members of this establishment include popular study destinations like Germany, France, and the Netherlands, and this allows international students to explore Europe without needing multiple visas. However, it’s important to note that not all European countries are part of the Schengen Agreement, and visa policies may differ.
What Countries are in the Schengen Agreement?
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
The 10 Best Schengen Countries with Fully Funded Scholarship Programs
No doubt, most countries in the Schengen Agreement are among the best locations for international students seeking higher education, thanks to their high-quality education systems and a wide range of fully funded scholarship offers. Here are some of the Schengen countries worth considering for a fully funded scholarship application.
1. Germany
Germany has many popular world-class universities that offer scholarships to international students from different countries. Also, Germany is quite affordable to study and live in; plus, the country has many exciting and breathtaking scenarios you could explore.
Several German institutions provide fully funded scholarships via programs like the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Erasmus+. You can engage with these programs and you may win a fully awarded scholarship to study in a German university. Eligibility criteria for these programs differ.
2. France
France is another top destination for international students, known for its rich cultural heritage, world-class education institutions, and very beautiful cities you could explore. Yeah, French universities offer fully funded scholarships on their own and through funded programs.
Some notable scholarship programs for international students looking to school in France include the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program, provided by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Campus France (a platform that provides invaluable information and guides on a wide range of scholarships for international students).
3. Netherlands
The Netherlands might not have crossed your mind when thinking of where to go and study, but trust me, the country is home to some of the best universities in the world – including the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Utrecht University, and the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
The country in general is quite a blissful place to live, study, and work – Dutch locals are pretty friendly and easy-going. Some fully funded scholarship programs in the Netherlands include the Holland Scholarship, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, and the Orange Tulip Scholarship (provided by several Dutch universities to students from specific countries).
4. Sweden
Sweden? Yeah! Swedish universities are world-class and you can offer any course of your choice. The European country is home to some of the top-ranked universities in Europe and is notable for offering high-quality education for different disciplines. Both the Swedish government and universities (on their own) offer fully funded scholarships for international students. You can apply for these scholarships via the Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) or the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees.
5. Norway
It may interest you to learn that Norwegian public universities offer free education to literally all students, including international students, you only have to pay stipends for the student union. Now, that sounds interesting, right? But the cost of living in Norway is really high. Nevertheless, you can apply for a fully funded scholarship to study in Norwegian universities through programs like the Norwegian Quota Scheme and Norwegian Government Scholarships.
6. Finland
Finland? Yes, a good number of Finnish universities rank among the top 15 best universities in the world, and the country is known to offer some of the best education systems in the world, with a strong focus on research and innovation. Also, Finland is one good country to live and work in; the government policies are friendly to foreigners.
You can get into a Finnish university through a fully funded scholarship program and some of the popular programs include the Finnish Government Scholarship Pool and other specific programs run by different Finnish universities. You should give this Schengen country a good shot.
7. Austria
Austria is another European country with a rich cultural history and an ideal destination for any foreigner, including international students. The Central European country is committed to providing accessible education to both locals and foreigners, hence, you will find quite many fully funded scholarship opportunities to study in an Austrian university, including government-backed ones and private-agency-backed like the OeAD (Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research).
8. Switzerland
If you’re looking for scholarship offers to cut down your expenses for pursuing your masters, PhD, or postdoctoral education, the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship platform is a good one to apply to. That aside, there are many fully funded scholarship opportunities in Switzerland, which is home to some of the world’s top universities.
Switzerland is also one of the most beautiful countries in the world, which means there are lots of intriguing sights you will come across throughout your study time in the country. But then, the country is a bit expensive to live in. Consider applying for the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship if you’re looking to pursue a degree program.
9. Spain
Spanish universities offer fully funded scholarships for international students through different programs, including the Erasmus Mundus Scholarships program. Also, the government of Spain offers scholarships to international students, particularly for postgraduate and PhD programs. There is no argument that Spain is one of the best countries to live and study in.
10. Italy
Italy’s rich history and ancient stories are some things that’d make you want to visit the country, and moving there with a student visa will allow you to explore the country’s finest views and notable monuments while getting the best quality education for your discipline. Through several scholarship schemes, you can make your way into Italy at a very much reduced cost as an international student.
Italian universities offer their own scholarship schemes, so also the Italian government, but you could still find other fully funded scholarship offers for foreign students – available for international students at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels. Top Italian institutions like the University of Bologna and Politecnico di Milano, offer fully funded scholarships.
Conclusion
These 10 Schengen countries are the best to study in; of course, other countries in the Schengen agreement offer good quality education and their universities are world-class, but you should pay attention to the ones we have reviewed, first.