Choosing the Right European University for Indian Student

How to choose the right European university for Indian students? What are the top European universities for Indian students offering scholarships? What are the best subjects to pursue in the top European colleges to make a flourishing and rewarding career?

If these are a few questions that leave you confused while choosing the right European university, then this article is going to be a first-hand guide for you. Studying abroad might be a life-changing experience for any international student. From selecting the country to making your own breakfast in a college dorm, you will be doing every little task. No wonder this decision will help you to transition into your independent adulthood with time.

However, since this will be the most crucial decision in your life, you need to be very patient with shortlisting the right university and course for your higher education. Numerous options will always be available for you, but not everyone will be worth your consideration. Hence, this step-by-step guide will help you to select the right European university that can help you to fulfill all your career aspirations while enabling you to enjoy life without any barriers.

Studying in Europe Highlights

Here is a little overview of the higher education system in Europe for your reference:

• Around 340+ institutions are offering higher education to international students in Europe.
• As per the data collected in 2022, the ERASMUS Partnering Universities are 44 and counting.
• The Bologna process is maintained in Europe, where cycle 1 is a bachelor's degree, cycle 2 is a master's degree, and cycle 3 is PhD courses
• 48 European countries are following EHEA
• More than 100+ universities are offering free education in Europe
• The cheapest counties to study in Europe include Finland, Italy, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Spain, etc.
• The top courses to study in Europe are Master of Business Administration, Foreign Languages, Culinary Arts, Law, Architecture, Data Science, International Relations, Natural Sciences, Finance, Engineering, Medicine, Marketing, etc.

How to Select the Right European University for Indian Students?

Seeking admission to a top European university is no easy job. It requires a lot of research, persistence, hard work, and patience. Right from financial considerations to finding the best student support services, everything needs to be taken into consideration before shortlisting any university for higher studies. Let's get a clear picture of selecting the best European university for Indian students:

Research Always Help

The first thing about getting into any university is your research. Understand that the European learning environment differs significantly from the Indian education system. The students need to familiarise themselves with the academic programs, curriculum flexibility, host country regulations, campus infrastructure, student exchange programs, internship opportunities, and many more such aspects.

What is the curriculum structure maintained by the top European universities? What are the levels of academic excellence here? Research and learn about the Bologna Process, how it functions and also determines the degree programs across Europe.

The Bologna Process is responsible for bringing more coherence to higher education across European countries. It is the one that established the European Higher Education Area for facilitating staff and student mobility, thereby making the education system more accessible and inclusive globally. The participating countries have all agreed to the following:

• Offer a three-cycle higher education system to the students, which comprises bachelor's, master's as well as doctoral studies.
• Guarantee the mutual recognition of academic qualifications and learning periods completed at other universities.
• Implements the quality assurance system for strengthening the quality and the overall relevance of teaching and learning.

What’s Your Line of Interest?

Selecting the course will always remain the priority task in the student’s life. It is the one that determines the country and even the university for study. Identifying your academic aspirations and interests will help you align with your individual choice.

What do you enjoy studying? What line of work has always seemed interesting to you? More often than ever, students end up signing up for courses which might seem alluring initially but might not be aligned with their strengths and interests. Hence determining the long-term prospects along with your strengths and interests might help you with the overall selection. While looking for a university, ensure to understand their offerings in detail, type of faculty and learning opportunities, research options, industry connections, funding, etc.

What’s the Rank?

Next on this list should be determining the ranking and reputation of the European university. Since you will be moving abroad to complete your higher education, do not compromise the university's ranking. Ultimately, it is this institution that will showcase your capabilities and can broaden your career prospects.

Consult the university rankings and refer to the rankings like Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and QS World University Rankings, Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) to gain valuable insights about academic excellence as well as the reputation of the top European colleges and universities. Apart from this, you can also read student reviews and feedback, testimonials and the experiences shared on the college websites, social media platforms and other forums for reference.

Researching your university gives you an insight into how the system works and also an overall perspective of the education system from a student’s point of you. Consider the history of this institution, its alum connections, faculty/student ratio, achievements, best master’s programs, academic reputation, internationalisation, and even partnerships with the top companies in the market or the research organisations to understand whether this university can be the ideal choice for offering you the best career opportunities or not.

Understanding Admission Procedure & Criteria

What are the admission criteria for the top European universities? Do you require any English language proficiency skills? What is the application success rate for new Indian students? What is the USP of the shortlisted university that is attracting multiple applications from all over the world?

You need to be careful about these questions while selecting a European university for your higher studies. There are lots and lots of educational institutions on this continent with unlimited resources available for international students for higher education. However, not all will be aligned with your academic interest and aspirations.

Therefore, determining the right university lies in checking their admission criteria and how they define the rules for successful applications. Do not forget to check the application deadline. Ensure that you have enough time to complete the entire process. Also, do not skip any paperwork, as European universities are very keen on maintaining proper documentation when it comes to admission.

University Location Matters

The university's location is crucial to consider while selecting the institution for your studies. Since you will be studying most of your time, you must be careful about your daily commute schedule.

Also, you will bear your living expenses and hence be careful about selecting the university based on its location. Try staying near the university to reduce travelling time and save your travel expenses. Also, do consider the cost of living, culture, climatic conditions, and proximity to major locations before selecting the institution.

Living in big cities can be extremely expensive, but it also gives you a lot of opportunities when it comes to part-time jobs. However, in small cities, the cost of living may be affordable and low, with a reduced amount of part-time jobs available for international students. During the course of study, international students are allowed to work 15 to 20 hours per week, which might be fulfilling enough for the students to gain both money and skills.

What is Your Language Proficiency?

For Indian students, it must be slightly easy to pursue education in European universities as the mode of instruction is mainly English. However, a few top-ranking institutions often conduct their courses in local languages.

So, evaluating your English proficiency or the required language skill is essential before you start applying to these universities. In the case of English language proficiency, one might have to appear for this like IELTS or TOEFL. However, if you're not fluent in English, you might need to undergo language training for a limited period to get through the admission process.

Scholarship Programs for Paying the Bills

As already highlighted, studying in Europe can be an expensive affair. So, explore the tuition fees available for your courses and different universities in European countries to understand the fluctuations and the number of opportunities available for your line of work. Understand the annual tuition structure as well as the other additional expenses like health insurance, living course and visa fees while shortlisting the right university for your education.

One can lower these expenses by finding the relevant scholarships or grants specifically aimed at international students. These scholarships are available both full-time and part-time, which might cover the student's living expenses and tuition fees. Research the external scholarships and sponsorships available for international students to cover other costs in Europe.

Grow Your Network through Alumni Associations

If you are keen on making a flourishing career, you must be actively participating in growing your network through your college. Reach out to other students and faculty to increase your associations. Also, seek insights and professional advice from alumni to get valuable feedback about jobs and internship programs.

For Indian students, it is always advisable to contact the Indian alumni from that particular university to get introduced to the prospective groups and communities. Join the online forums and social media groups to grow your network, understand the lifestyle at your campus, widen your reach and understand the potential challenges of studying abroad.

Reach Out to Educational Advisors

Professional guidance can always help students to make the right choice of universities and subjects. It can help you to get the bigger picture and understand your career prospects while selecting European universities for your higher education.

Understand that educational consultants are always working for the benefit of the students. Hence, they can offer your personalised advice, assist with the entire application process and even help with your part-time jobs. Also, they might help you to get the best out of your funding programs.

Take Time to Finalise

Lastly, you need to be patient with the entire selection and application process. Understand whatever data you gathered from your research, review and use the insights to make a well-informed decision.

Utilise students' personal experiences while considering factors like location, academic reputation, fees, cost of living, course benefits and offerings, faculty, internship opportunities, student support and more.

Factors to Consider for Indian Students Studying in Europe

Europe is known for its world-class education system and a massive pool of career opportunities globally. The European countries are also known for their cross-cultural experiences, research opportunities, academic resources, student diversity, excellent teaching methodologies, and many more.

However, the entire learning or educational system seems to be pretty different from the Indian education system. So, if you have been preparing to pursue higher studies in any European country, here are a few factors to consider:

Strict with Paperwork

The first thing on your list should be all about the paperwork, as the European countries are pretty serious about it. Documents are an absolute necessity here as it helps to prove your identity. So, never even consider mingling with any paperwork as irrelevant, or any discrepancies with the documentation can throw the student out of the country.

Insurance, visa, study permit, scholarship papers, and more will be mandatory, and students need to present or submit them to the officers whenever they are prompted to. Also, keep an eye on their official channels to stay updated about the paperwork and other documentation processes.

Know English? That Must be Enough!

If you know English, it is enough to sustain life in Europe. Although different countries might have different local languages, and it can be fun to learn, Indian students can seamlessly blend in and complete their studies if they are fluent in English. However, some universities might be keen on testing your language proficiency before admission. So, be ready for the English proficiency tests to get admission to your dream European university.

Too Much for the Pocket!

Europe and expenses seem to go hand-in-hand. It was and still is all about money. You will need many resources in any European country to study, travel, stay, eat, etc. So, developing adequate money management skills is a necessity for every international student here. If you cannot manage your expenses or find it hard to sustain life while studying in Europe, you must find appropriate ways to overcome these financial obstacles.

To start with, apply to the universities that offer funding programs for international students. Also, living within the city might be expensive. Try to get accommodations in the city outskirts or near the university, which might be located pretty far from the main city. However, do not let your location be the determining factor in choosing the right university for your higher studies in Europe.

Funding Opportunities: What are Your Options?

Scholarships and funding programs are widely available in Europe for international. However, it is not very easy to find the relevant course, the university, and the scholarship opportunities here. So be keen on researching such programs while learning about the different kinds of scholarships available for your course to help you cover the tuition fees and living expenses without any hassles.

Do not forget to check your eligibility before applying for these scholarships. Also, merely selecting a university offering 100% funding will never be a wise decision. Always refer to the teaching faculty and placement assistance to finalise the university for your European higher education.

Sustaining the Cold Might be Difficult

Weather can be a mighty challenge for Indian students in Europe. It is pretty easy to enjoy and sustain the hot weather in Europe. However, the cold conditions get worse with time on this continent.

Every European country witnesses long and cold winters every year. So, preparing yourself before you start your higher studies in any European country is very important. Since snowfall seems to be very high here, it is essential to be prepared to safeguard yourself from these extreme weather conditions.

You don’t have to become a weather expert to understand the fluctuations here. However, researching about it on Google before you go out can help you enjoy your day without getting sick whenever there is a drop in the temperature.

Keep Your Expenses in Control

As already highlighted, the living expenses in any European country seem to be on the expensive side. However, it should not reduce your hopes of getting into the top European universities to fulfil your career aspiration.

Cut your expenses! That’s the best thing to do when you are focused on building a career on foreign ground. If you are clueless about managing your costs while studying at any European university, start by leading a simple life as much as possible.

You would love want to go around the borders as these European countries offer you student visas with travel allowances. However, to also manage your travel expenses, you need to keep the accommodation and food expenditures within your limit. Do not compromise with the food options; also make inexpensive choices which can be healthy too.

Try limiting your wardrobe and get your clothes as much as possible from India. That’s because clothing and accessories are available at lower costs in India and can be extremely expensive when buying from a European store.

Selecting the Right University

Why do you aspire to study at a European university for higher education? Maybe to get the best education from world-class faculty and to make a career with the top organisations in the world. So, your university will be your identity whenever you are trying to land your dream job at that big company.

No wonder selecting the right university will be a crucial challenge for every Indian student. You will have to shortlist the top-ranked universities in Europe and check their funding programmes along with the courses offered to understand whether the university aligns with your career goals. Along with that, understand if the institution can provide you with appropriate internship and career opportunities to help you fulfil your aspirations.

Part-Time Jobs Help

Since the expenses seem too high here, part-time jobs can be a saviour in this regard. One of the reasons why people aspire to make a career in Europe is because of its good economy. As it is constantly flourishing, getting a part-time job will be easier for Indian students. Try growing your network from the university and ask your seniors for referrals.

Such jobs are beneficial for earning a little extra while completing your studies and help with updating your skills and task-handling capabilities. However, one thing to keep in mind is not to let these jobs get the best version of you. Do not lose yourself in earning money; your motto here is to complete the degree to get a good placement. Never stress over these jobs; ultimately, your goal is to learn more and find relevant job opportunities per your line of work.

No Compromise with Health Insurance

Another thing to consider before browsing the educational opportunities in Europe is knowing about the health insurance policy as per the country's government. Why? Well, you need someone to take care of your medical bills in case of emergencies and remember that it gets pretty expensive in European countries. So, to be safe and sound, ensure to know about the availability of health insurance policies for international students in Europe.

Final Overview

Overall, the entire journey will be full of a lot of excitement, enthusiasm and great learning. It won't be a smooth ride, but it will surely be worth your time, resource and energy. It will be the best rewarding career decision you can ever make. That is why be patient with the entire selection process and take the decision considering all the necessary points discussed above.

Always opt for universities that offer globally recognised courses, ample job opportunities, and funding programs. Some of the countries to study in Europe that should be on your list include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. Which one is going to be your first choice?