6 countries that offer free or very cheap PhD programmes

Some undergraduate degrees lead to more lucrative jobs than others. To take it a step further, certain postgraduate degrees — such as a master’s or, better yet, a PhD — can snag you jobs with the highest earnings and lowest unemployment rates.

The downside of all that is that the cost of pursuing a terminal degree abroad can be eye-watering — but not if you’re studying in the cheapest countries to study a PhD.

Normally, full-time PhDs last for around three to four years, and those who enrol in three-year programmes often only finish their thesis in their fourth year. Meanwhile, part-time PhDs can take up to six or seven years — and that’s not even considering the fact that the thesis deadline can be extended by up to four years at the institution’s discretion.

Naturally, as the years add up, so do your tuition, living, and other miscellaneous expenses when studying abroad.

Luckily, however, there are a handful of countries to study a PhD programme that won’t have you breaking the bank in your pursuit of quality knowledge.

The cheapest countries to study a PhD for international students

Sweden

If you’re planning to pursue a PhD in renewable energy or something closely related, then Sweden is your best bet. Data shows that more than 60% of the energy used in Sweden came from renewable sources in 2022.

The best part about pursuing a PhD in Sweden? It is free for all — including international students.

One thing to note is that this only applies to this terminal degree; non-EU/EEA students pursuing bachelor’s or master’s programmes will still need to pay for tuition, though even then, it’s still pretty affordable.

On top of it all, Sweden is home to some highly-ranked universities — seven of them are listed in the top 350 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025. The best universities in Sweden, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Lund University, are ranked 74th and 75th respectively.

Norway is one of the cheapest countries to study a PhD, though if you’re averse to the cold, you might want to think twice about it. Source: AFP

Norway

Norway is another Nordic country that tops the list of cheapest countries to study a PhD in. While the country has no longer been a tuition-free option for international students beginning 2023, its fees still remain fairly affordable.

A notable thing about pursuing your PhD here is that PhD candidates do not have student status in Norway — you’re considered to be an employee instead. Therefore, no tuition fee is required.

However, universities will require you for funding that covers living expenses and necessary working capital. This can come in the form of doctoral research fellowships or affiliation with an academic community, institution, or similar.

Norway has two universities ranked in the top 350 of the QS World University Rankings 2025: the University of Oslo at #119 and the Norwegian University of Science And Technology at #264.

International students who study in Finland get to bask in the spectacular views of incredible natural phenomena witnessed in only a few parts of the world, such as the Northern Lights. Source: Oliver Morin/AFP

Finland

Finland is another Nordic country which tops our list of cheapest countries to study for a PhD for international students. Like Norway and Sweden, studying for your bachelor’s or master’s is affordable here, and it doesn’t cost anything to pursue your PhD.

In late 2023, the Finnish government announced that they would fund 1,000 PhDs who have to finish in three years.

This pilot programme, which began in 2024, saw the government allocate over 260 million euros (US$281 million) to test a new model for PhD education in Finland, aiming to increase the number of PhD graduates and strengthen the societal impact of PhD training.

It was also a direct result of universities in Finland highlighting the inadequate funding of PhDs and the shortage of skilled workers available in the country.

Finland is home to four of the top 350 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025 list. These include Aalto University at #113, the University of Helsinki at #117, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT at #336, and the University of Oulu at #344.

 

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Germany

Germany has always been known for its world-class education system, innovation, and low-cost tuition fees for its students. Now, international students graduating from German universities can look forward to initiatives that help them secure jobs in the country from 2024 to 2028.

Here, universities don’t charge PhD students tuition fees and instead require them to secure funding. Lucky for you, there are many ways to acquire that — whether through the university’s doctoral fellowships or the various funding programmes available.

8 German universities are in the top 150 of the QS World University Rankings 2025 list, and there’s 19 total if you’re looking at the top 350:

• #28: Technical University of Munich
• #59: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• #84: Universität Heidelberg
• #97: Freie Universitaet Berlin
• #99: RWTH Aachen University
• #102: KIT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• #126: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• #147: Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin)

Not only do you get to enjoy quality education in France, but you’ll also get to immerse yourself in the rich culture and life in the country throughout your studies. Source: AFP

France

Another country to make it to our pick of the cheapest countries to study a PhD in is France.

Under French law, candidates cannot pursue a PhD without funding — you need a contrat doctoral that gives you the right to a salary and other benefits before you are accepted into a PhD programme.

Some universities might require you to pay an annual tuition fee — Sciences Po requires 391 euros (approximately US$436) — though some universities don’t, so keep an eye on that.

10 universities in France are found in the top 350 of the QS World University Rankings 2025 list. The four that make it into the top 150 are the Université PSL at #24, the Institut Polytechnique de Paris at #46, Sorbonne University at #63, and Université Paris-Saclay at #73.

 

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Estonia

A pleasant surprise you might find on this list is none other than the picturesque Estonia. All education is free at the PhD level in this Northern European country, so its time to give it its due consideration.

Estonia’s best-ranking university is the University of Tartu, at #358 on the QS World University Rankings 2025 list. It’s Estonia’s national university, and earning a doctoral degree here positions you for a career in academia: a total of 62 researchers from the University of Tartu belong to the top 1% of most-cited researchers in the world.

The university offers eight doctoral programmes (further divided into specialisations), all of which fall under one of four centres for doctoral studies: humanities, social sciences, medicine and sport, and science and technology.

Disclaimer: This article was last updated on September 23, 2024.