5 cheapest countries to study architecture for Indian students

An architecture course and degree promises a successful future. For Indians, even more so.

As one of the most architecturally artistic countries, India is home to many architectural wonders such as the Taj Mahal, The Lake Palace, Mysore Palace, and many more. With the country growing, boosted by more injections of capital, there’s so much more development in store.

That’s where you, as a future architect, come in. The buildings and the built environment of India’s future lie in your hands.

But first, you’ll need an architecture degree.

While studying in the US, UK or United Arab Emirates is popular, it can be expensive. But don’t give up on your dream of building the next Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building in India, just yet. Consider these countries for your architecture course instead:

The cheapest countries for Indian students to pursue architecture courses

Outside of hosting architectural masterpieces, Italy is home to some of the cheapest universities to study the subject. Source: AFP

Italy

Known for more than just its food, Italy is home to brilliant architectural masterpieces such as the Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Milan Cathedral, Pantheon, Florence Cathedral and many more. When pursuing architecture in Italy, you won’t just study it but also live it. It is the land of “la dolce vita” after all.

The best universities in the country include Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Torino, Sapienza University of Rome, Iuav University of Venice, and the University of Bologna.

While the tuition fees at Italian universities vary depending on the university, the majority of undergraduate courses in the country range between 1,000 to 3,500 euros per year (approximately US$1,103 to US$3,862). This would total about 10,500 euros (US$11,585) for the whole programme.

As an architect in Italy, graduates can expect to earn an average of 3,570 euros (US$3,939) a month — reportedly higher than the average salary in Italy of 2,625 euros (US$2,896) a month. 

Located in Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history. Source: AFP

The Netherlands

From the Erasmus Bridge to the Rijksmuseum, and from the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ to the Forum Groningen, the Netherlands boast a range of eye-catching architectural sights. 

As a student destination, the country is well known for its high-quality education that is more affordable than in the US and UK. The average cost of pursuing an undergraduate programme in the Netherlands starts as low as 6,000 euros (US$6,621) per year. 

Delft University of Technology, the University of Groningen, the Eindhoven University of Technology, and Leiden University offer excellent programmes. Delft University of Technology was ranked the third-best university in the world for architecture according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

In the last few years, architecture has become one of the most in-demand career fields in the Netherlands. Graduates in this field can expect an average salary of 60,159 euros (US$66,389) per year in the country.

Norway

The Tromsdalen Church (also known as the Arctic Cathedral). The Trollstigen Visitor Centre. The Astrup Fearnley Museum. The Oslo Opera House.

Norway isn’t a stranger to fantastic architectural creations; the country is known for its sleek, clean architectural designs, with this shifting according to economic conditions, technological advances, and environmental concerns.

For architecture students, the country’s world-class universities are more than ready to prepare you in your quest to build something just as iconic. There’s the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), and the Bergen School of Architecture (BAS) to choose from.

If you already have your bachelor’s degree, consider pursuing your postgraduate degree at OsloMet. They have a two-year master’s in transport and urban planning which costs 276,000 Norwegian kroner (US$26,050) per year.

But if you’re looking to gain both your bachelor’s and master’s in architecture, BAS has a five-year programme. It costs 307,234 Norwegian kroner (US$28,997) per academic year, and totals 1,536,170 Norwegian kroner (US$144,989) for the entire course.

 

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Germany

From Berlin’s Reichstag Building, Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, and Cologne’s Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s range of architectural sights is one to be swept away by.

The Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, Berlin University of the Arts, and the University of Stuttgart all offer good architecture courses.

Most notable among them all is the Technical University of Berlin, ranked the best university in Germany for architecture at #21 on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. 

The best part? Germany is one of the cheapest countries you could possibly choose to pursue your architecture course. Tuition here can be as low as 1,500 euros (US142) per semester, or some universities might not charge at all.

Do note that you might have to pick up some German language skills though, but hey, that’s just another thing to add to your resume.

 

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Portugal

Whether it’s the Manueline style of the Jerónimos Monastery or the modernist Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT), Portugal boasts pretty sights and even prettier architecture.

Even the country’s University of Coimbra has been noted as one of the nicest universities in the world. Not only is it a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it’s also home to one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Better yet, you can even pursue your architecture course at this university.

Other universities offering the programme include the University of Lisbon, the University of Porto, the University Institute of Lisbon, and Lusíada University. Tuition fees would range from around 1,000 to 3,500 euros per year (approximately US$1,103 to US$3,862).

Disclaimer: This article was last updated on October 3, 2024.