Post-graduate work opportunities. A world-class education. Easier immigration pathways. These are reasons why many Indian students choose to study abroad — and many more will follow.
Approximately two million Indian students will spend up to US$70 billion by 2025 on international education.
Even with the country’s currency settling at 85.00-85.04 against the U.S. dollar, most Indian students are still bound to struggle more, thanks to the weak currency.
Fortunately, tuition-free options are a great way to access quality education without breaking the bank. In these institutions, not one rupee goes to applications, books, or course materials (though you may need to pay some administrative fees).
If you’re an Indian studying abroad, consider transferring to tuition-free universities in Europe.
Curious about how to do this? Here’s what you need to know about the European Credit Transfer System:
Since Europe houses a number of tuition-free universities, the ECTS is a great way for you to transfer to these institutions. Source: Ludovic Marin/AFP
Breaking down the European Credit Transfer System
The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is a way for students to move between countries and to have their academic qualifications and study periods abroad recognised.
It allows credits taken at one higher education institution to be counted towards a qualification studied for at another.
How does it work?
If you are an Indian student studying at a university that uses the European Credit Transfer System in Europe, you can transfer to a tuition-free university in this region.
Note that if you’re studying at an Indian uni, you cannot use this system to transfer to a tuition-free university in Europe.
Where is this system available?
The European Commission’s website notes: “ECTS has been adopted by most of the countries in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).”
Currently, there are 49 countries included in the EHEA, including top destinations like:
- UK
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- Spain
- France
- Ireland
- Sweden
Ireland is home to top universities like Trinity College Dublin. Source: AFP
Who can use the ECTS system?
ECTS can be used for full-time Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate (PhD) degrees, as well as study exchange experiences.
It can also be used to apply for further study if you wish to continue your academic journey.
How do the ECTS credits convert to study hours?
ECTS credits indicate the required workload to complete a module within a study programme. Generally, a year of full-time study is worth 60 ECTS credits.
The ECTS points for a bachelor’s degree range from 180 ECTS (three years full-time) to 240 ECTS (four years full-time). For a master’s programme, the ECTS points will range from 60 ECTS to 120 ECTS.
The number of study hours convertible to one ECTS credit will differ according to the different countries in the EHEA. Here are a few examples:
- UK: 1 ECTS equals 20 study hours
- Austria, Ireland, Italy, Malta: 1 ECTS equals 25 study hours
- Finland, Lithuania, Sweden: 1 ECTS equals 27 study hours
- Netherlands, Portugal: 1 ECTS equals 28 study hours
- Germany: 1 ECTS equals 30 study hours
We recommend you check if the university states the ECTS credits for a particular module on its website.
What is the purpose of ECTS credits?
With this system, students can quickly transfer between European universities or institutions that accept ECTS credits. You can also convert your ECTS credits to UK or US credit points since two UK credits are equivalent to one ECTS credit. One US credit amounts to two ECTS points.
Consider the cost of living when transferring to a tuition-free university in Europe. Source: AFP
Should you transfer to a tuition-free university?
While you can transfer the ECTS credits you earned from a uni within the EHEA to a tuition-free institution, do consider the expenses you will incur when living and studying in a different country.
Take, Norway, for example. You can expect to spend between 20,000 to 40,000 Norwegian krone (1 Norwegian krone is approximately US$0.097 at the time of writing) to live in this Nordic country.
It would also take time to adapt to your new living environment. On top of that, you may need to cope with a different learning style as some tuition-free universities emphasise research-led training that will require students to participate in class actively.
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3 tuition-free universities to consider
There are a few countries in Europe that offer free tuition to all students regardless of their nationality. Here are our top three picks:
University of Iceland, Iceland
Public universities in Iceland do not have tuition fees, just an annual registration or administration fee, which all students must pay.
This comes up to around 75,000 Icelandic króna (US$561.80) at the University of Iceland, the country’s best-ranked university.
Located in the heart of Reykjavik, this university’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes cover subjects from across education, engineering and natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, social sciences, and interdisciplinary studies.
The university also collaborates with over 400 universities worldwide, allowing students to join exchange programmes (they’re active participants in the Nordplus and Erasmus+ exchange programmes) and explore beyond Iceland’s shores too.
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Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Germany
In Germany, all domestic and international undergraduate students can study for free at any public university in the country.
Students only need to pay a small amount that covers administration fees and other miscellaneous costs per semester.
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), ranked #59 in the QS World University Rankings 2025, is one of these tuition-free universities in Germany.
Here, you’ll only be required to pay the Studierendenwerk (Munich Student Union), which totals around 162.30 euros (US$175.22) per semester.
Many of LMU’s master’s programmes are taught in English. This includes, but is not limited to, Astrophysics, Data Science, Economics, International Health, Journalism, Neuroscience, and Political Science.
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Tampere University, Finland
According to Studyinfo, the official website maintained by the Finnish National Agency for Education, those studying in programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish are not required to pay fees regardless of nationality.
One place you can opt for your education in Finland is Tampere University, one of the most multidisciplinary universities in the country.
Here, you’ll find seven faculties: Built Environment, Education and Culture, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Management and Business, Medicine and Health Technology, and Social Sciences.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on May 15, 2025.
