Last Updated on April 29, 2022
How to Get Master Degree for Free: A higher university qualification makes you more attractive in the eyes of future employers and increases your earning potential. Are you looking to further your education to postgraduate level to obtain a master’s degree but do not want to charge tuition fees? It is possible. Most Universities across the globe, especially in Europe, offer free master’s degrees for International Students. Check it out
Students may need to be from a particular state or region, or from a low-income environment. Some schools require work or services on campus after graduation. Studying for a master’s degree is a completely different experience than your first basic degree.
When deciding where to study for a postgraduate degree, the key factors that you consider are very different from those that you considered for your undergraduate degree. This includes funding for the degree program.
Many people choose to stay at the same university to do their Masters. Everything is known, you know the city, the faculty, and you probably have friends who will still be at university, so it’s an easy option.
However, you may also want to consider where else to study if there is a chance that you can get your master’s for free.
In this post, we will equip you with all you need to know about free master’s degree for International Students and countries that offer such opportunities.
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Can I get a Masters Degree for free?
Of course, it is 100% possible that you can get a masters degree for free. In fact, that is what we are about to show you the available opportunities for you to take advantage of.
Over the past three decades, the average cost of university attendance has increased and continues to grow at a rate that is higher than financial support.
Higher education is indeed in crisis, and as students continue to graduate from college with debts in an unstable economy, many are wondering how they can continue their education without incurring such debt.
While it may come as a surprise to some that there is such a thing, there are actually a number of Universities that offer high-quality educational experiences with free tuition.
Schools with free tuition fall into a number of different categories, but all share the basic feature of engaging graduates without having to borrow large amounts in their grant packages.
How To Get A Master Degree For Free | Expert Tips
The following ways are sure tips for you if you wish to study for your master’s degree without paying tuition fee.
1. Work for a university or college
Many universities offer “tuition waivers” for employees. This is a valuable opportunity for one to get a free master’s through tutoring. As a rule, you have to be employed for a certain period of time because you can use the removal service for tuition fees.
There are usually three caveats when you take advantage of them. You are:
- After you are hired, you must also be accepted into the school as a student.
- You are generally expected to work full time while attending school.
- You may have to pay tax on the market value of tuition fees if it is above a certain amount. The university took the money straight from her paycheck.
2. Make use of your employer’s tertiary education benefits
Companies that offer Tuition reimbursement often have certain regulations such as:
- A certain percentage of tuition and materials will be reimbursed within a certain number of years.
- A fixed dollar amount is refunded per calendar year.
- You can be expected to adhere to a specific GPA.
When looking for a job, ask about the benefits package and carefully check whether a reimbursement of tuition fees is possible. If you already have a permanent job, ask your employer if they offer this benefit and check the specific policies and conditions.
3. Look for grants, fellowships and scholarships
Scholarships may offer the opportunity to receive free tuition in a specific area. Sometimes the scholarship requires you to work in a specific location or area for a limited time after graduation, but not always.
Don’t forget that scholarships are also available for PhD students. Do not limit your search to your professional field.
Free Masters Degree for International Students
A master’s degree does not have to be a major financial expense. There are ways to graduate without debt! You just need to do some homework to find the right path for you.
Let us explore the list of Free Masters Degree for International Students
1. MSc Management of Intellectual Property at Queen Mary University of London School of Law
The MSc in Management of Intellectual Property examines the fundamentals of this legal area in relation to patents, trademarks, and the other core areas in this area.
This Master of Science is primarily aimed at graduates in the natural sciences and engineering who are pursuing a career as patent or trademark attorneys.
However, it is also open to graduates of all academic backgrounds who wish to study intellectual property (IP) at the postgraduate level.
MSc Management of Intellectual Property can study full-time for one year or part-time over two years. Classes usually start in September with exams in May or June. Her courses take place at Queen Mary’s Charterhouse Square and Lincoln’s Inn Fields Campus.
2. MIT Media Lab’s Program in Media Arts & Sciences
MIT accepts 50 students per year for masters and Ph.D. programs. The students come from various fields, including computer science, neuropsychology, and architecture.
The study topics include human-computer interaction, design, and entrepreneurship. Media arts and science students are fully funded, including tuition, grants, and health insurance.
3. Curtis Institute of Music, Master of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA has long pursued a scholarship-only policy. This means that all students, regardless of financial circumstances, use the scholarships offered by the school to fund their education for the entire Master’s program.
This degree is very selective and only accepts 4% of applicants.
4. University of the People
This fully accredited US university works entirely online and offers a range of non-teaching programs to choose from, including two non-teaching master’s programs, MBA and M.Ed.
The MBA program lasts approximately one year and is a fully US-accredited online program that is offered to graduates of all disciplines who can demonstrate two years of work experience before the program begins.
The subjects of the course include management, accounting, marketing as well as business law and ethics.
UoPeople’s Master of Education in Advanced Teaching offers two specializations: primary / secondary education and secondary education. Students also have the opportunity to do an internship at various International Baccalaureate Schools.
5. MSc Human Rights and Multiculturalism
At Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Norway, students can earn an MSc in Human Rights and Multiculturalism through a two-year full-time master’s degree on the Drammen campus.
This program takes an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for work in a variety of professional fields, including government, non-profit, education, research, private companies, and the media.
Classes focus on human rights related to cultural diversity with topics such as globalization, migration, civil wars, nation-building, and more. In addition to interdisciplinary research, students are qualified to continue academic research in these areas.
Classes are free, but scholarships are occasionally offered to cover living expenses and travel expenses.
6. MPhil Theory and Practice of Human Rights
The University of Oslo’s MPhil Theory and Practice for Human Rights is a two-year, full-time program that gives students the opportunity to study human rights from a legal, political, social science, philosophical, and historical perspective.
All courses focus on human rights, including different approaches, regional focus, methodology, practice, and more. In addition to their coursework, the students take part in internships, discussions, and sham experiments.
As part of their thesis, students complete a master’s thesis in which the methodology and practice of human rights are brought together. Lessons on this program are free.
7. MSc International Human Rights Law
The Institute for Human Rights and the Legal Department of Abo Akademi University offer a two-year full-time MSc program for international human rights law.
This master’s degree program will be on the university campus in Turku, Finland, and offers students the opportunity to work in various human rights careers, including public administration, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
The course topics vary from women’s rights to refugees and war to humanitarian law. In addition to the courses, students also complete a research seminar and a master’s thesis. Classes for students from EU/EEA countries are free of charge.
From 2017, tuition fees for non-EU/EEA countries will be €10,000. Scholarships are available for students paying tuition fees, including a full scholarship plus living expenses, a full scholarship, and a study scholarship that covers half of the tuition fees.
8. LLM International Human Rights Law
The LLM International Human Rights Law degree from Lund University in Lund, Sweden, is a two-year, full-time program that aims to prepare students for work in law firms, international organizations, courts, private companies, and various other sectors in the field of human rights.
Students take part in several courses dealing with aspects of human rights and hear from guest speakers and lecturers with extensive expertise and experience in the field of human rights.
Earlier speakers even included a former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. The University of Lund offers several grants for international students to cover tuition fees.
9. LLM Public International Law
The University of Oslo in Norway offers an LLM in international public law, a 1½ year master’s program with options for four programs: international public law and PIL specializing in international criminal law and humanitarian law; international environmental and energy law; International trade, investment, and commercial law; and human rights.
This full-time program on campus is divided into three 30-credit semesters, with the final semester focusing specifically on a master’s thesis.
In addition to the courses, students have the opportunity to deal with topics through lunch, guest lectures, and seminars that introduce specialists and practitioners. Lessons are free for all applicants.
10. MSc Social Work and Human Rights
This two-year international master’s program in social work and human rights at the University of Gothenburg focuses on the interface between social work and human rights.
By interlinking the two areas, the students should have a unique perspective on human rights issues and social development at all levels of society. Students with a degree in social work and /or human rights are preferred in competition with students with a degree in related subjects.
Countries that offer Free Masters Degree for International Students
It might shock you to know that many countries, especially in Europe, have institutions that offer Free Masters Degree for International Students.
These institutions have government and organizational funded schemes that allow local and international students to pursue their masters program without paying tuition fees. Some of these countries include the following;
1. Norway
If you can catch a cold, Norway is the perfect place to study options for a master’s degree abroad. Totally free tuition for everyone and no fees. Norway also has high-quality English programs at no additional cost and an excellent standard of living!
2. Czech Republic
Studying in the Czech Republic is completely free for all citizens, but there is a very small fee for English programs. The Czech Republic also offers a high quality of life compared to a low cost of living. Perfect for students.
3. Germany
With a strong history of innovation – Germany was a leader in the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution – you will find yourself among intellectuals if you choose to study there.
You will probably get away with no debt. The lessons in Germany are free of charge and the administration fees are between 50 and 250 euros per semester.
4. Iceland
An annual registration fee of approx. € 600 is charged for studying in Iceland, but no significant administration or tuition fees. Iceland is also a beautiful place to study with rich and unique scientific research opportunities.
English is also widely spoken so you don’t have to dust this second or third language off high school.
5. Belgium
Belgium has French and Flemish universities, both of which offer lessons in English. For international students, there is a fee of only €835 per year, which is worthwhile for studying at an excellent school in Western Europe.
6. France
France is known for its unique culture and deeply rooted in art. It is also a great place to study for budget travelers. The average cost of a master’s degree for citizens outside the European Union. If you speak French, so much the better, but most programs also offer English.
7. Luxembourg
Although it is one of the richest countries in Europe and therefore quite expensive to live, Luxembourg makes up for this with really cheap higher education. Master’s degrees have a fixed annual cost of EUR 400.
Since Luxembourg is more of a city country, there are not many universities and competition are high. But it is worthwhile in any case especially The University of Luxembourg.
8. Austria
Higher education in Austria is not completely free, but the cost is surprisingly low when you consider how much the country has to offer in terms of science, culture and everyday life.
As in France, Austrians have fixed tuition fees at public universities, namely EUR726 / year. One of the best and most popular public universities among internationals like you is the old University of Vienna.
9. Sweden
Next in our Nordic countdown is Sweden, where there are study options for every budget. Some universities may only charge a symbolic tax of EUR 100. However, most of them typically have tuition fees between EUR 1,000 and EUR 5,000/year.
The best thing about studying in Sweden is that even if you pay for your Masters, you get paid for a PhD. PhD students in Sweden require some teaching and research that is paid for. As a doctoral candidate, you become an employee of the university.
10. Finland
Education in public universities used to be free in Finland. However, taxes have been introduced for students outside the EU since 2017. The good thing is that Finnish universities remain affordable.
Tuition fees generally vary between EUR 1,600 and EUR 8,000 per year. But in that, you’re going to study in the best education system in the world.
Seeking for an opportunity to pursue a masters degree program abroad is a noble and tasking feat, due to the finances and logistics involved. However, it doesn’t have to be that way for you.
You now have access to information that exposes you to the free master’s degree for International Students. Take advantage of it now and start applying.