International students at an art class in Paris
Almost seven million students in the world leave their home countries each year to study, graduate and, in many cases, to start a new life abroad.
Hence, international student populations keep growing at universities everywhere and the foreign education panorama is becoming increasingly competitive. New players, particularly in Europe, are entering the lists of the best places to study that until not long ago had been dominated by American institutions while other countries shift their policies to attract more international students.
With U.S. tuition fees reaching up to almost $80,000 per year, it’s not surprising that new reports are ranking the best destinations for young people, particularly Americans, to study and live.
Medical students enjoying the sunshine in a park near King’s College (University of London).
Best cities to be a student
Based on factors including student popularity, English proficiency, friendliness, quality of life and safety, along with others such as monthly budget and scholarship opportunities, Mastersdegree.net has calculated city scores to rank the “World’s Best Cities to Be a Student In 2024.”
The list includes six European cities among the top ten, with London in first place, Vienna in second, Munich at fourth, Paris fifth, Zurich ninth and Amsterdam number 10.
Cities outside Europe among the top 10 places include Melbourne (3), Montreal (6), Sydney (7) and Toronto (8).
International university students going to language classes in the Netherlands
Best countries for young Americans
Schengenvisainfo has published a list of “the best countries for young Americans to study and live” based on a recent survey conducted by the online language learning Preply.
The study “has revealed that an increasing number of young Americans aged 18 to 26 envision their future beyond the borders of the United States, more specifically in one of the European Union countries,” writes Schengenvisa, adding that “the cost of living, free healthcare system, and cultural experiences make E.U. countries attractive for young Americans.”
The list includes nine E.U. countries that figure among the top 20 destinations “young Americans want to emigrate.”
At the top of the ranking is the United Kingdom. The Netherlands takes fourth place and is the most popular among E.U. countries.
Switzerland follows in the seventh spot, Italy eighth, Germany ninth, Ireland tenth, Sweden eleventh, Spain thirteenth, France sixteenth, and Finland, which appears as #1 in other surveys, is twentieth here:
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Italy
- Germany
- Ireland
- Sweden
- Spain
- France
- Finland
Among the countries outside Europe, Canada appears at #2, Japan #3, Singapore #5, Australia #6 and New Zealand #12.
Having new cultural experiences is the main reason for wanting to move abroad according to young Americans who participated in the survey. They also mentioned cost of living, the political climate and universal healthcare. A third mentioned a desire to live abroad indefinitely.
A student on a bike in downtown Helsinki, Finland
Best places to study abroad in 2024
The education platform Edunation ranks the 10 Best Places to Study Abroad in Europe where students can find “academic adventure and transformative experiences while enjoying a vibrant environment.”
In the three first places are:
Finland: Among other reasons, for being the happiest country in the world, not only in 2023 but for many years and for offering “one of the best education systems in the world.” According to the organization, there was a 141% increase in Non-European student applications at universities in Finland with 93% successfully entering the country in 2021.
“Anyone can enjoy the healthiest food, cleanest water, and other benefits offered by the Finnish system including career opportunities, good salaries, parental leaves, and more!”
Portugal: For its climate and architecture, but mainly for having “some of the best universities worldwide and offering reasonable living costs, valuable immersion in Portuguese culture and affordable accommodation.”
France: Not only one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe but also for offering outstanding universities in Paris and “in other cities where you equally experience a vibrant culture and top-notch education.”
Following are Spain, Germany, Italy, U.K., the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden.
Not only students
According to The Economist, more Americans are moving or planning to move to Europe, citing work-life balance as one of the reasons to become expats.
The number of Americans moving to Europe has risen significantly over the past decade – from 15,500 to 24,000 in the Netherlands and to some 10,000 in Portugal, three times more than in the previous decade, while in Spain the numbers went from 20,000 to 34,000, according to Preply data.
The numbers of resident Americans in other countries such as France, Germany and the Scandinavian countries also have been growing moderately and steadily, “while the latest estimates in the U.K. show that the number of resident Americans is up from 137,000 in 2013 to 166,000 in 2021.”
