Beyond the US: why European Universities are on the rise

Why more international families are looking to Europe

1) America is too expensive

For many Americans, skyrocketing fees mean a US college education is out of reach. The average US private university costs $65,000 in tuition alone – fees have risen by 1,500% since the late 1970s. Add to that the pressures and political polarisation on many campuses and looking elsewhere becomes highly attractive.

2) Tuition is much more affordable in Europe

In continental Europe, the average cost of the English-taught bachelor’s programmes is just $7,390 per year for international students. And this is the average, in Germany, for example, most public universities charge no tuition fees or request very modest semester contributions of around €250–€350 for undergraduate study. There are exceptions such as Baden-Württemberg, where non-EU students pay about €1,500 per semester, but that’s still a fraction of UK or US tuition. Add in shorter degrees, most UK and many European bachelor’s programmes are three years – and total cost of attendance can drop meaningfully.

3) There are thousands of English-taught degrees 

There is enormous choice in Europe. There are thousands of degrees to choose from across 212 areas of study, and the majority are taught in English. At Bocconi in Milan for example, some of its specialist Business-related courses are considered among the top 10 programmes in Europe – and they’re conducted solely in English. The Netherlands, Scandinavia, parts of Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland offer hundreds of English-taught bachelor’s programmes – especially in STEM, Business, and the Social Sciences – so language is less of a barrier than it once was.

4) International exposure is essential and highly valued

There is a growing realisation that global careers increasingly begin internationally. Students who studied abroad stand out from the crowd when seeking jobs after college. The very act of leaving their comfort zone to make a fresh start in a new place builds skills and confidence that will be carried throughout a student’s life. As the world’s job market becomes more international, so must the next generation of new employees. Families are also looking beyond an institution’s pedigree to spotlight what connections that course, and in some cases the professors teaching it, have with industry recruiters. One (non-Russell Group) UK university, for example, has a specific class which is the main feeder for BlackRock investment analysts.

5) A degree from Europe is prestigious

America and UK leading universities and colleges no longer have the monopoly on the leading names in higher education. Places like ETH Zürich, KU Leuven, Bocconi, TU Delft, IE Madrid or Sciences Po carry serious weight, particularly in STEM, Economics/Business, and International Affairs. For careers that value cross-cultural agility (consulting, policy, design, engineering), a European degree can be a differentiator.

6) You can spend your weekends and breaks exploring the world

Travel opportunities abound when attending college in Europe. For example, Lille, a city in northern France with multiple universities, is close to major cities such as Brussels, London, and Paris via high-speed rail. Air travel, especially with the rise of affordable airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Transavia, can be comparable in price to rail travel, so many more destinations open up for short-term travel.

The European universities attracting the world’s best students

1) Bocconi University

Founded in 1902 and situated in Milan, Italy, Bocconi University is renowned for its Business and Management studies, with Economics, Management, Finance, Legal Studies, Political Science, Data and Computer Science further being strong areas of study. According to QS Subject Rankings 2026, the university further ranks 4^th in Europe and 12^th globally in Social Sciences and Management. Consequently, prominent leaders in global politics, economics and business are alumni, such as Mario Draghi (former Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European Central Bank), Emma Bonino (former Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and prominent EU politician), and Vittorio Colao (former CEO of Vodafone Group and Italian government minister).

Bocconi University has 15,000 students, 3,700 of which are international, with over 120 different nationalities. For 2026/27, the fee for students enrolled in their first year in a Bachelor of Law or Science degree is set at € 17,000 per year. The amount for 2027/2028 will be out soon.

2) IE University Madrid

Located in the heart of Madrid, IE University has been running for over 50 years and is renowned for its Business offerings. The university’s six schools offer a broad range of dual degrees and programmes that allow for students to become well versed in an ever-changing world.

75% of the students are international, with over 45 languages spoken on campus. Tuition fees are dependent on the specific degree which is calculated based on the number of credits in which the student enrols. Renowned alumni include Pablo Isla (former chairman of Inditex) and Enrico Letta (former Prime Minister of Italy).

3) Sciences Po

Sciences Po is one of the leading universities for Social Sciences and Humanities founded nearly 150 years ago. The QS World University Rankings in 2025 placed it as 4^th worldwide for Politics out of more than 1,700 international universities.

The university hosts 7 campuses, spread across France in the following areas; Paris, Dijon, Menton, Nancy, Poitiers, Reims and Le Havre.

The university has 12,000 students, with half being foreign students. Tuition fees vary dependent on whether you are at undergraduate or graduate level, a French and/or European student or a non-European student. Notable alumni include French Presidents such as Jacques Chirac and Emmanuel Macron.

4) ESADE

ESADE was founded in 1958 and is a top ranked International Business and Law school in Spain. ESADE has been consistently ranked among the world’s top 5 in open programmes in 2026 and over the years, alongside its Master’s in Finance programmes ranked as the 12^th best worldwide.

With one campus in Barcelona and one in Madrid, the university has a diverse student body with over 117 nationalities. Tuition fees vary depending on the degree programme you choose.

Prominent alumni include PepsiCo’s CEO, Ramon Laguarta and Enrique Lores (CEO of HP Inc).

5) Tu Delft

Specialising in Engineering, Computing Design, Technology, and Natural Sciences, Tu Delft is situated in Delft, Netherlands. With around 27,000 students, Tu Delft is the largest technology university in the country, housing one of the largest collections of technical and scientific materials in the Netherlands.

36% of students are international and the level of tuition fee is set every year and is either paid in the statutory rate or institutional rate, depending on your situation. Prominent alumni include Lodewijk van den Berg (Dutch-American astronaut who flew on the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger) and Jeroen van der Veer (former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell).

6) University of St Gallen

Situated in St Gallen, Switzerland, University of St Gallen is a school of Management, Economics, Law, Social Sciences, Computer Science and International Affairs. It is Switzerland’s leading Business school, and it is one of the oldest Business schools in existence.

Tuition fees vary on the level of study and whether you are a Swiss national or foreign national. The university has around 10,000 students from 100 countries enrolled.

Notable alumni include Ola Källenius (CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group) and Caspar Coppetti (Co-founder of the athletic shoe brand ‘On’).

7) Erasmus Rotterdam

Located in the Netherlands, Erasmus University Rotterdam is a leading university for Clinical Medicine and Social Sciences, founded in 1913. The university is named after the 15^th century humanist and theologist, Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus.

Home to 28,000 students, it has campuses in four locations, one of which is in The Hague and the other three in Rotterdam.

Prominent alumni include former Prime Ministers of the Netherlands such as Ruud Lubbers, Jan Peter Balkenende, and current Prime Minister, Dick Schoof.

Quick-glance comparisons:

US Equivalent	European Alternative	Location	Known For
Harvard University	Sciences Po	Paris, France	Politics, International Relations
MIT	TU Delft	Netherlands	Engineering, Technology Innovation
University of Pennsylvania	Bocconi University	Milan, Italy	Economics, Finance, Management
Princeton University	University of Maastricht	Netherlands	Problem-based learning, Social Sciences
University of Michigan Ann Arbor	IE University	Madrid, Spain	Business, Entrepreneurship, International Studies

Our admissions specialists regularly help students prepare for Bocconi’s online assessment, IE’s application interviews and the highly competitive admissions process at Sciences Po.

Bocconi admissions, for example, are heavily weighted in favour of the SAT (Standardised Admissions Test) over A Level grades. Around 55% of your application is based on the transcript and 45% on the SAT. There is no motivation letter, and admissions are based more strictly on academic performance.

Many students take the dual track admission or even tri track, applying to the US, UK and Europe in one cycle.

IE Madrid typically has a lower SAT entry level (1200-1350) and a more holistic admissions process, asking for a motivational essay and video.

Timing is everything and creating a strategy to maximise SAT marks, dovetail with predicted grades in Year 12 and ensure your applications are in order requires an early start – the sweet spot is midway through year 12.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are European universities all taught in local languages?

No, not all European universities are solely taught in the local languages. Most European universities offer courses in English, with most leading universities such as Bocconi and IE Madrid teaching their programmes primarily in English.

Are they lower quality if cheaper?

No, lower tuition fees in Europe do not mean lower quality. In many European countries, lower fees are a choice to make education more accessible to a wider range of people.

Do employers recognise European universities?

Yes, employers recognise European universities. However, what matters most is whether the qualification is relevant to the role and meets the employer’s requirements, rather than simply being a European qualification.

Employers may also consider the university’s reputation for that specific degree.

Is student life international?

Yes, student life at European universities tends to be highly international, with students from all over the world attending these top institutions.

Are applications to European universities easier?

No, applying to European universities is not easier. In many ways the application process has become just as competitive, if not even more so.