This new Eurydice report provides a detailed overview of the national public fee and support systems in place across European countries. The report contains key points which enable readers to have a good overall understanding of the topic while the national diagrams aim to show the main characteristics of each system.

The cost of higher education for students varies dramatically in Europe, according to a new report issued by the European Commission. Tuition fees are highest in England, where students pay up to £9 000 (around €11 500) per academic year, while nine countries (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Malta, Norway, UK (Scotland) and Sweden) do not charge fees in most cases. The Nordic countries tend to be the most generous, although Finland and Sweden recently joined Denmark in introducing fees for international students. All countries, except Iceland and Norway, now charge non-European students.

Many of the non-charging countries, such as Austria, UK (Scotland) and the Nordic countries, also provide generous student support such as maintenance grants and loans (see Highlights of the report). This information on tuition fees and support is now readily available online for students who want to compare the cost of their education in different European countries.

The report highlights that major differences also exist with regard to student support, which is generous in Germany, the Nordic countries and the UK, while students in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania receive only limited financial support. There are also significant differences as to who is entitled to support: subsidies can be distributed on a needs-only basis or be readily available to all. Family allowances and tax benefits to parents of students are a significant element of the overall package of student support in around half of the countries.