Undergraduate Scholarships in Europe

Europe is home to many prestigious universities that offer excellent educational programs and opportunities for undergraduate students from around the world. While tuition and costs of living can be lower at European schools compared to those in the US or UK, scholarships are still available to help students fund their education. This article provides details on some of the top scholarship programs available for international undergraduate students attending schools in Europe.

Switzerland: ETH Zurich

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, also known as ETH Zurich, is consistently ranked as one of the best technical universities globally. ETH Zurich offers a limited number of Global Merit Scholarships for excellent international students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree. The scholarship provides a full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend of 1,500 Swiss Francs. To be eligible, candidates must be in the top 5% of their high school class and have an SAT score of at least 1500 or ACT score of at least 33. Proficiency in English is required. Applications are assessed based on academic merit, leadership experience, and potential impact.

Germany: Technical University of Munich

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is a prestigious public research university located in Munich, Germany. TUM provides attractive Merit-Based Undergraduate Scholarships to first-year international Bachelor’s students with outstanding academic achievements. The scholarships cover full tuition and provide a monthly stipend of €850. Candidates must have recently graduated from high school with a GPA equivalent to 1.0 or better on the German grading scale (very good to excellent performance). Proof of English language proficiency is also required. Selection is highly competitive based on academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, motivation letters, and letters of recommendation.

Sweden: KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden offers publicly funded higher education with no tuition fees for international students. However, the cost of living can still be high. KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, one of Europe’s leading science and engineering universities, provides KTH Elite Undergraduate Scholarships to top international applicants. The full scholarships cover tuition, housing, meal stipend, and a book allowance. To qualify, candidates must have an excellent academic record equivalent to a US GPA of 3.8 or higher from high school. Strong performance in math and science courses along with extracurricular engagement are evaluated during selection. Proficiency in English is mandatory.

Norway: University of Bergen

The University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway has a strong focus on marine and Arctic research. UiB awards a small number of International Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships each year to non-EU/EEA students enrolling in Bachelor’s programs. The merit-based scholarships provide a full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend of 12,000 NOK (approximately $1,400) for the normal duration of the degree. To be considered, candidates must demonstrate outstanding academic achievements in high school equivalent to a US GPA of 3.7 or higher. Extracurricular activities, personal statements, and recommendation letters are also assessed. Proficiency in English is a requirement.

Netherlands: Erasmus University Rotterdam

Situated in the vibrant port city of Rotterdam, Erasmus University offers top-ranked undergraduate programs in areas like economics, history, law, and social sciences. EUR provides full EUR Excellence Undergraduate Scholarships to exceptional international freshmen. The scholarship waives full tuition and provides an annual grant of €8,000. To qualify, applicants must have a minimum high school GPA equivalent to 3.7 on a 4.0 scale and show strong motivation and leadership ability. Evaluation emphasizes academic excellence, extracurricular engagement, and recommendations. English language competency is mandatory.

France: Sciences Po Paris

Sciences Po is France’s elite college of political, economic, and social sciences located in Paris. The university offers a limited number of Leadership Scholarships providing full tuition waiver for the world’s most exceptional undergraduates. To be eligible, candidates should have outstanding academic achievement with a minimum high school GPA equivalent to 3.9. Leadership in student government, community service projects or charitable organizations is highly valued during selection along with strong English ability. Successful applicants receive mentorship and opportunities to showcase their leadership potential at Sciences Po.

Spain: University of Barcelona

The University of Barcelona (UB) encourages applications from talented international undergraduates. UB offers Impact Scholarships granting full tuition waiver for the degree’s normal duration to non-EU students with top academic merit and potential for impact. The minimum required high school GPA is 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. Scholarship recipients must demonstrate strong engagement in initiatives addressing social, environmental, or humanitarian challenges. Assessment emphasizes candidates’ leadership experience, personal statement, and references highlighting their passion and plans to create positive change globally. Proficiency in Spanish, Catalan or English is preferable.

Denmark: University of Copenhagen

Consistently ranked among the top 100 universities worldwide, the University of Copenhagen admits students solely based on merits. UCPH Global Excellence Scholarships provide a full tuition waiver and an annual stipend of 60,000 DKK (approximately $9,000) for international students pursuing demanding Bachelor’s programs. To qualify, candidates must achieve the top 1% performance in their high school with a minimum GPA of 3.9. Academic rigor, leadership qualities, extracurricular profile, and future ambitions carry significant weight during selection. Strong English skills and the potential to thrive in an international academic environment are important factors as well.

In conclusion, these top European universities offer highly competitive undergraduate scholarships for international students based on academic excellence, leadership accomplishments, and personal qualities. Qualified candidates committed to dedicating themselves fully to their studies have excellent opportunities to earn full or partial funding toward an outstanding education at one of Europe’s finest schools.

All the best!