Europe is an incredibly popular destination, especially for those choosing to study and work abroad. However, if you only speak English, it can be hard to find somewhere to study that doesn’t involve you relying on you leaning on Google Translate. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of these English-speaking universities in Europe to help you out. So, read on to find out where you could study abroad.
1. ETH Zurich
Where: Switzerland
The ETH Zurich university offers a range of Masters degrees in English. They also offer a range of bachelor’s degrees with modules in English and modules in German. Therefore, if you’re looking to study in Switzerland this is definitely a great option!
The Masters’s courses for each school are split into Consecutive or Specialised Masters which are further separated. For example, in the Management and Social Sciences school, Consecutive Masters’s courses are in management, technology and economics, and Specialised Masters are split into the following categories:
- Comparative and International Studies
- History and Philosophical of Knowledge
- Science Didactics
- Science, Technology and Policy
The university is well connected across the globe, so students can feel secure in their degree’s reputation whilst enjoying everything that Switzerland has to offer. Switzerland was also the best country to live in for quality of life, making it an all-round great option.
2. Universite PSL
Where: France
Following on, the Universite PSL in Paris is another English-speaking university. It has a range of postgraduate degrees offered completely in English that students can enjoy whilst in the romance capital. These have the benefit of being internationally recognised while providing immersion into renowned research centres and special access to a vast network of companies. There is also a range of undergraduate degrees that are partially in English, so people who can speak both French and English can study at the Universite PSL for both of their degrees if they wish.
3. Technical University of Munich
Where: Germany
The Technical University of Munich boasts a range of degrees unlike any other university in Europe, according to its website. It has a huge array of bachelor’s and Masters’s degrees, and many of the Masters’s courses are taught in English and in German. Students can specialise in certain areas depending on which languages they’d like to be taught in.
You can choose from subjects like:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Computing
- Computational Mechanics
- Earth-Oriented Space Science and Technology
- Health Science
- Technology of Biogenic Resources
And lots, lots more. In fact, there are 69 courses available in English, making it one of the best English-speaking universities. Some are even bachelor’s degrees, which is much less common!
4. University of Amsterdam
Where: The Netherlands
Amsterdam is an incredible city, it is completely beautiful, and if you’re looking to study abroad you’d be very welcome there. The Netherlands allows people to live in their country if they’re studying or contributing to knowledge, and is one of the most academic and philosophic countries in Europe. There are 179 courses available at the postgraduate level at the University of Amsterdam, including:
- Accountancy
- Actuarial Science
- American Studies
- Artificial Intelligence
- Classics
- Chemistry
- Child Development and Education
- Economics
But that’s barely even scratching the surface! There are so many courses available, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Not only is it an English-speaking university, lots of people in Amsterdam speak English too!
5. KU Leuven
Where: Belgium
Belgium may be small, but it is mighty! And it has great chocolate. KU Leuven offers a great range of courses for anyone looking to study abroad. At this English-speaking university, there are 5 bachelor’s degrees available in English, which are: Theology and Religious Studies, Philosophy, European Studies, Business Engineering and Business Administration.
There are substantially more postgraduate courses available to study in English from all of their faculties, including Theology and Religious Studies, Art, Canon Law and even Medicine and Architecture.
6. Lomonosov Moscow State University
Where: Russia
Russia is a huge country, with lots of academics in it, so it should come as no surprise that there are a great number of MSc programmes available. You can go to Moscow and study Global Change Ecology and Novel Ecosystems, Nanobiotechnology, Project Management in the Field of Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities, Advanced Computing and Networks. They also offer courses in International Business Management, International Relations and Global Studies, Global Order: Transformations and Challenges, Post-Soviet Public Policy, Political Science: International Relations and Economic Diplomacy, Geological-Geophysical Exploration and Modelling of Hydrocarbon Fields, Economics and Finance, and even Global Economics and Finance.
Plenty of options for those wanting to go and visit Russia during their studies, and Lomonosov Moscow State University is one of the best English-speaking universities in Europe to choose from.
7. University of Copenhagen
Where: Denmark
Copenhagen is a beautiful city, and Denmark is a great country to live in. In fact, Denmark was named the second-best country in the world for quality of life in 2021! At the University of Copenhagen, students can study any 1 of 54 postgraduate courses with a beautiful backdrop. It’s one of the top English-speaking universities in Europe, offering such a range of courses from different disciplines.
Some of the courses available include:
- African Studies
- Anthropology
- Climate Change
- Economics
- Integrated Food Studies
- IT and Cognition
- Religious Roots of Europe
- Social Data Science
- Urban Studies
8. Lund University
Where: Sweden
Sweden is another country that is really up there for their standard of living. They rank very highly on the OECD Better Life index and outperform many countries when it comes to income, jobs, health, education, environmental quality and life satisfaction. Studying at the English-speaking Lund University will provide students to enjoy all of this whilst bettering their lives!
You can choose to study from one of 9 bachelors programmes:
- Biomedicine
- Development Studies
- Economy and Society
- Fine Arts
- International Business
- Mathematics
- Music, Performance Programme
- Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
- Physics
Alternatively, you can study for a postgraduate qualification in Sweden, and choose from one of 130 Masters degree programmes taught in English!
9. Maastricht University
Where: The Netherlands
Another Netherlands option, Maastricht University is right on the Southern border of the Netherlands, putting students right near France for those occasional day trips!
The university offers 20 courses in English, split across both undergraduate and postgraduate. For undergraduate students, there are courses in Arts and Culture, Biomed, Business, Engineering, Data, Economics, European Law, Public Health, Science, Psychology and Medicine. For postgrads, there is much more choice and much more of a chance to study more specialised and niche subjects like Artificial Intelligence or Neuromodulation.
10. John Cabot University
Where: Italy
If you’ve ever dreamed of sipping delicious coffee as you stumble across the historic sites of the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, this could be for you. Another one of the best English-speaking universities in Europe is in Rome, Italy, one of the most spectacular cities in the world. John Cabot University is an American university in the Italian capital, so it’s primarily filled with students from the US. However, they do accept students from around the world, whether that’s for a term or semester or longer!
12. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Where: Spain
Head to the capital of Spain and learn at this vibrant English-speaking university. While soaking in the sun, you can rest assured that you’re getting a good education; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid ranks highly in the QS World University Rankings. Lots of international students choose to study here, and Madrid is a great city to spend time in. It’s an urban metropolis with authentic Spanish culture, and you’ll no doubt meet so many people from around the world. At Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, you can find a range of undergraduate and master’s degree choices that are taught in English! So there’s no excuses!
13. Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Where: Portugal
Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), situated in the vibrant city of Lisbon, provides various degree programs in English at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The university offers multiple disciplines within the domains of business and finance, social sciences, and law.
It’s one of the top private universities in the Portuguese capital. In 2020, Forbes ranked Lisbon as the best place to live abroad, and students can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in this city with a modest budget. Importantly, it doesn’t have student accommodation such as halls of residence, but they can assist you with finding somewhere. This way you’ll get to know the city and Lisbon life more, but it is something to bare in mind.
14. L-Università ta’ Malta
Where: Malta
The main language of instruction at the University of Malta is English, so it’s easy to head to this English-speaking uni and take your pick of courses. You can choose undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as foundation years. That doesn’t mean you won’t pick up some Maltese while there. According to the uni, increasing numbers of enrolled students have Maltese as their first language.
The video below is in Maltese, but it does give a good flavour of the university.
So, now you know all about the best English-speaking universities in Europe! Where would you love to live and study? For more inspiration, check out our list of places where you can study for your Master’s abroad for free. Likewise, if you’re heading off on a year abroad with uni, then this survival guide may be of help to you too.
