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Every year, more Irish students look beyond the CAO. Over 2,000 Irish students were studying in the Netherlands alone in 2024, and Poland, Denmark, Italy and Germany are also popular choices. If you have ever wondered whether a degree in Europe could suit you, this guide sets out the real pros and cons so you can decide with your eyes open.
In this guide
There are well over 2,000 English-taught degrees across Europe, from psychology and business to engineering, physiotherapy and veterinary medicine. Many are in world-ranked universities.
Most European universities don’t use CAO points. Many courses ask for a set of minimum Leaving Cert grades instead, so a course that needs very high points here may be within reach abroad.
EU students pay the same as local students. That means no tuition at all in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany and Austria.
As an EU citizen you need no visa, you can work part-time, and your degree is recognised across the EU. You also graduate with an international network and a CV that stands out.
How much lower are the entry requirements? It varies a lot, so always check the course. Some examples for Leaving Cert students:
So Europe is not “easy”, but for many courses it is far more predictable than chasing points that can rise at the last minute.
In Ireland the student contribution for 2026/27 is €2,500 a year. Here is how that compares with what EU students pay at public universities in other countries:
| Country | Yearly tuition for EU students |
|---|---|
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | Free |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | Free, with no application fee for EU citizens |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | Free |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | Free (small semester fee of about €50) |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Free (semester contribution of about €100 to €350, often including a transport pass) |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | About €52 a year (student union fee) within the normal course length |
| 🇫🇷 France | €178 a year plus a small student-life contribution |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | Up to €697 a year |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Roughly €700 to €1,200 a year, depending on the region |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium (Flanders) | About €1,160 a year |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Based on family income, and free below an income threshold at many universities |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | €2,694, with a government loan available to cover it |
| 🇵🇱🇭🇺🇨🇿 Poland, Hungary, Czechia | English-taught medicine and veterinary: about €9,000 to €20,000 |
Figures for 2026/27 where published, otherwise the latest available. Fees can change, so always check with the university.
Some countries give EU students real financial support, and some Irish supports travel with you.
If you qualify for a SUSI grant, the maintenance grant can be paid for a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years at a publicly funded university in another EU country, as long as it is equivalent to an approved Irish course. SUSI does not pay fees abroad. You may also be able to claim tax relief on tuition fees paid to approved EU universities.
No tuition, and EU students who work part-time (usually around 10 to 12 hours a week) can apply for equal status with Danish students and receive the SU grant. In 2026 it is DKK 7,426 a month before tax for students living away from home, roughly €995. You must keep working throughout your studies, and the Danish SU agency decides each case.
EU students under 30 can take a DUO tuition fee loan to cover the €2,694 fee, even without a job. If you work at least 32 hours a month, you can also apply for Dutch student finance, the same support Dutch students receive.
Italian regions run DSU scholarships that EU students can apply for. Depending on your family income they can include cash, free canteen meals, a place in student residence and no tuition fees.
No tuition at public universities, and your semester contribution often includes a public transport pass for your city or region.
Bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for necessary healthcare, and remember you have the right to work part-time anywhere in the EU. (Erasmus+ is for exchanges during a degree, not for a full degree abroad.)
There is no central application system for Europe like the CAO. Each country has its own system, and in some countries you apply directly to each university. That means different forms, different documents and, most importantly, different deadlines. Some close before the CAO does.
| Country | How you apply | Typical deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Studielink, then the university | 15 January for limited-place courses (e.g. Medicine); 1 May for most others |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | universityadmissions.se | 15 January 2027 for autumn 2027 |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | Joint application on Studyinfo.fi | 7 to 21 January 2027 |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | optagelse.dk | 15 March, 12:00 noon |
| 🇫🇷 France | Parcoursup | Mid-March |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Directly to each university | Varies, with rounds from autumn to spring |
| 🇭🇺🇨🇿🇵🇱 Medicine in Central Europe | Directly to the university | Spring to early summer, with entrance exams (some close early when full) |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | Directly to the university | Often 1 June for EU applicants |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | uni-assist or directly | 15 July for the winter semester |
| 🇮🇪 CAO (for comparison) | cao.ie | 1 February (late applications to 1 May) |
Deadlines are for EU applicants and follow recent cycles. They change every year, so always confirm on the university’s own website.
Instead of one points system, European courses use a mix of methods. You’ll meet some or all of these:
Accommodation is the number one challenge. The Netherlands is short over 20,000 student rooms and scams target international students. In Copenhagen, landlords can ask for several months’ rent upfront.
Dutch universities use a “binding study advice”. At Groningen, for example, you need at least 45 of 60 credits in first year or you must leave the course.
Lectures are in English, but part-time jobs, paperwork and making local friends can be harder without the local language.
You may only get home a few times a year, and homesickness is real. Terms can also run later into the summer than in Ireland.
Several applications, local registrations and bank accounts. Some universities also need your results by early July, before Irish results are out, so check this early.
Doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, vets and architects get automatic EU recognition but still register with the Irish regulator. Other professions, such as teaching or therapies, may need extra steps.
It’s also worth knowing that Dutch universities are reducing the number of English-only bachelor’s places, so some popular courses are getting more competitive.
Our free Study in Europe section lists over 1,400 English-taught courses with the Leaving Cert requirements, fees, deadlines and how to apply for each one. Not sure where to start? The European Courses Test matches your interests to the courses that suit you, filtered by country, budget and how you’d like to get in.
Information correct as of September 2026. Fees, grants and deadlines change every year, so always confirm details on the official websites before applying.
Sources: Citizens Information (student contribution) · SUSI (study outside Ireland) · SU Denmark · International House Copenhagen · DUO · Rijksoverheid (Dutch fees) · DAAD · University Admissions Sweden · University of Copenhagen · University of Groningen · Irish Times · DutchNews · Recognition of qualifications
