Courses in Europe for Non-Linguists

Both Study in Europe and the Utrecht university network show a variety of schools, colleges and universities you can study in, with the option to take out course in English. If you’re after country specific information, read on to find out more...

Italy
As of late, many universities in Italy offer the chance to study your field of interest in English. Although slightly out of date, the Study in Italy’s pdf sheet gives you facts and websites so you can check with universities individually, so as to see if they have a course to suit your studies. Not all are for engineers and lawyers - humanities and social sciences are also on the list, so most students should find their chosen subjects quite easily.

France
Campus France is a brilliant website with loads of information about studying in France, from where to live, which university to go to, what’s on offer and more, all under one roof. There’s a particularly useful section for students planning on visiting and studying on Gallic soil with courses in English. You pick your type of institution (college, university etc) and are presented with a neat table explaining what means what in the French educational system. You can then pick which field of interest is suited to your degree and go from there!

Germany
Your first port of call should be the DAAD website, with an easy to use search system to find out where you could study in Germany as well as what sort of courses are on offer. Although the website is primarily aimed at students wishing to spend their whole degree abroad, you can contact universities individually and check with your home uni to see if a year abroad at your chosen institution abroad could work for you. Freie Universität Berlin offers a range of courses taught solely in English and a great reputation to boot.

The Netherlands
Studying in the Netherlands has proved more and more popular over recent years, primarily because living and studying costs are low, but also because the country offers many courses at top universities in English - perfect for those who are struggling with their Dutch. With an international vibe, it might just be the place for you if you are looking to study in style and make global contacts for the future - Maastricht University is particularly popular. The best place to visit to find out more is the British site Studyinholland, with info about universities, student testimonials, a section for parents and much more.

Finland
Studyinfinland is a great way to understand the Finnish educational system, with hot links to help non-linguists choose where to study, help on offer for deadlines and advice given for those looking for accommodation too.

Sweden
There are many courses taught in English in Sweden, across the country. Choose amongst a vast list of subjects at the University of Umea, ranging from Humanities to Engineering and Technology, through to Social Sciences and more. Using the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System), you can easily calculate and see how many credits you are getting or are in need of to give value to your year abroad course for your degree back home. With slightly less courses on offer but just as much fun, you might decide to go to Malmö university for your year abroad. Courses are a little more experimental, so it might be right up your street if you fancy something a little different for your time away.

Don't forget to get an Erasmus grant to help you financially on your year abroad!