One of the most interesting issues for candidates who want to study abroad is financial costs, daily living and scholarship opportunities. Many students, despite having high academic results, hesitate with the thought that they will not be able to cover the costs of studying and living abroad.
But is studying abroad really expensive for everyone, or is it possible to make this process more accessible with the right country choice, taking advantage of scholarship opportunities and a planned approach?
AzEdu.az learned about the experiences of Nadir Shukurov, who completed his master's degree at the University of Bologna and is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Polytechnic University of Milan within the framework of the ADA University's Italy-Azerbaijan University project, with the aim of sharing real experiences for those who want to study abroad, and creating a clearer idea about scholarship opportunities, daily expenses and general living conditions.
Instead of backing down saying studying abroad is "expensive", you need to choose the right country that fits your budget:
“Some students, as I once thought, shy away from the idea of studying abroad, saying “it’s expensive, it’s impossible.” But the main thing is that you first have to determine: which country would be more comfortable for you to live in according to your budget. It is also possible to encounter force majeure situations. Therefore, first of all, you need to see if you or your family can support you in such unexpected and difficult situations. Only after that is it more appropriate to choose that country.
I want to give an example. Let's say if you are from a middle-class family and your financial means are limited, for example, choosing England may not be so logical. That is, it may be that you have to live on your own until you apply for a scholarship for a certain period of time. At that time, with this logic, I asked my friends and students studying there about monthly expenses, rent, etc. I looked at these expenses and thought that if I could financially support myself in some situation, I could choose that country.
But in terms of education, of course, when I did research in 2017, the University of Bologna was one of the best universities in Europe for engineering and urban design. That's why I chose Bologna at that time.
My PhD education is within the framework of a state program, that is, the ADA 44 program. This program is implemented with the aim of creating the Italy-Azerbaijan University and we are supported on a scholarship basis. Previously, there were 12 people in this program, and now there are 13. Our tuition fees and other expenses are fully covered. This program is implemented in cooperation with Italian universities and I am currently pursuing my PhD education at that university.”
He shared his thoughts on scholarship opportunities and student living costs in Italy:
“I cannot say exactly about other European countries, but in general this logic works similarly in almost all of them. Education in Europe is generally considered free, meaning that after you apply for and win a scholarship, education becomes free for you. During master's education, the Italian government has such an approach that regional scholarships are offered.
For example, if you are studying in the Tuscany region of Italy, that region has its own scholarship program. If you are studying in Bologna, there is its own program. The amount of scholarships also varies by region. For example, I used to study in Bologna and their scholarship program was called ERGO.
The amount is approximately 5000 euros per year. What is included in this 5000 euros? So, until the first semester of the year, you receive 2500 euros. In January, this amount is transferred to your account. This means that if you went to Italy in September, you have to live on your own until January. Because payment is only made in January. We received the next 2500 euros, if I'm not mistaken, in May. So this amount is divided into two parts. On a monthly basis, this varies around 250 euros.
And it should be taken into account that you live in Europe. That is, 250 euros will not cover all your expenses. You must either get support from your family or find an additional job. In addition, universities also have certain advantages. For example, at the University of Bologna there was such an opportunity: if you used public transport, you could use transport for a year by paying 130 euros. When you applied the next year, this amount dropped to 60-70 euros. That is, various concessions are also provided for students.
In addition, in certain places of the city - there are approximately six or seven points - you can go there with a student ticket and get free meals. For this service, approximately 200-300 euros are deducted from your scholarship. But this choice depends on you. If you want, you can use such meals or take them away with you. In this case, approximately 200-300 euros are deducted from the scholarship annually and you can benefit from meals at those points three times a day.
But the total scholarship amount usually varies around 5000-6000 euros. That is, any young person who wants to study in Italy must definitely research the regional scholarship program of that university. Then, by collecting the documents required for the scholarship, they can easily apply and get a chance to win this scholarship.”
Regardless of financial situation, family support is essential:
“If we need to be realistic, I think it is not so easy to go and study in Europe without financial support. Moreover, there is such a point that you are already studying in your own country, as a result you are a student and you need a certain amount of family support. But you can say that, yes, the costs of Baku and the costs of Europe do not coincide, but I tell you that there is not a big difference. That is, students studying in Europe should not scare themselves in this regard, saying “I will go, I will have more expenses there, I will not be able to study and will return.” The costs are roughly at a similar level.
You just have to be able to manage your financial situation correctly: how much your expenses are and how much you can reduce these expenses. There must be family support, it is very difficult without it. But if not, you can also work in various jobs there, for example, food or order delivery, etc.
In Europe, there is such a system that if you study with a scholarship, part-time job opportunities arise within the university from the second year. For example, it is possible to work in the admissions office or in the library on campus. The university offers you certain working hours and you work within those hours. These jobs are usually about 30-40 hours a month and in return you can be paid up to 1000, 1500, or even 2000 euros.”
Students make life more manageable by sharing expenses:
“Students going abroad often group together there, rent a house and stay together. I mean the middle class. Of course, those who have good means go and rent a separate apartment and live there. Scholarships are not so important for them.
But when a young person from the middle class, for example, an Azerbaijani, goes to study abroad, they usually form a group there, make friends and start living together. At this time, food, housing and other expenses are also shared. This, in turn, varies over time depending on the individual situation and the city.
For example, there are cities in Italy where you can find a house for 200 euros, and there are cities where it is difficult to find an apartment even for 1000 euros. I currently live in Milan for 1100 euros, because Milan is a very big and expensive city. But when I stayed in Bologna, the house rent was 400 euros.
The main part of the expenses is rent. After that comes transport and food. These are either shared among students, or covered by the university and the state with certain concessions. For example, in some cases, the student pays 130 euros and uses public transport for free for a year. This significantly reduces expenses.
In general, when living in a group, monthly expenses are approximately as follows: rent on average 500 euros, food and transport between 100-150 euros. That is, a student's normal living expenses are generally around 600-650 euros.
When there is a scholarship, this process becomes easier, because a certain budget is formed and it is also possible to save in advance. In the first stage, for example, a young person going from Baku to Bologna to study should have a minimum of 3000 euros in their account to be able to live without problems in the first months and to be able to support themselves financially.”
If students are planning to study abroad, they should start reducing their expenses before going so that they can support themselves financially without difficulty until they receive a scholarship:
"If there are those who plan to go to Italy next September, they should start reducing their expenses while they are in Baku. At the same time, they can save a certain amount of money by finding additional activities. For a year, they should not spend too much time on entertainment and non-essential expenses, and save as much as possible so that they can live without financial difficulties there at least until the first semester. After the first semester, when scholarships start, they can already continue more comfortably.
It is also very important not to lose motivation. If something is solved with money in life, in this case only experience is gained, nothing is lost. Therefore, they must definitely go and study and then return.
At the same time, they should do good research. They should gather information about the city they are going to in advance. I should note that it is not correct to apply to universities located in several cities of Italy at the same time. The more appropriate side is to choose a specific university and conduct all research in that direction.
Before I went, I even visually researched the streets on "Google Maps". I learned in advance which streets it was possible to walk to the university from. That is, you need to prepare as much as possible and not be afraid.
In Europe, there is generally no situation where a person completely encounters difficulties and is in a desperate situation. When necessary, there is an opportunity to work and earn money. But often there is no need for this either, because families also provide support within their means. Therefore, there is no need to worry. Let them go and study and continue this process with the support of their families.”
