Philosophy is a study that takes critical thinking into a deeper dimension. In this field, very abstract ideas such as existence, knowledge, and the mind are explored and dissected through endless discussions and analyses. It is also among the world’s oldest disciplines, with many areas, such as science, branching from it.

If you aspire to follow the footsteps of Pythagoras, Aristotle, and other known philosophers, many great universities offer philosophy as a program. Keep reading this article to know some of the free philosophy schools that have no tuition fees.

What Job Can I Get as a Philosopher?

It might come as a surprise to many people, but philosophy is an integral part of many disciplines. Philosophy is part of ethics and, by extension, research, law, religious studies, and an amalgam of other domains. Philosophy students can secure a job in any of these fields of knowledge, and for them, the possibilities are endless. Philosophy courses are not currently available on our website; if you are curious about our available courses, you can check out all of them on our Open Courses Page.

Free Philosophy Schools

1. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) or Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is one of the top universities for philosophy. It is an ancient public institution in Munich, Germany, established in 1472. It is one of Germany’s best schools, producing elite alumni composed of Nobel laureates and notable personalities, such as Pope Benedict XVI and Otto Hahn.

Since the winter semester of the academic year 2013/2014, the university has not charged tuition fees to its students. However, there are other payments one must make, such as semester fees. All students must pay basic and semester ticket fees for the Munich Student Union or Studentenwerk.

LMU Munich is a free philosophy school. The university offers a Bachelor’s (BA) in Philosophy program, which requires proficiency in the German language. There is also an English-taught, two-year, international program for a Master (MA) in Logic and Philosophy of Science, and it has been offered since 2012. They also have a Ph.D. program. The doctorate student’s research may focus on various areas such as logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of physics, decision theory and philosophy of social science, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mathematics.

2. Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main

Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, or Goethe University, is an institution founded in 1914 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The university’s name in German is Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. It was established in 1914 through the financial support of wealthy and active citizens in Frankfurt.

While there are no tuition fees, they have semester fees. These include a magic ticket (GoetheCard) which can be used for Frankfurt public transport (bus, tram, subway) for free. An administration fee is also accounted for in the semester fees.

Goethe University’s Department of Philosophy offers three main degree programs – BA Philosophy Major, BA Philosophy Minor, and MA Philosophy. Nearly all courses or subjects are taught in German; thus, proficiency in the language is necessary. Besides German, proficiency in English and another language (e.g., Latin, French, Greek) is also required. Both undergraduate programs have a duration of three years or six semesters. Meanwhile, the MA Philosophy program is set for four semesters only.

3. University of Helsinki

  • Free Tuition Fee Link
  • Free to: exchange students, Ph.D. students, EU/EAA/Switzerland citizens, students with permanent Finnish residence permits or long-term resident’s EU residence permits

The University of Helsinki in Finland is a public institution established in 1640. It is a free philosophy school that has no tuition fees. It is also the oldest and largest university in the country, welcoming more than thirty thousand students in a year. It has three languages of instruction – Finnish, Swedish, and English. However, the final medium would depend on the program.

Even though the university charges tuition fees, it exempts students from the European Union, European Economic Area, and Switzerland. Those with a permanent residence permit in Finland or long-term residence permits in the EU are not included. Exchange students and Ph.D. students do not have to pay as well. If you are not included in the list of exemptions, the university does have scholarships that cover 50% to 100% of your tuition fee.

The University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Arts offers degree programs in philosophy. These are Bachelor’s Program in Philosophy, Master’s Program in Philosophy, and Doctoral Program in Philosophy, Arts and Society. Both the bachelor’s and master’s programs are taught in Finnish. On the other hand, the doctoral program is multilingual and may be accomplished in Finnish, Swedish, or English.

4. Central European University

The Central European University is a private institution founded in 1991 in Vienna, Austria. It also has another campus in Budapest. The university is also accredited in Hungary and the United States. Many English-taught programs are being offered at various levels – undergraduate and graduate.

The university has tuition fees; however, you can apply for financial aid. Individuals from any country may apply for it, and it is awarded based on academic merit and financial need. They have five types of financial assistance for master’s students that can cover up to 100% of tuition fees. Their doctoral scholarship also includes a full tuition waiver. You only have to fill up the Funding section in the online application form to be considered for master’s program financial aid. Meanwhile, doctoral candidates only have to submit by the scholarship deadline to be automatically considered for the scholarship.

Both undergraduate and graduate programs in philosophy are being offered. They have a Bachelor of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program, allowing students to acquire a European and American BA degree upon graduation. They also offer a one-year MA in Philosophy program and a Ph.D. in Philosophy.

5. Freie Universitaet Berlin

Another free philosophy school, Freie Universitaet Berlin, or the Free University of Berlin, is a German public institution. It is part of the German Universities Excellence Initiative, a group of elite research universities. The university is also consistently included among the top-ranked schools in Germany, with its forte lying in the political sciences and humanities.

Regarding fees and funding, the university does not impose tuition fees for most of its programs. However, students would have to pay for fees and contributions or Semestergebühren und-beiträge. These include enrollment or re-registration fees and contributions to the student support service, student government, and transportation tickets.

The university’s Institute of Philosophy offers degree-granting programs for the undergraduate and graduate levels. They have a BA in Philosophy, MA in Philosophy, and Ph.D. or Doctorate programs.

 

I hope you found this article on free philosophy schools with no tuition fees informative and helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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