Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, love, and wine, is one of the pearls of the Mediterranean, along with its neighbors – Sardinia and Sicily. The political situation in Cyprus is rather complicated. In the north, there is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is currently only recognized by Turkey, while the rest of the island is under the influence of Greece.
Yet, on May 1st, 2004 Cyprus joined the EU as one country, albeit the introduction of the bloc’s common legislation is yet to take place in the North. One year prior to the EU accession of Cyprus, the authorities in the North lifted border control, allowing people from the South to cross into the North for the first time in 30 years. In this article, we will be looking at ways to study in Cyprus for free.
As of May 2015, the unification talks between the two governments in Cyprus have resumed. In an effort to further speed them up, universities on both sides of the island have opened their doors for international students. Young people from all over the world come to study in the Mediterranean country every year because there they can live on less than one thousand euros per month, including books and transportation costs.
There are more than twenty higher education schools around the country and they currently enroll about 60,000 freshmen every year and about one-third of them are foreign students. The tuition fees of these twenty or so universities rarely exceed $10,000 a year. That is, for undergraduate students.
How to Study in Cyprus for Free
But the big question is if you can actually study in Cyprus for free. There are some foreign students in Cyprus who qualify for full scholarships on the grounds of their exceptional academic achievements, but the majority receive partial scholarships, the most popular of which are reviewed below. We will be looking at three steps on how to study in Cyprus for free.
1. Apply to the Universities in Cyprus
The first step is obviously to apply to universities in Cyprus. You can find the application procedures on the universities’ websites. However, you need to be smart on where to apply if you want to study in Cyprus for free. Why? Because not all universities do not give scholarships to international students. So, you will need to apply to universities in Cyprus that give scholarships to international students, which are listed below.
2. Apply for Scholarships
Scholarship for Foreign Undergraduate Students in Cyprus
The type and amount of these scholarships are determined by the specific Bachelor’s program that the student is enrolled in and by the particular university that provides it.
Neapolis University Scholarships for BSc in Civil Engineering
The Neapolis University Pafos (NUP) is one of the most popular private universities in Cyprus. Students from around the world enroll in that school to pursue Bachelor’s Degrees in the fields of Urban Development and Civil Engineering.
Every year, the school provides ten scholarships to gifted international students pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Depending on the applicant’s scores in Math and Physics, the scholarship covers between 25 and 50 percent of his or her annual tuition fee, which is a great start to studying in Cyprus for free. The scholarship continues as long as the applicant meets the minimum academic performance criteria set by the university department.
The British University of Cyprus Scholarship for BSc Honorary Degree in Mathematics
The University of Central Lancashire in Cyprus, also known as the British University of Cyprus, is located in Pyla, Larnaca. Although relatively young (established about six years ago) this school is one of the best places to study Mathematics in Europe.
The BSc Honorary Degree in Mathematics is a comprehensive undergraduate program that covers a wide variety of subjects and disciplines in the field of Mathematics. The program’s academic focus is on the development of the participants’ interpersonal skills.
The amount of the scholarship is fifty percent of the annual tuition fee, or about $5,000 a year. Again, it is granted exclusive achievements in the field of science and math.
Scholarships for Foreign Master’s Degree Students in Cyprus
Below are some of the most popular scholarships you can apply for if you have decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Cyprus. More information about each scholarship is available on the provider’s official website.
Scholarship of the University of the West of Scotland for Master’s Degree Students
This scholarship is provided by University of the West of Scotland in cooperation with the Management Centre of the Mediterranean. It is not field-specific, meaning that it is available for all Master’s Degree programs provided by the university.
The amount of the scholarship is 60% of the tuition fee for the specific program. Exceptionally gifted candidates may qualify for a merit-based scholarship that covers up to 75% of the tuition fee. Getting this scholarship is a great way to study in Cyprus for free.
Scholarship of the Cyprus International Institute of Management
This scholarship is available to both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Public Sector Management, among others. Please note that there is one full scholarship in each of these programs, and fifty partial scholarships covering 50% of the tuition fee. The amount of the full scholarship is up to 82,000 EUR.
Scholarships for Foreign Ph.D. students in Cyprus
The universities in Cyprus offer a number of attractive financing options and grants to postgraduate researchers, who wish to pursue a doctoral degree in the country. Here are some of the most popular grants.
The Ph.D. Scholarship of The University of Cyprus
This scholarship is available to Ph.D. students doing research in the fields of Sociology and in Political Science. The amount of the scholarship is just over EUR 1,330 per month and it is paid for nine months each academic year.
Cyprus Institute Dean’s Distinguished Scholarship
This scholarship is available for Ph.D. students researching the academic fields of Energy, Environment, and Atmospheric Sciences. The scholarship is granted for a period of three years and covers registration, tuition, and bench fees in the amount of 16,400 EUR a year, as well as living costs of up to EUR 14,000 a year.
In addition, the scholarship provider also pays for the approved candidate’s plane ticket to Cyprus.
3. Get a Part-time Job During Semester and Full-Time Job During Summer
International students studying in Cyprus are eligible for 40 hours of work per week during the summer and 20 hours per week during the semester. This way, if you didn’t receive full scholarships, you can pay the rest of your tuition and living fees so that you can study in Cyprus for free. However, keep in mind that getting a work permit is a little bit difficult, so it is a good idea to have a backup plan if you can’t get a work permit.
We hope that this article on how to study in Cyprus for free was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Programs in Europe for International Students!
