How to Find a Pocket-Friendly University?

More the options, more the confusion- that’s the problem with the thousands of universities around the world. Finding the perfect university is like looking for a needle in a haystack.  The struggle to find that perfect university worsens when you are on a restricted budget and which to make the most of your journey. However, finding the best course and right-fit university is an art, it requires hours of research, comparison and budgeting. In this blog, we will help you reduce your research time and expenses with an exclusive mentoring on How to Find a Pocket-Friendly University?

Top Pocket-Friendly Countries to Study 

Before you look for a pocket-friendly university, it is logical to first choose a country that is affordable for you. This is also beneficial for you as it will help you cut down your living expenses. Here’s the list of the top pocket-friendly countries to study where the annual fee is under INR 5 to 10 lakhs:

Top Pocket-Friendly Countries	Average Annual Tuition Fee (INR)
Austria	2-3 lakhs
Taiwan	2.48 lakhs
France	15k- 33k
Mexico	4.73 lakhs
India	5.92 lakhs
Argentina	3.83 lakhs
Poland	2.63 lakhs
Malaysia	3 lakhs
South Africa	4.50 lakhs

Fun Fact: The tuition fees for domestic and international students are the same in France!

How to find a Pocket-Friendly University?

Now that you have chosen a pocket-friendly country to study in, you can now know how to choose a pocket-friendly university. Here’s the step-by-step guide to finding a pocket-friendly university in any country in the world.

Research 

The first and the most important step of finding a pocket-friendly university is research. You won’t know whether a university is affordable for you if you don’t research it. Research the most affordable universities in the country that you have chosen. You must be ready with the area of study so that you can look for courses for the same. You can search for affordable universities in that field itself. For example, you can google ‘pocket-friendly universities in France for mechanical engineering. 

Another point of research can be whether the universities are actually affordable or just appear to be. Visit multiple credible web pages to know the same. You can also approach an alumnus from the respective university to know how good the university is. The Research approach should be personal. For example, if you love athletes then you will be more attracted to choose pocket-friendly universities with an athlete program or extracurricular activities. Make a point to include such reservations in your research before you make a decision. The research will take more than a week but it is worth it in the end. 

Make a list 

This is where your obsession with making lists, tables and diagrams comes into effect. Once you have done your research, shortlist the top 10 pocket-friendly universities that you aim to get into. Why 10? Well, to choose the best, you should have good options of pocket-friendly universities. Make a table with their names, locations, eligibility, tuition fee, course description, facilities and of course, the scholarship programs.

Compare 

Once you have made the list, it is time for you to sit back and compare. Take the help of your friends and families as an unbiased perspective will help you gain insight. It is also very important to take into account your instinct. If your heart says that a certain university is good for you, take that into account. Make a list of things you’d want in your university and compare it with the list of shortlisted pocket-friendly universities. Further shortlist, top 5 that come closest to your wishlist. Your major point of comparison should be the affordable tuition fee and the scholarships available.

Consult 

Here’s when you come closer to deciding on your top 3 universities. Consult the alumni of the top 5 pocket-friendly universities, education counsellors, friends and family before making a decision. If you have friends who stay in the same cities as the pocket-friendly universities, consult them. By consulting, we do not mean obeying. It is you who is going to spend 3-5 years at the university so make a decision only for yourself. 

Miscellaneous Cost

While tuition fees may seem the larger cost of studying at pocket-friendly universities, it is the smaller costs that pile up much more. Your cost of accommodation, food, transport, utility, entertainment, textbooks, study resources, maintenance fees, health insurance fees, etc is more expensive than your tuition fee per year. Look out for these costs. Choose a pocket-friendly university that is located or close to pocket-friendly neighbourhoods. 

Pre-Study Costs 

The pre-study fees include the fees of the counsellor, application fee, visa fees, entrance exam and English test fees. Make sure that you count these when you make your budget to study abroad.

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in USA

USA is one of the most expensive countries to study from if you are an Indian student. Although it may seem affordable for the Americans or the British due to the high USD rate, a study in the USA can sometimes go up to 1 crore! However, while the cost of living is high in some states, there are many affordable universities in the USA that can help you achieve your dream:

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in the USA	Tuition Fees starting from (INR)
University of Washington	7.03 lakhs per year
CUNY Brooklyn College	1.75 lakhs per year
Purdue University	7.34 lakhs per year
University of Florida	4.72 lakhs per year
Oklahoma State University	8.72 lakhs per year
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	8.15 lakhs per year
California State University- LA	2.44 lakhs per year

Must Read: Universities Accepting Low IELTS Scores

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in UK

The UK has been the top choice for many Indian students wanting an overseas education. The cost of living can be steep in comparison to the tuition fee. The country has its share of affordable and pocket-friendly universities that offer incredible scholarships and student loans to help students study in the literary land:

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in the UK	Tuition Fees starting from (INR)
Staffordshire University	13.98 lakhs
Teesside University	12.9 lakhs
Leeds Trinity University	11.48 lakhs
University of Columbia	12.78 lakhs
London Metropolitan University	13.18 lakhs
University of Bolton	4.24 lakhs
Buckinghamshire New University	9.48 lakhs

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in Australia 

Australia, the land of opportunities, sometimes does become an expensive education option for international students. But apart from a few top universities, the rest of them are pocket-friendly. Have a look at the top pocket-friendly universities in Australia:

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in Australia	Tuition Fees starting from (INR)
University of the Sunshine Coast	10 lakhs per year
University of Southern Queensland	11.4 lakhs per year
Charles Sturt University	11.8 lakhs per year
Federation University Australia	11 lakhs per year
Southern Cross University	12.3 lakhs per year
Australian Catholic University	11 lakhs per year
Edith Cowan University	13.3 lakhs

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in Canada 

Canada is the second-most popular choice for Indians wanting to study abroad due to the high Indian origin population there. The scholarship opportunities in the universities of Canada make it affordable for an Indian student. The top pocket-friendly universities in Canada are given below:-

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in Canada	Tuition Fees starting from (INR)
University of the People (Online)	Free
Brandon University	4.22 lakhs
University de Saint-Boniface	4.38 lakhs
University of Guelph	5.70 lakhs
Canadian Mennonite University	5.86 lakhs
Memorial University of Newfoundland	6.71 lakhs
University of Northern British Columbia	1.91 lakhs

Must Read: Study Abroad after Graduation from India

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in India

India is one of the cheapest countries to study in. The public universities here offer some of the cheapest courses because of the government backing. Here’s the list of the top pocket-friendly universities in India:

Top Pocket-Friendly Universities in India	Average Tuition Fees starting from (INR)
Osmania University	30,000
Jamia Islamia University	45,080
Jawaharlal Nehru University	56,359
Jadavpur University	60,117
Thapar University	1.05 lakhs
IIT Delhi	2.25 lakhs
National Institute of Technology	2.63 lakhs

Also Read: What are Open Days in Universities?

One more guaranteed way of finding a pocket-friendly university for yourself is to stop everything that you are doing and simply apply at Leverage Edu. At Leverage Edu, we believe that nothing should stop Indian students from grabbing the opportunity to study at global universities, not even the finances. Call our experts at 1800-572-00 and book your first counselling session!