European Union Online Schools?

[jnmhorn]

Hi,

I am a Danish citizen (also a European Union one). I was wondering if there are any online universities that I could attend for free?

-Jacob

[irnbru]

Hi,

I am a Danish citizen (also a European Union one). I was wondering if there are any online universities that I could attend for free?

-Jacob

Hi Jacob,

You might not get much response to this question here as the forum focuses mostly on US colleges with progressive credit transfer policies.

I'm in the UK, though, so here's some information, although I'm enrolled with Excelsior college.

Funding is entirely dependent on your own national framework. So, if Danish student funding permits study for a degree at an EU institution through distance learning, great. Otherwise, you'll have to pay for it yourself (which is the route I'm taking) or possibly make a case with an employer.

I've only really researched UK distance learning. Postgraduate study in the UK via distance learning has emerged as more established over the last ten years, probably due to lifestyle demands and certainly thanks to the internet. The big exception to this is the Open University, which was and remains the primary distance-learning provider for undergraduates outside of mainstream academia.

However, the situation is changing rapidly. In light of UK legislation increasing maximum annual fees to £9,000.00, it is reasonable to assess that this trend will continue to result in an increase in non-traditional undergraduate opportunities.

Currently, the biggest emerging entity is the London external/London International programme. All the London colleges have got together and a central administration exists to provide information for their undergraduate and postgrad degrees. This is interesting as these are some of the best colleges in the UK in their respective fields (London School of Economics (economics), Royal Holloway (history), SOAS (language and cultural studies), etc).

There are other options where a student can combine professional qualifications with some study in order to earn an undergraduate degree in that field. Oxford Brookes partner with the ACCA to provide an accounting degree which also includes exemptions from several of the professional papers required for Chartered Accountant status.

These undergraduate programmes can take anywhere from 3 to 8 years, though. Cost is between £2,000 to around £10,000, which is worth thinking about. In particular I know the Open Unversity is a valid option for students looking for traditional grants/loans.

There are also some changes occurring with postgraduate entry requirements. The MBA offered by Heriot Watt's Edinburgh business school is made up of several modules. By passing three modules (and gaining a Pgc) a student is automatically eligible to continue studying on to the Pgd and MBA qualifications. St Andrews offers an MLitt in Terrorism Studies which may be preceded with a certificate qualification which then opens the door to the masters itself. Other universities are also adopting the modular certificate -> eligibility -> postgraduate study route.

I'm with the US programme because I need the flexbility to test when possible, finish in a shorter time frame and the study tempo suits my temperament.

Hope that helps at least a little and good luck with your further research

[Yenisei]

Hi,

I am a Danish citizen (also a European Union one). I was wondering if there are any online universities that I could attend for free?

-Jacob

For free might be a bit difficult, but look at Swedish universities and Berlin's Freie Universität- they may be possibilities for EU citizens.