If you would like to pursue a degree from a university abroad but cannot leave your home, distance-learning programmes are a great option.
An accredited degree from a European university can be a great advantage in your career and on the job market. That’s why we’ve compiled a list with some of the best European universities offering English-taught online degrees to international students.
View online Masters from Europe
How we’ve created the top 10 online European university list
Popular university rankings do not create lists with the best online universities in Europe. We’ve decided to compile our own list using information from the prestigious QS Rankings, created by TopUniversities. How?
We’ve selected a top-ranked university from 10 of the most popular study destinations in Europe. In cases where we couldn’t find a ranked university offering online programmes, we’ve included an unranked one with available online courses.
We’ve done this to try and cover a wide variety of countries and offer options to students who want to earn a degree from a top European university. Note: the included countries are not listed in any particular order.
So, here is our list of 10 top European universities offering distance learning degrees:
1. Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands
The Wageningen University is always among the top 10 best Dutch universities in the prestigious rankings created by TopUniversities, Times Higher Education, and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
The online courses offered by the Wageningen University on our portals are usually at Master’s level. Tuition fees usually range between 500 and 2,500 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online programmes offered by Dutch universities.
2. Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany
Most study programmes offered at the Freie Universitat Berlin are free of charge for all students, regardless of their nationality. However, tuition fees can reach 9,500 EUR/year for some of their online courses.
The distance learning programmes offered by the Freie Universitat are usually short courses and Masters.
If you're looking for a wider range of degree options, then go for IU International University of Applied Sciences. It offers over 70 distance learning programmes at Bachelor's and Master's level.
Check out all the online courses offered by German universities.
3. Stockholm University, Sweden
Over 30,000 students are enrolled at the Stockholm University, an institution where a lot of work and development is put into research, especially in the Science and Human Science fields.
Tuition fees for the online courses offered by the Stockholm University range between 0 and 13,000 EUR per academic year. These courses are usually offered at Master’s level.
Check out all the online courses offered by Swedish universities.
4. Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is the best academic institution in Ireland, occupying the first place in the rankings created by TopUniversities, THE, and the Shanghai University.
The online courses offered by TCD are at Master’s level, and tuition ranges between 3,000 – 11,200 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online courses offered by Irish universities.
5. University of Oxford, the UK
What can we say about the Oxford University? It is one of the best and most renowned universities in the world, often fighting for the 1st place in rankings with the University of Cambridge. It has high educational standards, some of the best professors in the world, and rigorous admission requirements.
Most online courses offered by the University of Oxford are at Master’s level. Tuition fees range between 1,800 – 29,000 EUR per academic year.
The Open University UK is the British institution offering the most distance learning programmes on our portal, with over 450 online courses. You can also have a look at the top 10 British universities offering online study programmes.
Check out all the online courses offered by British universities.
6. European University Cyprus
European University Cyprus has ushered in a culture of modernization that influenced the level and quality of education throughout the region. Through their high-quality online degree offer, the university offers excellent teaching, research and support for students taking classes online.
The European University Cyprus offers online courses both at Bachelor’s and Master’s level. Tuition ranges between 8,500 – 13,500 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online courses offered by universities from Cyprus.
7. EU Business School, Spain
The EU Business School is a private higher education institution in Spain. It is mainly focused on Business and Management degrees, and tuition costs are higher since it doesn’t benefit from state funding.
Online courses offered by the EU Business School cost between 12,900 – 29,850 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online courses offered by Spanish universities.
8. Swiss School of Business and Management, Switzerland
The Swiss School of Business and Management is a private university that offers Business studies designed to meet the needs of diverse industries and large companies. The institution collaborates with various scholars and organisations in order to design courses that prepare students for the labour market.
Most online courses offered by the Swiss School of Business & Management are at Master’s level. Tuition fees range between 600 – 20,000 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online courses offered by Swiss universities.
9. International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, Italy
The International Telematic University UNINETTUNO offers online degrees recognised all over Europe. It also provides career advice to ambitious students in order to set study goals throughout the duration of their studies.
The online courses offered by the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO are at both Bachelor’s and Master’s level. Tuition fees range between 2,500 – 4,000 EUR per academic year.
Check out all the online courses offered by Italian universities.
View online Masters from Europe
10. Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Belgium
The Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) aims towards the future, hiring teachers and researchers from all over the world who fit the university’s rigorous standards. The diversity in teacher staff also reflects the great variety of international students who choose to study here.
The university follows an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, through numerous joint activities and has partnerships with several universities in Belgium and abroad.
The Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) offers both online Master’s degrees and online short courses.
Check out all the online courses offered by Belgian universities.
We also recommend these online universities
Explore these highly recommended partner universities from Europe:
- IU International University of Applied Sciences
- Arden University Online
- Brunel University London - Online
These institutions offer excellent programmes and are known for their international student support and vibrant academic environments.
Don't forget that to be admitted at an online degree, you'll also need to meet the university language requirements. The most commonly accepted English languages skills are IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE Academic.