Where can Israeli students study abroad for free?

Here's a list of countries Israeli students can study and work in for free.

Young woman with suitcase in hand going away by a rural road (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Young woman with suitcase in hand going away by a rural road
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

Every country has different work permit laws, tuition fees and regulations for international students. This can, understandably, be very overwhelming for Israelis wanting to experience another culture during their university years. It can also be very limiting for students that come from a lower economic background. This article will highlight countries that students may work in without a permit and countries without tuition fees, based on data from Erudera.

Tuition fees:

Many countries charge international students significantly more than domestic students to study at their institutions. Here is a list of countries where one may study without any tuition costs. It is worth noting, there may still be semester fees and application fees but these are fractional compared to tuition costs.

1. Germany

2. Norway

3. Iceland

4. Austria

5. Czech Republic

6. Argentina

Work Permits

While most countries do require foreign visitors to obtain work permits for employment, this is not true of every country. Here are some countries where work permits are not needed during study:

1. Austria


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In Austria, international students may work up to 20 hours per week. The minimum wage in Austria is 1,500 euros per month (NIS 5,681.65).

 Students enter the 2012 Big Apple Job and Internship Fair at the Javits Center in New York, April 27, 2012. The job fair was organized specifically for students from the various City University of New York (CUNY) schools. (credit: REUTERS/ANDREW BURTON)
Students enter the 2012 Big Apple Job and Internship Fair at the Javits Center in New York, April 27, 2012. The job fair was organized specifically for students from the various City University of New York (CUNY) schools. (credit: REUTERS/ANDREW BURTON)

2. Czech Republic

International students in the Czech Republic are able to work up to 30 days per year depending on their educational program.

3. Finland

International students in Finland are able to work for up to 30 hours a week without a permit. There is no minimum wage in Finland.

4. France

In France, International students can work up to 964 hours a year without a work permit. The minimum hourly wage there is 11.27 euros or NIS 42.75.

5. Germany 

In Germany, international students are allowed to work without a work permit for 120 days full-time or 240 days part-time. The minimum wage in Germany is 12 euros per hour or NIS 45.52.

6. Greece

International students are able to work 20 hours per week during term and 40 hours per week during vacation. The minimum daily pay in Greece is 31.85 euros or NIS 120.81.

7. Ireland

International students studying for a full-time degree are able to work up to 20 hours a week during term and full-time during vacation. The minimum wage there is 11.30 euros an hour or NIS 42.86.

8. Italy

Students are able to work up to 20 hours a week in Italy. Italy does not have a minimum hourly wage. 

9. Latvia 

Students are able to work 20 hours a week during term and 40 hours a week during vacation. The minimum wage here is 430 euros a month, or NIS 1628.76. 

10. Luxembourg 

International students are allowed to work 346 hours per academic year. The minimum wage here is 12.94 euros per hour or NIS 49.08.

11. Norway

In Norway, international students may work up to 20 hours per week. There is no minimum wage here.

12. Poland

International students may work 20 hours during term and 40 hours during vacation. The minimum wage here is 22.8 zloty or NIS 18.10.

13. Portugal

Students can work up to 20 hours. The minimum wage is 4.40 euros hourly or NIS 16.67. 

14. Romania

International students can work up to 20 hours per week. The minimum hourly wage for those aged 23+ is £8.91 or NIS 37.88.

15. Sweden

In Sweden, international students can work up to 40 hours per week during their studies with no limit during their vacation. There is no minimum wage here. 

16. United Kingdom

Students may work during the school year, up to 20 hours weekly. The minimum wage there is £10.42 hourly or NIS 44.29.

17. Canada

International students may work unlimited hours here. The minimum wage is $15 per hour or NIS 53.31. 

18. Australia

Students may work up to 40 hours per two weeks during term and are not limited during vacation. The minimum wage there is $21.38 or NIS 52.12.

19. Colombia

International students may work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and up to 25 hours a week during summer vacation. The minimum wage here is COP1,300,606.00 per month or NIS 941.09.