Tuition Fees at the World’s Top Universities

Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

The UK’s University of Cambridge charges domestic and EU students the maximum fees allowed under government regulations on undergraduate-level programs: £9,250 per year. Internationally the prices fluctuate slightly more, with courses costing overseas students £22,227-£58,038 (~US$28,130-$73,460).

Although financial support for international students to study at the UK’s top universities is limited and highly competitive, there are a number of funds and international scholarships offered via the UK government, international organizations and sometimes opportunities to gain funding from your home government, depending on your country of origin. To find out more, visit our list of international scholarships to study in the UK.

The University of Cambridge’s website also provides information about funding options for both undergraduate and graduate studies.

Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

 *ETH Zurich charges students a total of CHF 69 per semester (~US$72) to cover the costs of the Academic Sports Association Zurich (ASVZ), the Scholarship Fund and the Student Union fee for general services. 

Located in Switzerland, ETH Zurich specializes in engineering and the natural sciences, and is the only university in continental Europe to be ranked within the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings® 2021. It’s by far the most affordable option among the universities on this list, with international students paying the same as home students.

PhDs students earn a salary which starts at CHF 47,040 (~US$48,777) in the first year, and pay a flat-rate tuition fee of CHF 1,350 (~US$1400) after registering for their doctoral exam. Other than this, PhD students also pay only a mandatory fee of CHF 37 (~US$38) per semester, to cover the costs of the ASVZ and the Scholarship Fund.

Living costs in Switzerland are high, but there are a range of scholarships available, including the Swiss Government Scholarships, which awards funding for foreign postgraduate students. General scholarships to study in Switzerland (or another European country) can be found listed here.

More information for prospective students is available on ETH Zurich’s website.

Annual tuition fees (2020/21):

As one half of the famous ‘Oxbridge’ pairing, the University of Oxford charges the full £9,250 for UK and EU students for all of its undergraduate programs. Internationally, this cap does not apply, meaning the University of Oxford is able to charge much higher rates for international students.

These sums (for international full-time undergraduates, including college fees) currently range from £24,910 in the humanities subjects up to £33,625(~US$42,557) in most STEM and FAME subjects. To search for a specific program, visit the University of Oxford’s fees and funding information for undergraduate or graduate studies.

Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

*All programs at Caltech are subject to further fees. In addition to tuition and living costs, all students will be expected to secure health insurance either through Caltech or a comparable plan. Caltech’s health insurance plan for 2020/21 costs $2,726 per year.

Relatively small in size, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is another of the world’s top universities with a focus on subjects in the STEM group. To cover the cost of study at Caltech, students can apply internally and/or externally for grants, ‘work-study’, loans and scholarships.

Some external scholarships to study in the US are listed here. More information on the cost of studying at Caltech is available on the school’s own website.

Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

*PhD students at Harvard University receive full financial support, including cover of tuition, other fees and the cost of living (cost of living stipend currently at US$2,980).

As well as offering need-blind admission to domestic and international students, Harvard University offers international students the same access to financial aid as US citizens. Although federal aid and loans are often unavailable to overseas students, Harvard University provides more than 50 percent of all its students with financial aid and 55 percent of undergraduates receive the Harvard Scholarship. Aid given is based on financial need and if your parents earn less than US$65,000 annually, you are not required to make any contribution to payment.

For external scholarships to study in the US, visit this article, and for more information on admissions at Harvard University, visit the official website.

Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

Stanford University offers need-blind admission for US students, although not for international students. This means overseas students must secure a certain amount of funding through personal finance, scholarships, loans or other assistance.

All international students should request financial aid consideration at the time of application or risk not being eligible for any Stanford funding throughout their undergraduate life. Several international scholarships to study in the US are listed here.

Stanford University has more information about student costs and funding on its website.

 Annual tuition fees 2020/21:

Retaining its place at the top of the QS World University Rankings for the ninth time in a row, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the five US universities to offer need-blind admission to both domestic and international students.

According to the institution’s website, MIT expected to award $136.3 million in financial aid to its students in 2019/20, with 89 percent of undergraduates receiving some financial aid. According to the university, the average total price paid by an MIT student receiving need-based aid is $23,442.

The average award for MIT students stands at $51,752, with the amount received calculated based on financial need.

This article was originally published in September 2014. It was last updated in June 2020.