Belarus has as many as 48 universities, a growing number of which are offering academic programs in English. Tuitions for international students in Belarusian universities are a lot less than what universities in most other European countries are charging. The cost of living here is also amongst the lowest in the continent. As a result, more than 6,000 international students are coming to the Eastern European country every year in pursuit of higher education. If you are thinking about following in their footsteps, here’s a list of eight cheap universities in Belarus that you should know about.
Affordable Schools in Belarus for International Students
1. Belarusian State University
- Tuition Fees: USD 900 to USD 5,000
Established in 1921, Belarusian State University (BSU) is a public university situated in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. With a teaching body of more than 3,000, it currently offers higher education to 30,000-plus students. Of them, over 2,000 are international students hailing from 53 countries. The university is organized into 27 faculties, training institutions, and educational institutions that house a total of 191 departments. It claims 351st spot globally in the QS World University Rankings 2020, ahead of any other Belarusian university.
At this cheap university in Belarus, nearly 400 programs are offered at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Theology is the cheapest among the programs in terms of tuition, while the most expensive ones are in the fields of Business and International Relations.
2. Belarusian National Technical University
According to the QS World University Rankings 2020, the second-best university in the country is Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU). It is a public technical university that came into being in 1920. Its student population is north of 35,000. Its 16 faculties house a total of 119 departments, employing nearly 2,200 academic staff. This university is located in Minsk, too.
Annual tuition for around 90 percent of the programs at BNTU range between USD 2,500 and USD 3,000. But of course, there are a few programs that are either cheaper or more expensive.
3. Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno
Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (YKSUG) began its journey in 1940. It is sited in the western Belarusian city of Hrodna, which is also known as Grodno. It consists of four colleges, 15 faculties, and 63 departments, through which it facilitates over 140 academic programs. It has over 12,200 students enrolled at present, including 700-plus international students. In QS’s Emerging Europe and Central Asia (EECA) University Rankings 2020, this university claims the 195th spot.
Annual tuition for the academic programs at this cheap university in Belarus that are taught in the Russian language ranges between USD 1,600 and USD 2,500. The English-language programs, meanwhile, are a tad more expensive here, costing USD 3,500 per year.
4. Brest State A.S. Pushkin University
Founded as a teacher’s training institute in 1945, Brest State A.S. Pushkin University (BRSU) went on to become a full-fledged university in 1995. Its campus, which includes three academic buildings, is in Brest, a border town opposite the Polish city of Terespol. The public university’s total enrollment currently stands at about 7,000. Nearly 500 academic staff are employed under the 45 departments of its ten faculties.
BRSU charges USD 2,200 per year for academic programs under the faculties of Biology, Psychology and Pedagogy, History, Geography, Physics and Mathematics, Social Sciences and Pedagogy, and Physical Education. For programs under the faculties of Law, Philology, and Foreign Languages, it charges USD 2,300 per year.
5. Sukhoi State Technical University of Gomel
Named after the celebrated Soviet aerospace engineer Pavel Sukhoi, Sukhoi State Technical University of Gomel (GSTU) has been around since 1968. It is positioned in Gomel, the second-most populous Belarusian city. Through 28 departments under its seven faculties, the public university offers 21 bachelor’s programs, eight master’s programs, and nine PhD programs. It has a student population of over 9,000, while the number of academic staff is about 400.
All bachelor’s programs at GSTU cost USD 2,250 per year, except the one in Oil and Gas Field Exploitation and Development, which annually costs USD 3,000. Each of the master’s programs here costs USD 2,500 per year.
6. Brest State Technical University
What was founded in 1966 as an engineering institute went on to become an independent university named Brest State Technical University (BrSTU) in 2000. Lying in the heart of Brest, the cheap university in Belarus is organized into six faculties. It facilitates 28 bachelor’s programs, six of which are available in English, as well as 13 master’s programs, seven of which are available in English.
Annual tuition for Russian-language programs at BrSTU ranges between USD 2,200 and USD 2,600 at the undergraduate level and is USD 3,000 at the graduate level. However, the English-language programs have annual tuition of USD 3,500 at the undergraduate level and USD 3,700 at the graduate level.
7. Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics
The Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR) is another Minsk-based public university. Beginning its journey in 1964, it is now home to over 16,000 students, including around 600 international students from 45 countries. It is made up of nine faculties that house a total of 37 departments. Among the academic programs offered here, 10 are available in English. This university ranks 158th in the QS EECA University Rankings 2020.
If you are willing to study in Russian, BSUIR will charge you USD 3,000 to USD 3,300 per year, depending on the faculty and the level of education. But if you want to study English here, the annual tuition will range between USD 4,300 and USD 5,000.
8. Vitebsk State Technological University
Established in 1965 as an institute of light industry, Vitebsk State Technological University (VSTU) went on to receive its university status in 1995. At present, it has a total enrollment of nearly 4,000, with more than 100 academic staff employed to teach them. Through its seven faculties, the Vitebsk-based university facilitates 23 bachelor’s programs and nine master’s programs.
For international students studying in full-time mode, the annual tuition at VSTU is USD 2,350. However, those who are studying in part-time mode have to pay USD 1,000 per year.
We hope that this article on cheap universities in Belarus was helpful. If you are interested in studying in Europe, check out the Available Programs in Europe for International Students!
