Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad term that refers to cognitive abilities displayed by machines that in some way mimic those of the human brain. It is different from traditional computing in that while the latter essentially follows a list of if-then statements, devices powered by AI are capable of machine learning. This means that they can take a large amount of data and extract insights from it, like how the human brain learns from external stimuli.

While the field of AI is still in its infancy, it already has many uses in daily life. If you own a smartphone, you might have used an AI-powered virtual assistant like Alexa or Siri. Hospitals have also begun to use AI to diagnose certain diseases such as cancer far earlier than a human doctor might. AI is also used by companies’ HR departments when making decisions on whom to hire.

In what will be good news for those looking to work in AI, many universities offer study programs in the subject for free, or at extremely nominal costs. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the top five such institutions!

 

Is There a Degree in Artificial Intelligence?

Generally speaking, students need to first enroll for a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Upon finishing their undergraduate degree, students can pursue a graduate degree in artificial intelligence. Studying artificial intelligence requires some level of competence in computer science, and therefore the latter is paramount for anyone who plans on studying artificial intelligence. As far as computer science is concerned, we have plenty of courses offered by universities from around the world for you specifically, so check out our Computer Science Courses. As for artificial intelligence courses, they are yet to be available on our website; but feel free to check our Open Courses Page for programs that might be of interest to you.

Free Artificial Intelligence Schools

1. EPFL

The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the premier institutions of science and technology in the world that offer artificial intelligence programs for free. Located in Lausanne, Switzerland, it is surrounded by historic architecture and natural beauty, so if you want to study artificial intelligence in one of the most beautiful places in the world, the EPFL is for you.

The EPFL’s computer science degrees allow students to tailor their program to focus on artificial intelligence by choosing courses and conducting research on the subject. Besides this, the university has several laboratories dedicated to AI such as the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory LIA, the Machine Learning and Optimization Laboratory, the Theory of Machine Learning Laboratory, and the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems. The labs provide students who want to do research with the support they need and frequently publish their work.

The EPFL is part of a group of publicly funded institutions called the Domain of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, or ETH Domain. Because it is supported by the Swiss government, the EPFL charges its students extremely low tuition fees, wherever they are from the world. You would only need to pay CHF780 per semester.

2. ETH Zürich

ETH Zürich is regularly ranked among the top universities in the world, especially when it comes to science and technology. It is also one of the most global universities out there and offers most of its courses in English, so you’ll be welcome wherever in the world you’re from.

ETH Zürich offers a computer science master’s program that allows students to specialize in machine intelligence. While there isn’t a dedicated undergraduate AI program, the university’s bachelor’s in computer science gives students a solid background in the field and gives them the platform to pursue further studies. The university is also home to the ETH AI Center, where groundbreaking work often happens.

Like the EPFL, the University of Zürich is located in Switzerland and is part of the ETH Domain. It is supported by the Swiss government, meaning students only need to pay CHF730, exclusive of other contributions.

3. Université PSL

  • Free tuition fee
  • Free to: EU citizens whose family income is below a certain threshold

The Paris Science et Lettres (PSL) Université is actually an amalgamation of eleven different institutes of higher learning. Students here will often take courses offered by different institutions over the course of their program.

The Université PSL is one of the top schools for technology in Europe and offers a number of free AI-related programs. PhD students can apply for the Artificial Intelligence for the Sciences program, which is a unique experience that supports student research at the intersection between AI and the natural sciences.

The university has a socialized tuition scheme for EU students, which means that you’ll only need to pay what you can afford. For families that earn less than 40,000 euros a year, tuition is completely free. Students outside the EU need to pay 2,280 euros, which is still a reasonable amount.

4. Technische Universität Berlin

The Technische Universität (TU) Berlin is the oldest technical university for artificial intelligence in Germany. It offers both bachelor’s and master’s programs in computer science which you can customize to fit your needs if you want an AI-focused education. While the undergraduate degree is only offered in German, the master’s program is taught in English. Both are open to foreign students.

Students at the TU Berlin are not charged tuition fees, regardless of their course or study level. You’ll only be charged a small semester fee of slightly over 300 euros to cover administrative costs and support student organizations. This is true for both EU and non-EU students.

5. Technische Universität Wien

  • Free tuition fee
  • Free to: EU students, slightly higher fee for non-EU students and non-degree students

Located in Vienna, students at the Technische Universität (TU) Wien get to study in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The university is Austria’s top institution for science and technology and specializes in connecting its students with outside partners, both in the private and public sectors.

The TU Wien offers computer science programs at both graduate and undergraduate levels, giving students the chance to take courses in various AI topics for free. It is also home to the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, which supports students who wish to do AI research by providing mentoring, publishing research, and connecting them with the university’s external partners.

EU students only need to pay a tuition fee of slightly over 300 euros per semester. International students pay around 700 euros, which is far cheaper than most universities.

 

We hope that this article on Free Artificial Intelligence Schools with No Tuition was helpful. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

Share this article via

Leave A Comment