留学费用最低的城市盘点

　　Looking for a study destination that will offer high-quality education, a rich social life and great cultural experiences without breaching your budget? The QS Best Student Cities index rates the world’s top student cities on a range of criteria, including an assessment of affordability based on tuition fees and general living expenses.

　　Below are the top 10 most affordable cities for students in 2016 – all offering at least two internationally ranked universities, plus ample opportunities for exploration beyond your university campus (click on each city name for more details).

　　1. Kuala Lumpur

　　Ranked 53rd in this year’s Best Student Cities index, Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur receives a near-perfect score for affordability, with a winning combination of low living costs and relatively low tuition fees (averaging US$3,900 a year). It’s ranked 113th out of 214 in the Cost of Living Survey by Mercer (with first place being the most expensive).

　　As well as having three prestigious universities ranked among the world’s top 800, Kuala Lumpur is also home to international branch campuses of universities such as Australia’s Monash University,allowing students to study the same course, with the same prestige, for possibly more than half the price.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 53rd

　　With three universities in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16, Malaysia’s capital is quickly establishing itself as one of Southeast Asia’s leading study destinations. The rapidly improving reputation of Malaysia’s higher education sector, headed by Universiti Malaya (now ranked 146th in the world) reflects the wider coming to prominence of the country itself on the world stage.

　　Kuala Lumpur is very much a manifestation of this. This city of gleaming skyscrapers, including the iconic Petronas Twin Towers (the world’s tallest buildings until 2004), is as perfect a representation of the changing balance of power in the 21st century world as you could hope to find.

　　However, it is by no means a soulless imitation of a Western city. Alongside air-conditioned malls and familiar multinational corporations, you can still find mosques and temples, street vendors and markets, and the rich multicultural mix which has always characterized this part of the world.

　　It also gets the highest score in the index for affordability, combining low living costs with relatively low annual tuition fees.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Universiti Malaya (UM); International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

　　More about Kuala Lumpur

　　2. Warsaw

　　The capital of Poland is the most affordable European student city this year, with a placing of 175thin the Mercer Cost of Living Survey. A new entry in the QS Best Student Cities index this year at 63rd, Warsaw also offers quite low tuition fees at its internationally ranked universities (US$3,400 on average per year), and tuition is actually free for Polish students and international students who study in the local language and sit the same entrance exams.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 63rd withGlasgow and Sao Paulo

　　The capital and largest city in Poland, Warsaw is situated close to the center of the country, on both sides of the river Vistula, and has a distinctive character and spirit. The city has a turbulent history, having been almost completely destroyed during World War II, leading to a large-scale reconstruction project which aimed to recreate much of the original architecture. Its Old Town district, beside the river banks and popular among tourists, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated as “an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century.”

　　Aside from its historic center, Warsaw is a significant center of research and development, and also has a growing collection of skyscrapers, ranging from the residential Złota 44, completed in 2012, to the art deco-inspired Palace of Culture and Science, which dates back to 1955.

　　There are lots of universities and colleges to choose from in Warsaw, including Poland’s highest-ranked institution, the University of Warsaw, and Warsaw University of Technology, which also features in the QS World University Rankings®. In the QS Best Student Cities index, Warsaw receives a very high score for ‘affordability’, thanks to its combination of low living costs and reasonable tuition fees.

　　QS ranked universities

　　University of Warsaw; Warsaw University of Technology

　　3. Hsinchu

　　Next in our list of the most affordable student cities is a Taiwanese city which you might not have heard of, but which you definitely shouldn’t undervalue. Hsinchu is an innovative and technological city which is a great option for students who want to study in Taiwan but don’t feel up to the hustle and bustle of capital Taipei, with lower costs of living as an added bonus.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 55th withQuebec

　　Although not as well-known as many of the cities in the QS Best Student Cities index, Hsinchu is a great option for those who want to study in Taiwan but would prefer a smaller, more laid-back student city to the bustling capital, Taipei. And while you may think the nickname ‘the Windy City’ belongs to the US’s Chicago, Hsinchu also lays claim to this title, thanks to its similarly windy climate.

　　You can explore more than 400 years of Hsinchu’s history in its many museums – but it’s also very much forward-thinking and fast-developing place, with the nearby Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of the Orient’.

　　This focus on innovation is reflected in the city’s universities, with National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University both in the top 200 of the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. Both universities are also highly international, with a combined percentage of 12% of students coming from outside of Taiwan.

　　Hsinchu receives a very high score in the affordability category of the QS Best Student Cities index – the cost of living is low and international tuition fees are also on the low side (averaging US$3,400 per year).

　　QS ranked universities

　　National Tsing Hua University; National Chiao Tung University

　　4. Berlin

　　Berlin is ranked the 9th best student city this year and receives the highest score in the top 20 universities of the QS Best Student Cities index. Germany itself is now the world’s third most popular study destination after the US and the UK, no doubt helped by the fact that undergraduate tuition fees at public universities in Germany are free for all, regardless of nationality. Berlin is also one of the most affordable European capitals, ranked 106th out of 214 in the Mercer Cost of Living Survey, and offering a high quality of living for a low cost in comparison to many other cities.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 9th

　　Germany’s capital city can stake a credible claim to being one of the coolest cities in the world. During recent years, its cultural scene has flourished, turning it into a major center of design, fashion, music and art to rival even New York or London.

　　Ranked 9th in the world and 1st in Germany (two places ahead of Munich) in the QS Best Student Cities 2016, Berlin offers both unbeatable culture and a hot financial market, making it as perfect for history buffs and art aficionados as it is for budding financiers. But big money is not the case when it comes to tuition fees, thanks to recent legislation making all undergraduate higher education (and some postgraduate programs) free across the nation, even for international students.

　　Climbing seven places to feature within the top 10 of the current QS Best Student Cities list, Berlin is also the most affordable student city in the world’s top 10, thanks to its combination of low living costs and zero tuition fees.

　　While the German capital is not an academic hub on the scale of cities like London, Paris or Boston, three universities in Berlin feature in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. The highest ranked of these is Freie Universität Berlin at 119th in the world, followed by Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin at joint 126th.

　　Berlin is also gaining a growing reputation as a destination for international students due in part to greater provision of courses in English, particularly at graduate level. With a high quality of living, affordable costs, a liberal atmosphere and a happening party and music scene, the German capital has a huge amount to offer international students of all backgrounds and interests.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Freie Universität Berlin; Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Technische Universität Berlin

　　5. Taipei

　　Heading back to Taiwan, capital city Taipei may not achieve a great ranking in the Mercer Cost of Living Survey (41st most-expensive out of 214), but it does offer low tuition fees, averaging only US$3,700 a year. Taipei is ranked 23rd in the Best Student Cities index this year, so if you want to study somewhere which combines the attractions of fast-paced modern city life with the appeal of more traditional cultural elements, this is a pretty good deal.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 23rd

　　Taiwan’s universities have been steadily climbing to greater global prominence in recent years, establishing the country’s capital as one of Asia’s leading higher education hubs. Taipei is home to no less than eight universities ranked among the world’s best in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16, led by the nation’s flagship public institute, National Taiwan University (NTU) (ranked joint 70th in the world).

　　Renowned worldwide for its high-tech industry, Taipei has also become increasingly popular with travelers. Its attraction is something akin to that of cities like Hong Kong, in combining all the attractions of fast-paced modern city life with the appeal of more traditional cultural elements.

　　With relatively low tuition fees and living costs, Taipei also has one of the highest scores for affordability among the top 75 cities, making it well worth considering if you’re on a tight budget.

　　QS ranked universities

　　National Taiwan University (NTU); National Taiwan University of Science and Technology; National Yang Ming University; National Taiwan Normal University; Taipei Medical University; National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech); National Chengchi University; Fu Jen Catholic University

　　6. Munich

　　Hot on the heels of Berlin is Germany’s third-largest city, Munich, the 11th best student city this year and home to some of Germany’s highest-ranked and most-respected universities, including the country’s current leader in the global rankings, Technische Universität München. Although living costs tend to be slightly higher than in Berlin, the incentive of free tuition combined with the distinctive Bavarian culture still makes Munich one of the most appealing study destinations in Western Europe.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 11th

　　Germany’s second-highest entry in the QS Best Student Cities 2016 (two places behind Berlin), Munich is currently ranked the world’s joint 11th best city for students, tied with Zurich.

　　Located deep in Germany's southernmost region, Bavaria, Munich is the nation's third largest city, and its affluence and vibrancy have made it a particularly desirable place to live. For many people outside of Germany, Munich is known first and foremost as the beer capital of the world – home to Oktoberfest, one of the world's biggest and booziest parties, which every year draws tourists in their hoards to road-test the local brew.

　　Of course this is not the reason for Munich’s high score in the QS Best Student Cities index, but it does score among the highest in the world in the “desirability” category, which draws on various sources designed to assess quality of life.

　　Most notably however, Munich has the second highest score for “affordability” out of all of the top 20 cities, close behind fellow German city Berlin. This is due to the fact that no tuition fees are charged for undergraduate students at public universities in Germany, regardless of nationality. Although living costs tend to be slightly higher in Munich than Berlin, the incentive of free tuition combined with the distinctive Bavarian culture still makes Munich one of the most appealing study destinations in Western Europe.

　　As for universities in Munich, the city’s highest entrant in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16 is Technische Universität München at 60th, followed by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in 75th – Germany’s first and third representatives in the global rankings this year.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Technische Universität München; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

　　7. Vienna

　　The culturally rich capital of Austria offers very reasonable tuition fees – free for students from the European Union (EU) and only around US$500 per year for everyone else (at the two internationally ranked universities in the city). Living costs are a little higher – Vienna comes 56th out of 214 in the Mercer Cost of Living Survey – but still lower than in many of the world’s other top student cities.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 16th

　　Vienna is home to Austria's two highest-ranked universities, the University of Vienna at 153rd in the world and the Vienna University of Technology at 197th. It's also frequently ranked as one of the world's most livable cities, and offers some of the lowest tuition fees around for international students. In fact, according to the QS Best Student Cities 2016, Vienna is the most affordable city in the world’s top 20 after Berlin and Munich.

　　One of Europe's most historic capitals, Vienna is awash with cultural riches, from the theaters and concert halls that witnessed the earliest performances of masterpieces by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, to the Sigmund Freud Museum, and numerous galleries displaying the works of Viennese artists such as Gustave Klimt and Egon Schiele.

　　As well as consistently ranking strongly in the “desirability” category (which draws on several indicators designed to assess quality of living), Vienna also scores very well in the “student mix” field, thanks to its relatively large and internationally diverse student community. So while its selection of internationally ranked universities is much smaller than cities such as London or Paris, Vienna is pretty hard to beat as a European city offering high quality of living combined with cultural activity and affordable tuition fees.

　　QS ranked universities

　　University of Vienna; Vienna University of Technology

　　8. Mexico City

　　Mexico’s huge and fascinating capital remains an affordable city for students and, although it has the highest tuition fees among the cities in this top 10 (an average of $5,500 a year at the eight universities ranked by QS, still far lower than many popular study destinations), it does well when it comes to living costs, coming 137th out of 214 in Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey. It ranks 49th overall in the Best Student Cities index this year.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 49th withOttawa and Santiago

　　Mexico’s lively and unique capital boasts an impressive selection of world-class universities, with no less than eight universities in (or close to) the city featuring in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. Its leading institution, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) is well established as one of the top universities in Latin American, a regular fixture at the top of QS’s dedicated regional ranking.

　　This year, UNAM stands at 160th in the world and sixth in Latin America, helping Mexico City to achieve an exceptional score for “employer activity”, based on the reputation of the city’s ranked institutions among domestic and international graduate employers.

　　Mexico City is typically described as a place of contrasts and variety. Students choosing to study here should be aware of the city’s reputation for pollution and crime and be prepared for these aspects. Nevertheless, the city is also known and loved for its grand old colonial-era buildings, its traditional street food, historic sites and archaeological excavations, vibrant annual carnival celebrations, and diverse nightlife.

　　In addition, Mexico City scores well in the “affordability” category of the QS Best Student Cities index, due to relatively low tuition fees and low living costs, especially when compared to cities in North America, Western Europe and Australia, for example.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); Instituto Tecnológico Autonomo de México (ITAM);Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN); Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA); Universidad Anáhuac;Universidad Panamericana (UP); Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM); Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEMex)

　　9. Valencia

　　The home of paella, Spain’s third-largest city is a new entry in the Best Student Cities index this year at 70th, and beats fellow Spanish cities Madrid and Barcelona when it comes to the most affordable cities. The average tuition fees at Valencia’s two internationally ranked universities are US$1,800 per year; significantly cheaper than Barcelona’s average of US$2,600. Living costs are also cheaper here, and there’s plenty to see and do outside of your studies (taking part in a tomato fight, for example!)

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: 70th

　　Spain’s third-largest city, located about 350km south of Barcelona on the east coast, Valencia is probably best known for being the spiritual home of the delicious rice-based dish paella. It is also home of the massive Les Falles festival, when hundreds of giant puppets are paraded and then burned, and the Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. The ‘La Tomatina’ annual tomato fight also draws huge crowds to the city.

　　Aside from these events, Valencia is a major tourist magnet through much of the year, due to its beautiful beaches, attractive city center, museums and interest-packed “Ciutat Vella” (Old Town) – full of both historic buildings and bustling bars. The city is also home to the futuristic Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences), which boasts the largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe amongst many other attractions.

　　Valencia has quite a large student population, with notable universities in Valencia including theUniversidad Politecnica de Valencia and the Universitat de Valencia, both of which make the top 550 of the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. The city receives its highest score in the QS Best Student City index in the affordability category, with relatively low average tuition fees.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Universidad Politecnica de Valencia; Universitat de Valencia

　　10. Toulouse

　　Toulouse is France’s fourth-largest city and is ranked joint 74th overall in the Best Student Cities index this year. Known as la Ville Rose ("the Pink City"), and known for being a major center for aerospace, Toulouse’s high score for affordability is partly down to the very low tuition fees, averaging only US$200 a year in the three universities ranked by QS. It also has significantly lower living costs than the capital, Paris, and a large student population.

　　QS Best Student Cities ranking: joint 74th

　　The fourth-largest city in France, Toulouse is peppered with unique historical architecture, including the impressive Capitole de Toulouse (above). Indeed, the use of pinkish terracotta bricks in its buildings has earned the city the nickname la Ville Rose ("the Pink City"). Toulouse is also traversed by the Canal du Midi (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), so if the idea of intellectual debate in charming surroundings appeals, then Toulouse could be for you.

　　Located in the south-west of the country, Toulouse is known for being a major center for aerospace, and is esteemed by many as Europe’s predominant city in this industry. And if you want to get out of the city, then the South of France is your oyster, with the proximity of the Pyrenees allowing skiers to get their fix.

　　Home to three universities featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16, Toulouse can certainly hold its own as a study abroad destination. The Université de Toulouse system, which incorporates all three of these, is among the oldest in the world, with its roots traceable back to the 13th century. The city has a sizeable student population, with a high percentage of international students meaning it earns a high score in the ‘student mix’ category of the QS Best Student Cities index. However, the city receives its strongest score for ‘affordability’, with a combination of very low tuition fees and lower living costs than the French capital, Paris.

　　QS ranked universities

　　Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III; Université Toulouse 1, Capitole; University Toulouse – Jean Jaurès