Planning
Comparing universities across countries
Comparing a three-year UK degree with a four-year Canadian degree and a tuition-free German one takes more than a ranking table. These are the measures that make offers comparable.
Total cost, not annual fees
Multiply annual tuition and living costs by the length of the degree. A UK bachelor's degree is usually three years, while a Canadian or American one is usually four. A one-year UK master's can cost less in total than a two-year master's elsewhere, even with higher annual fees.
Entry requirements for your curriculum
Universities treat curricula differently. The IB Diploma, A levels, American high school diplomas with AP courses and national curricula are each assessed in their own way. Some countries expect a foundation year from students with certain qualifications. Check the international entry page for your exact curriculum.
Teaching language and tests
Most universities need IELTS, TOEFL or an equivalent from students whose first language is not English. Some accept school-based evidence. Programmes in German, French or Dutch need proof of that language.
Work rights during and after study
Term-time work limits range from 20 hours a week in the UK to 24 hours a week in Canada and 48 hours a fortnight in Australia. Post-study work rights matter as much: Canada's PGWP can last up to three years, while the UK Graduate route will be 18 months for most graduates from 2027.
Rankings
Rankings measure research output and reputation more than teaching. Use them to spot well-known institutions, then read programme pages, student surveys and graduate outcomes.
A tool for side-by-side comparison
The UniversitiesDB comparison tool lets you put universities from different countries side by side by tuition, programmes and location, which is faster than switching between dozens of university websites.
A simple scoring sheet
Make a table with one row per offer. Add columns for total cost, degree length, work rights, city and how much you liked the programme. Give each column a weight that matches your priorities. The scores will not decide for you, but they make the trade-offs visible.