Free College in Europe

Free College in Europe

by Liv | Published on December 29th, 2009, 7:27 pm | Travel

free_tuition_college_germany_europe_student.jpg (42.46 KiB) Viewed 1726 times

I'm giving a lot of thought to returning back to school these days. My biggest dilemma with the whole process is the idea I would be forced to go deeply into debt to gain a piece of paper which may entitle me to a better paying job. At age 32, the idea of paying off college loans into retirement sends shivers down my veins. On the other hand, free tuition to college in Europe sounds like a dream come true.

Now I've not read enough about it to know even if I'd qualify to be honest, but I'm thinking about looking into it. For some odd reason when you get past 30, no one wants to give you scholarships, offer you internships or think you're worth a darn. Apparently when you turn 30, you need to have your life locked down, prepare for grandchildren, and graduate into shopping with those scooter grocery carts and your rolling oxygen tank. I'm sorry if I was a late bloomer, but I'm just now figuring this whole "life" thing out, and apparently it's too late.

So back to the college thing. Germany in particular apparently offers a limited number of positions for Americans who wish to study in their country. The tuition, free except for a few small student fees. Even housing can be won via scholarship. The downside is the classes are all in German, but to me, that sounds like a challenge. I'd be more than glad to crash course some Germany for free school.

Too bad there isn't a Welsh version as I don't own a dirndl yet.

[deepshade]

College Tuition has gotten completely stupid and some of the kids who are graduating still don't have the tools to function properly in the work place.

Check into Berea College in Kentucky. They offer free tuition however, you work for the school 10-15 hrs a week. A very good model and one I wish was offered elsewhere. Universities are Big Business and the product ( in some fields ) is questionable.

http://www.berea.edu/

[A Person]

That would depend on whether you see much value in a Christian Liberal Arts diploma.

[deepshade]

That would depend on whether you see much value in a Christian Liberal Arts diploma.

LOL I guess that would always depend on ones point of view now wouldn't it. BTW Nice knee-jerk , I should have seen it coming.

[A Person]

When you read of the science professors bemoaning how their fundamentalist students have been brainwashed into denying science and learn that these students form the great majority of the enrollment, you must surely wonder why someone would go there for an education. Imagine trying to hold a biology lecture with an Ecofox or BHL in the class. Every class would be remedial high school science in the face of denialism.

Science Professor, Brea College I said I wanted to help our Christian students understand that there is no conflict between science rightly understood and faith in the God revealed in the Bible. "I'm glad to hear that," she said. "I'm going to major in biology, and when I told a friend that, she became upset, and said, 'You can't be a scientist and be a Christian!' and I said, 'That's not true!'" Another student, a chemistry major who is an Old Regular Baptist, once spoke of his attempts to explain to other believers how he could accept the scientific theory of evolution and still believe that God has created the universe. He was often greeted with disbelief: how could anyone believe in both evolution and the Bible?

I know that many Berea College students hold these points of view, and I believe this fact reflects a widespread suspicion, developed over the years from sermons, Sunday school lessons, and radio/TV preachers, that certain ideas and theories of modern science are contrary to one's faith, and even threatens one's salvation. Readers at other colleges and universities may recognize these sentiments, for they permeate American society. The fears these messages evoke are real, and one can hear their undertones at any school board meeting whenever parents and their children raise objections to teaching evolution and demand that creationism in some form be included with or replace evolution in science courses. My colleagues who teach the Natural Science core course at Berea College encounter them regularly. I once heard such anxiety voiced and saw it written on the faces of several students when I critiqued a presentation on creation and evolution at Berea by Dr. Gary Parker of Answers in Genesis, the young-earth creationist organization located in Florence, Kentucky. I knew well why. Parker had reinforced their creationist beliefs about how God created the universe; and his critique of evolution, expressed with such an air of confidence and authority, was reassuring to them. I threatened this reassurance when I pointed out the errors and flaws in his presentation, and offered an alternative Christian model for understanding creation and evolution that brought the two together. The fact that I was one of the Berea faculty members who publicly and regularly expressed his Christian commitment may only have added to what appeared to be for these students a discomforting experience of cognitive dissonance.

[BecauseHeLives]

Any person that believes and pronounces that man evolved from a monkey (or anything else) and says that the belief is not in conflict with Christianity is a fool.

[deepshade]

When you read of the science professors bemoaning how their fundamentalist students have been brainwashed into denying science and learn that these students form the great majority of the enrollment, you must surely wonder why someone would go there for an education. Imagine trying to hold a biology lecture with an Ecofox or BHL in the class. Every class would be remedial high school science in the face of denialism.

Actually, that is a good article and encourage all to read it in its entirety. The school was set up to provide those persons from Appalachia a means to further their education. My original point was to highlight the way that Berea college is set up to provide education without costing a family or student a disproportionate amount of money. There is no reason why this formula could not be used elsewhere.

The school has been a starting place for many who furthered their educations elsewhere after they had been given a chance at Berea. Hopefully the debates are healthy and enlightening. I would hesitate to so postulate on their biology lectures though......

[A Person]

My original point was to highlight the way that Berea college is set up to provide education without costing a family or student a disproportionate amount of money. There is no reason why this formula could not be used elsewhere.

How about an endowment of around $1billion? That's a fairly big reason.

In most European countries university tuition is free and living expenses subsidised for those of low income. The only reason it's not the case in America is that it would be so communist to have an educated society

Hopefully the debates are healthy and enlightening. I would hesitate to so postulate on their biology lectures though......

Why not? Ignorance doesn't stop BHL from pontificating.

[Liv]

That would depend on whether you see much value in a Christian Liberal Arts diploma.

Honestly I'd have no problem with going to a Christian college, if it was in the right place, and free.

But not KY... oh no. Wales, Britannia.... maybe. Yee Haw land.... errr no.

...and they'd have to be cool with gays....

So if a Unitarian Welsh church wants to pay for me go to school, I'll be glad to profess their message. Could be a whole new world "The Atheist preacher."

[A Person]

That would depend on whether you see much value in a Christian Liberal Arts diploma.

Honestly I'd have no problem with going to a Christian college, if it was in the right place, and free.

But not KY... oh no. Wales, Britannia.... maybe. Yee Haw land.... errr no.

...and they'd have to be cool with gays....

So if a Unitarian Welsh church wants to pay for me go to school, I'll be glad to profess their message. Could be a whole new world "The Atheist preacher."

Unitarians are cool about almost everything. Gays, atheists and even Trinitarian Christians.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

When you read of the science professors bemoaning how their fundamentalist students have been brainwashed into denying science and learn that these students form the great majority of the enrollment, you must surely wonder why someone would go there for an education. Imagine trying to hold a biology lecture with an Ecofox or BHL in the class. Every class would be remedial high school science in the face of denialism.

One would also have to wonder why fundamentalist students would stay there, if they knew that something approximating mainstream science was being taught there. Maybe to try and save the souls of their professors?

[deepshade]

My original point was to highlight the way that Berea college is set up to provide education without costing a family or student a disproportionate amount of money. There is no reason why this formula could not be used elsewhere.

How about an endowment of around $1billion? That's a fairly big reason

Wow, that big for such a small school? That should be celebrated and mimicked by lets say.... Duke? Bill Gates gives a lot of money to them and yet they are as expensive as they come.... I don't see any of the Ivy league schools offering the same type of opportunity unless you are connected eh?

In most European countries university tuition is free and living expenses subsidised for those of low income. The only reason it's not the case in America is that it would be so communist to have an educated society.

Really? Educated = Communist therefore America does not offer tuition free education...?? Now that's funny.

Have a happy new year. Glad to be out of this decade and looking forward to 2010... A lot of true changes are coming in the fall......

[A Person]

That should be celebrated and mimicked by lets say.... Duke? Bill Gates gives a lot of money to them and yet they are as expensive as they come....

http://www.duke.edu/web/education/schol ... gates.html

The merit based Gates scholarship is available for those with financial need - and funds 1,000 scholars per year.

I don't see any of the Ivy league schools offering the same type of opportunity unless you are connected eh?

All Ivy League universities offer merit based scholarships to those with financial need. No 'connections' required (except for conspiracy theorists - ie those without the merit).

Are you suggesting that scholarships should not be merit based and available irrespective of financial need? That sounds a bit socialist for you.

[deepshade]

That should be celebrated and mimicked by lets say.... Duke? Bill Gates gives a lot of money to them and yet they are as expensive as they come....

http://www.duke.edu/web/education/schol ... gates.html

The merit based Gates scholarship is available for those with financial need - and funds 1,000 scholars per year.

So there you go. Most schools do offer these types of scholarships via endowments etc. How many thousands of universities are here in America where students truly can get help? So why the need to go to Europe other than getting a great experience or specific area of study pertaining to that school?

You appeared to be wrapped around the axle about the "billion dollar endowment" and yet that type of money is everywhere if you look for it.

[A Person]

You appeared to be wrapped around the axle about the "billion dollar endowment" and yet that type of money is everywhere if you look for it.

Wrapped around the axle again? You need a new metaphor for when you are shown to be wrong.

A billion dollar endowment IS a large endowment for such a small school, which is why such a large proportion of students there are receiving subsidised schooling.

So don't get your panties in a bunch about it, get too bent out of shape or even get a pepper up your ass.

One reason to get a European education is that the classes won't be gummed up with creationists demanding that their Bumper Book of Myths be treated as a textbook