7 Cheap Universities in Cuba for International Students

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With the highest literacy in the world, Cuba has become the favorite destination of aspiring undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students who want to pursue their education abroad. The country is one of the best foreign countries to get your college degrees because it would be a lot easier to converse with locals whom you can have a conversation with.

Also, since the majority of the people have the fundamental needs to pursue a degree, universities in Cuba are internationally competitive and have so much to offer. They are in a continuously developing cycle which improves the methods and the principles of teaching to benefit both the students and the faculties.

With this, Cuba as a center of academic excellence has achieved so many accomplishments through the years of research and studies. And, if you are one of the students who want to study and try their chance in Cuba, gathered here is some information about the cheapest universities in Cuba for international students.

Cost of Studying in Cuba

Studying in Cuba or any other country at this point, needs intricate preparation for yourself, your physical, emotional, and mental health, and of course, your allowance or budget. Abroad studies may open up several opportunities and gain you honor that could last for a long time but these things come with a cost.

In Cuba, tuition fees of the universities ranged from 5,000 USD up to 10,000 USD for foreign students. Hold your horses because the cost of studying does not end there. Aside from tuition fees, there are miscellaneous fees and laboratories that you must pay in your university.

Moreover, being thrifty is necessary at these times. Your daily expenses must depend on your budget and not the other way around. You must allocate your budget to your monthly needs. For the daily expenses such as food, transportation, and hygiene expenses, 100 USD to 200 USD is what you will need to survive a month in Cuba and that is depending on the area and the rate you are spending your money. Also, housing rent and utilities are part of your expenses that cost around 150 USD to 260 USD monthly.

Are Universities Free in Cuba?

Yes, Cuba has always been offering free education to its public and state universities. This is the reason why most of its citizens are literate and ranks number one in terms of literacy rate in the world.

However, these universities still charge international students like other private universities that charge Cuban citizens. It is up to their choice if they want to study in a more comfortable and luxurious learning environment and if they have more than enough financial resources to spend. Nonetheless, state-owned universities will still be offering free education to its citizens no matter what the circumstances are.

What are the languages of instruction for universities in Cuba?

The language of instruction in Cuba is based on the main or principal language that is used in the country which is Spanish. Most universities offer courses in Spanish, especially that more and more students or people, in general, know how to speak and understand Spanish.

However, there are still universities that offer English courses especially if they are accepting international students from different parts of the world. Most universities try to reach an international level of recognition because this will surely boost their names and academic prowess. Some of the universities that offer similar educational systems are University de la Habana and the University of Informatics Sciences that are both popular with foreign and exchange students.

Cheapest Universities in Cuba

1. University of Information Sciences

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 3,400 CUC – 6,000 CUC ($3,400 – $6,000)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 2,250 CUC – 7,200 CUC ($2,250 – $7,200)
  • Tuition Fee Link

As a research and information university, the University of Information Sciences prioritizes research studies and reliability of the information. This is the reason why they hire researchers from all over the world and accept international students that will help them increase the progress of their studies and research. They have the most number of international researchers and students among the universities in Cuba. With the tuition fee starting from $3,400 and $2,250 for undergraduate and graduate students respectively, the University of Information Sciences is the cheapest university in Cuba for international students.

2. Universidad de Oriente Santiago

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 4,500 CUC – 5,000 CUC ($4,500 – $5,000)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 4,000 CUC – 5,000 CUC ($4,000 – $5,000)

Being a revolutionary university means that its main principles and methods of teaching are different from what is commonly used, and that is the reason why Universidad de Oriente Santiago is one of them. The modern principles and methods of teaching and learning in this university differs because it develops and promotes education through continuous and comprehensive training of students as professionals in the employment world.

3. Universidad de la Habana

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 4,800 CUC – 6,000 CUC ($4,800 – $6,000)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 4,800 CUC – 7,000 CUC ($4,800 – $7,000)
  • Tuition Fee Link

As one of the oldest and historical universities in Cuba, Universidad de la Habana has strengthened and polished their teaching principles, prowess, and methods through obtaining achievements, awards, and recognition from international organizations for higher education. It became a recognized national heritage of the country as it survived more than 300 years of existence and gained a rich history throughout the years it stood up.

In its earlier years, the university only accepted and focused on molding their Cuban citizens and it was one of the major reasons why the country currently enjoys an almost 100% literacy rate. As of now, this cheap university in Cuba is still improving as it slowly undergoes internationalization by starting to organize academic collaborations and international agreements with other foreign institutions of higher education.

4. University de Holguin

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 5,000 CUC – 6,200 CUC ($5,000 – $6,200)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 6,000 CUC – 7,000 CUC ($6,000 – $7,000)
  • Tuition Fee Link

Aside from managing international relations, the Universidad de Holguin still focuses on maintaining its goal of local development by offering free education to its Cuban citizens. Among all the universities in Cuba, the development of locals by providing the necessary education and wisdom they deserve are the objectives of most universities including the Universidad de Holguin.

However, taking care of their international relations was also one of their objectives, and integration of international and intercultural dimensions was their way of achieving this objective. Currently, the university has been participating in international collaborations and projects to boost and strengthen their international mobility.

5. Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de las Villas

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 5,000 CUC – 6,000 CUC ($5,000 – $6,000)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 4,500 CUC – 6,500 CUC ($4,500 – $6,500)
  • Tuition Fee Link

Next on our list of cheapest universities in Cuba is Universidad Central Marta Abreu de las Villas. This university adapted in handling a large number of students and employees by being an interdisciplinary university. With a division of more than 12 faculties, three levels of education, and with over 127 courses, the university has managed to accept more than 11,000 students yearly including international students from different countries. Up to date, the university has managed to create international agreements and collaborations with local and foreign universities to strengthen the influence and power of Cuba as a country.

6. Universidad de Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodriguez

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 5,000 CUC – 6,000 CUC ($5,000 – $6,000)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 5,000 CUC – 6,000 CUC ($5,000 – $6,000)
  • Tuition Fee Link

Universidad de Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodriguez as a follower of the Ministry of Higher Education strictly follows the policies implemented to them. This is the reason why the university has become efficient with its plans and objectives for its current students and incoming local and foreign students.

They have adapted the system of prioritizing the concerns of students and effectively attend to them by establishing an international office for students from different countries and an office of student affairs for the general concerns of most students.

7. Universidad Ciencias Medicas de la Habana

  • Tuition Fee for Undergraduate Programs: 10,900 EUR – 11,400 EUR ($12,900 – $13,500)
  • Tuition Fee for Graduate Programs: 13,500 EUR – 16,200 EUR’ ($16,000 – $19,100)
  • Tuition Fee Link

The final candidate in our list of cheapest universities in Cuba is Universidad Ciencias Medicas de la Habana. If you are an aspiring student of medicine and wanted to pursue your premed studies and residency training in Cuba, the Universidad Ciencias Medicas de la Habana or the University Medical Science if Havana is the institution to be enrolled in.

With its modern medical equipment and practical training methods that will produce great health service providers, the university has been known throughout the world for its international competency. That’s why as of the moment, the university has been full of international and exchange students that pursue their studies in the fields of medicine, chemistry, and pharmacy and specializes in their respective majors. Currently, almost a quarter of the total population of the university are international students under scholarships of Erasmus and others.

 

I hope that this article on the cheapest universities in Cuba was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Cheap Tuition Category!