How Much Does It Cost to Study in Albania? Tuition and Fees

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Studying in Albania is cheap by European standards, but the price depends on whether you choose a state or a private university. At state universities a government decision sets a ceiling and students pay half of it. Private universities set their own fees, often in euros for international students.

State universities: a ceiling and a 50% rule

Council of Ministers Decision No. 288 of 21 May 2018 sets a maximum annual tuition fee for each field at state universities. Under it:

students pay 50% of the ceiling, and the state covers the rest;
a student whose average is below 6 at the end of the first year pays the full fee from then on;
each university approves its own fee for every programme, within the ceiling, in April and no later than 90 days before the academic year starts, and publishes it on its website;
a foreign student pays the same annual fee as an Albanian, unless an official agreement between states says otherwise.

So there is no separate, higher fee for foreigners at state universities. In our catalogue, state-university fees run from €83 to €1,653 a year, typically around €276. Many of these figures come from the 2018 ceiling, and a university may set a different amount, so read its current fee decision. Some programmes have no published fee yet, so ask the faculty.

Private universities

Private universities set their own fees. Our catalogue shows €300 to €14,000 a year, typically around €4,000, with English-taught programmes typically around €5,000. Some charge Albanians in lek and international students in euros. For example, Epoka University lists bachelor's fees of 250,000 to 400,000 lek a year for local students and €3,500 to €5,200 for international students, depending on the programme, paid in two equal instalments. Its integrated Law programme is at the lower end and Architecture at the upper end. The page is undated, so confirm for your intake.

Scholarships can lower these fees a lot. See scholarships and student jobs in Albania.

Application and recognition fees

U-Albania application: 2,000 lek per application, paid at the post office or a second-tier bank. This is the route for Albanian school-leavers.
Foreign-diploma applicants: the fee is set by each institution and paid to its account. The University of Vlora, for example, charges a non-refundable 2,000 lek.
Deposits: UNYT asks international applicants for an €800 deposit, described as non-refundable and deductible.
QSHA recognition of a foreign secondary diploma: QSHA states that this service is free of charge. Recognition of a university-level qualification, for example a bachelor's diploma for a master's, costs 2,000 lek. See document recognition for Albania.

Visa, permit, insurance and proof of funds

State fees for visas and residence permits are set by Council of Ministers decisions, and we did not find the current amounts on an official page, so ask the Albanian consulate or the border and migration office. Universities list travel health insurance for the visa and health insurance for the residence permit. The University of Vlora's guide to the rules gives the proof of funds as 300,000 lek per person for one year. Check the amount with the migration office. See student visa for Albania.

Living costs

We have no verified living-cost figures for Albania, and our catalogue shows no dormitory prices. Public dormitories in Tirana charge monthly fees that depend on the building; see student housing in Albania.

Where to look next

Official sources

Council of Ministers Decision No. 288 of 21.5.2018 on the maximum tuition fee: copy on the University of Tirana site (in Albanian)
Instruction No. 12 of 30.6.2023 on application and registration: copy on the University of Medicine, Tirana site (in Albanian)
QSHA: procedure and fees for recognition of qualifications (in Albanian)
QSHA: notice on recognition of foreign secondary diplomas (in Albanian)
Epoka University: tuition fees
University of Vlora: international students
UNYT International: how to apply

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.