Why study a Bachelor or Master in Azerbaijan

Study in Azerbaijan

With Azerbaijan’s blend of historical buildings, architecture and quality of constantly improving education, the country is becoming a popular destination among international students. Plus, living at Azerbaijan comes at a relatively low cost.

 

Why should you study in Azerbaijan?

 

There are currently 38 universities in Azerbaijan, 15 of which are located in the capital city Baku. The country offers a variety of degrees for study which are recognized globally and the cost of living there is perceived as affordable matched with a good quality of living. Most importantly, the country is rated as very safe with extremely low crime rates and friendly citizens.

 

How much does it cost?

 

Living in Azerbaijan is on the constant rise; however, it is still not an expensive place to live. When grocery shopping for examples you can expect to pay the following; $8 for an egg carton, $6 1 kg of tomatoes, $6 for a standard bread loaf and $5 for a liter of milk. Transportation is not expensive in the country as they have a solid public transportation system and the majority of the people rely on taking the bus as it connects all places around Azerbaijan. The single ride costs $0.18 and is less when you buy a monthly card.

Living in Azerbaijan

 

Living in Azerbaijan is an ideal opportunity for students who are keen on attending classes and studying but also value their time spent off campus. The country is becoming more diverse with time as many tourists are attracted to go to Azerbaijan to enjoy its rich culture, history and calming landscapes. There are several options or accommodation there and the country’s public transportation system is continuously improving allowing the residents to commute hassle free.

 

Accommodation

 

Student housing is offered at the majority of the universities in Azerbaijan, the cost differs greatly depending from one university to the other. By deciding to live in the university housing, you are more open to meeting other international students and being close to campus.

Another option is to rent an apartment; a one-bedroom apartment is near the city center will cost an individual between $400 – $850; a two-bedroom apartment would cost $700 – $1900. The different amenities differ between apartments and the rent would cost less if it is not located in the city center; however, given the universities locations, this is the most convenient location.

Other costs of living

 

The cost of living at Azerbaijan is not viewed as very affordable; the utilities for two people renting is around $100 collectively, 1kg of apples is for $5 and a one-bedroom apartment for rent in the city center will vary from $400-$850. The cost of living at Azerbaijan has been on the rise recently but if you are trying to live on a specific budget, it will be possible as there are several alternatives for all almost all good at Azerbaijan.

Universities in Azerbaijan

The number of universities in this small country are only 38; however, they are recognized globally and offer quality education. The overall tuition fees to attend university at Azerbaijan are not high but the degrees available to study are many.

 

Degrees available

 

The universities at Azerbaijan offer studies in the following bachelor’s degrees which students can complete in 3-5 years depending on their selected specialization, post graduate degrees which are completed in one or two years and PhD degrees which are usually completed over four years because applicants are usually balancing between their studies and a job by then. There is a total of over 300 available programs in Azerbaijan and the top ranked universities are listed below.

 

Top ranked universities

 

• Baku State University

 

The top ranked university of Azerbaijan is located in the capital city and was established in 1919. The university currently offers a total of 10 schools and 17 undergraduate specialization options; the university is mostly known for its outstanding science program. Where the university developed several affiliations with over international universities in sciences and has over 30 research labs. Their degree in physical science is the best rated at the university and has received international accreditation.  The tuition fees for foreign students range between $1200 – $3000 depending on your desired major and, if you are eligible, they award financial aids to students as well as merit scholarships.

 

• Azerbaijan State University of Economics

 

At first, the Azerbaijan State University of Economics was part of Baku State University but was established as an individual university in 1934. The university offers 14 different faculty studies and has 18,000 enrolled students. The university is the best in the country when looking for a degree in Economics and is the only profiled university in this field in Azerbaijan. The university is affiliated with five other universities abroad and offers the chance of study abroad. The tuition fees for international students varies between $1200 – $ 1500, scholarships are available and the number of international students is increasing.

 

• Khazar University

 

Khazar university was founded in 1991 and is located in the capital city. It is divided into three different undergraduate schools; the school of sciences and engineering, school of economics and management and school of humanities, education and social sciences. The university is known for offering programs which utilize the country’s resources best; their oil and industry courses vacant under their school of engineering are a main reason as to why locals enroll in at Khazar Univeristy, as well as international students alike. At Khazar University there is the option of pursuing a dual degree for the students who are passionate about more than one field of study and want to widen their job prospects in future, they account for similar courses and help decide on such a step. The university also offers merit-based scholarships for international students and is linked with Erasmus in order to facilitate the process of starting at a new university and being at a different country for all international students.

 

• Nakhchivan State University

 

Nakhchivan State University is among the largest universities in Azerbaijan and is acknowledged for its modern building equipped with teaching and researching facilities. There are two faculties at the university, economics and foreign languages and 56 specializations for undergraduate studies, there are approximately 4000 enrolled students and around 400 foreign

students. Nakhchivan university is known for offering medical and dentistry studies which are not common among other universities in Azerbaijan, thus students who are hoping to pursue a medical degree should look no further.The university focuses on its placement globally and has strengthened its position in recent years by signing agreements with 50 universities from across the globe. The tuition fees are higher in comparison to other universities at Azerbaijan, they range from $1000 – $5000 depending on the degree; however, the university offers financial aid to international students.

 

• Western Caspian University

 

This was the first private university in Azerbaijan and was founded in 1991. Their undergraduate program is divided into 5 different specialties with the first on offering seven different degrees in engineering, the second specialty offers 11 degrees including economics, business, finance and management. The third specialty focuses on offering humanities specializations, the fourth specialty offers four different science degrees and the last specialty is a degree in design. The unique degrees offered at Western Capital University are attract different students, resultantly, the campus culture is diverse. They offer financial aid for international students to enable the students who cannot pay the $2000 tuition fee consider Western Capital for their studies.

 

Examples of other universities

 

Even though the number of universities in Azerbaijan is not many, deciding upon which university to study at is still difficult especially as there are other universities which are recognized globally and provide benefits for international students such as Azerbaijan Technical University which is best for students who are willing to study engineering and technology related fields, Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction and Baku Slavic University which stands out because of its excellent sports program.

Student Visa - Azerbaijan

Your citizenship is going to be an important factor when figuring out which documents to prepare for your student visa; however, the visa procedures for Azerbaijan are simple and can be processed online for some countries. The important thing to account for is that you must register visit at the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan as your visit will exceed 10 days. The following documents are required for a study in Azerbaijan:

 

• Valid travel document
• University letter of acceptance
• Two passport photos
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of funds – bank statement
• Background checks or police report
• Medical insurance
• Flight reservations
• Filled out application form
• Invitation sticker – which you can get from your university but may take up to one month to receive

 

Processing of a student visa to Azerbaijan may take up to 90 days; therefore, it is extremely important that you begin the application process well ahead of time.

How to apply - Azerbaijan

After selecting the program which best fits you and deciding upon the university of your choice, you will then be required to upload the required documents to the university’s website, some universities require proof of English presidency along with your application but it is not a requirement for all, and wait until you receive a conditional offer form the university. If you wish to accept it, then you will be obliged to pay a down payment to ensure your place at the university, then you will have to apply for the student visa and begin setting up your living arrangements for when you arrive!

Scholarship in Azerbaijan

 

The Azerbaijan Government awards scholarships to national and international students; they are applicable for undergraduate studies, graduate studies and PhDs as well.

 

The first type of awarded scholarship is given for only the first semester at your university years and is awarded to the students who achieve the highest scores on their admission examinations. There is also another type of scholarship awarded for full tuition for international students and is awarded by the government; students who provide official income sources may be granted this type of scholarship. Lastly, there are universities who also provide financial aid to international students who require some help with their tuition.