A sample of summer schools in Europe. Students apply directly the host institution, then can apply for short-term mobility funding to support their studies.
In addition to the options below and any independent research students conduct, they may find this European Summer School search engine useful: https://www.summerschoolsineurope.eu/.
Austria and Germany
- University of Vienna
Sommerhochschule (SHS) - Located in the picturesque village of Strobl in the Salzkammergut regions, Vienna's four week program offers high level European Studies courses, the Austrian Arbitration Academy and German language courses. The European Studies courses are held in English and focus on Europe and the European Union. They cover political, economic and legal, but also historical and cultural aspects of the multiple transformations the continent is currently undergoing. The Austrian Arbitration Academy focuses on international dispute settlement by arbitral tribunals.
Dates: 12 July - 9 August 2025
Tuition Fee: €2,590 (includes registration, tuition, use of all sports and recreational facilities (including tennis and windsurfing lessons), and all planned excursions)
Application deadline: 31 March 2025
For more information, visit the SHS website.
Summer Intensive Courses - Learn German at the Language Center of the University of Vienna, through intensive 3 or 4 week courses over the summer.
Dates: 7 July - 1 August | 4 - 29 August | 1 - 19 September 2025
Tuition Fee: €600 for 4 weeks | €590 for 3 weeks
Application deadline: TBC (usually ut least four weeks before the start date)
For more information, visit the Summer Intensive Course website.
- Cologne Summer School
Meet local and international students from all aroudn the world through a number of different in-person and online courses that are available through the Cologne Summer School.
Dates: Various - depends on courses
Tuition Fees: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information visit the Cologne Summer School website.
- Humboldt Winter and Summer University (HUWISU)
Located in Berlin's city centre, HUWISU offers a wide range of academic courses with a hands-on methodology. While gaining knowledge and meeting international students, HUWISU participants are welcome to join the extra-curricular activities to experience Berlin life, and learn about its history and culture.
Dates: Session I: 16 June - 11 July 2025
Session II: 14 July - 08 August 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: 15 May 2024
For more information, visit the Humboldt Winter and Summer University website.
- Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
International & European Studies at Tübingen offers students the chance to study Europe and the European Union. Students learn about and discuss diverse topics on Europe and the European Union, share their knowledge and experiences, and have the opportunity to get to know the University of Tübingen.
Dates: June Summer School 29 May - 26 June | August Summer School 31 July - 28 August 2025 | 2 - 29 August 2025 (langague course)
Tuition Fee: €1950 (June and August Summer School) | €790 (language course)
Application Deadlines: 28 February for June Summer School | 31 March for August Summer School | 31 May for language course
For more information, visit the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen website and their specific language University of Tübingen Language course website.
- Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
The Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) hosts a couple of Summer Schools for local and international students to join.
The European System of Human Rights Protection course deals specifically with the European system of human rights protection. This provides an integrated treatment of the various European systems and issues of human rights protection.
Dates: 1 - 12 July 2024
Programme Fee: €590
Application Deadline: 15 April 2024
For more information, visit the Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) website.
- Rhine-Westphalia Technical (RWTH) University of Aachen
Take practical classes with professors, get to know German industry & institutions and gain hands-on experiences at the RWTH University of Aachen's short courses. Students can also participate in cultural and social activities offered alongside the programme.
Dates: Various, 2-4 weeks in June, July or August
Tuition fees: Various - depends on courses
Application deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information visit the RWTH University of Aachen Summer School website.
- Technische Universität Berlin Summer University
Students have the option to join classes in person or virtually with a range of courses offered across the fields of science, technology, engineering and business. Alongside their studies students can experience highlights of Berlin and get to know their international peers through the cultural program.
Dates: 1 July - 2 August 2024 (in-person) | 15 July - 30 August 2024 (online)
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: 5 June, however applications by 1 March receive a 50 euro discount on fees
For more information, visit the TU Berlin Summer University website.
France
- Grenoble INP Institute of Engineering University Grenoble Alpes
Study at one of the highest ranking French engineering institutes in the heart of the French Alps over the summer. Students have the opportunity to work with and in cutting-edge research facilities, whilst immering themselves in unique French culture with other international students.
Dates: 23 June - 18 July 2025
Tuition Fee: €3,500 (includes tuition, private accommodation, site visits, extra-curricular activities, medical and civil liability insurance), 10% discount if applying by earlybird date
Application Deadline: 1 January 2025 (early bird), 31 March 2025
For more information, visit the Ginsen Summer School website.
- Sciences Po Summer Programme
The Sciences Po Summer School is a unique opportunity for students from all over the world to study at Sciences Po, France’s leading university in the social sciences. Students have the opportunity to focus on social sciences or a French language track, or combine both subjects through their choice of core and elective classes.
Dates: June Session: 2 - 27 June 2025
July Session: 1 - 25 July 2025
Tuition Fee: One session: €2,900; Two sessions: €5,200
Application Deadline: June Session: 13 March TBC
July Session: 27 March TBC
For more information, visit the Sciences Po Summer Programme website.
- University of Bordeaux
The University of Bordeaux offers summer courses covering a variety of disciplines, from African studies to advanced materials to health sciences to social sciences to oenology and more. Course content offers an enriching curricular experience with, depending on the discipline, a mixture of theoretical and practical training that demands a notable level of expertise and knowledge.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, May - September 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the University of Bordeaux website.
- Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University's summer school offers multidisciplinary course cycles, French as a foreign language courses and an opportunity to network with teachers and researchers from its community, all in just four weeks.
Dates: 30 June - 25 July 2025
Tuition fees: €380 - 500 TBC, depending on when students register
Application deadline: 28 February - 1 May TBC
For more information see the Faculty of Letters Summer School at Sorbonne University website.
- Université de Lorraine
No prior knowledge of French or game design is required for this 'French Horizons Bootcamp: bridging art and inclusion' summer programme. This programme focuses on art, inclusion and the topic “How can museums be made more inclusive?”. Based in the “Charly Lab”, students work in teams to design a game playable inside a museum and accessible to all using 3D scanning and printing technologies, laser cutting, augmented and virtual realities.
Dates: 10 - 22 June 2025
Tuition fees: €700
Application deadline: 25 March 2025
For more information see the French Horizons Bootcamp website.
- University of Strasbourg Summer School - The European Identity: Past, Present and Future
An opportunity to take interdisciplinary courses exploring different aspects of European culture, politics, law, history and society, to develop a deeper understanding of European integration, governance, and global challenges. Academic courses will go hand in hand with meetings and discussions with representatives of European institutions, as well as guided tours to discover the unique cultural heritage of Strasbourg
Dates: 16 - 27 June 2025
Tuition fees: €1,600
Application deadline: 31 January 2025
For more information see the University of Strasbourg's summer School website.
Italy
- Bocconi University Summer School
Bocconi offers courses across different areas of management, including marketing, business strategy and finance. All the courses are open to undergraduate students
Dates: 1 - 19 July for UG or PGT students | 8 - 13 July 2024 for Law students
Tuition Fee: 2,300 Euros
Application Deadline: 12 March, then 23 April 2024
For more information, visit Bocconi University Summer School website.
- La Sapienza - Media Accessibility Winter School
This winter course focuses on the academic study of media accessibility with an emphasis on audio description for the blind and partially sighted and subtitling for the deaf and the hard of hearing.
The English-language lectures will discuss the main theoretical and technical elements of media accessibility. The Italian-language seminars will encompass hands-on exercises to practise the description and captioning of audiovisual material using appropriate software.Dates: 17 - 21 February 2025
Tuition fees: €420
Application deadline: 10 January 2025
For more information see the Media Accessbility Winter School at Sapienza website.
- University of Pisa
The University of Pisa offers students the opportunity to study a wide variety of courses over the following six disciplinary areas: Humanities Society, Economics and Law Health Sciences Engineering Agriculture and Veterinary.
Dates: Various - depends on courses
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the University of Pisa Summer School website.
The Netherlands
- Maastricht Summer School (MSS)
Maastricht Summer School offers courses in a variety of fields and disciplines. Courses are geared towards students at undergraduate and graduate levels. Maastricht's mission is to offer education in the summer period that is complementary to the traditional educational tasks of the university. Both students and professors are highly motivated and international friends are waiting to be made.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, May - July
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the Maastricht Summer School website.
- University of Amsterdam Summer and Winter Schools
The programme provides students with the opportunity to pursue studies in a wide range of disciplines while enjoying social and academic activities in Amsterdam, one of the most culturally and intellectually vibrant cities in Western Europe.
Dates: Various - depends on courses 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: 15 March 2025
For more information, visit the Summer School website.
Winter Programmes
The University of Amsterdam also provide condensed two-week online programmes of some of their summer courses.
Dates: 20- 31 January 2025
Tuition Fee: Various
Application Deadline: 8 December 2024
For more information, visit the Winter Programmes website.
- Utrecht Summer School
Over the last 25 years, Utrecht Summer School developed into a broad selection of over 200 courses in virtually all disciplines offered by Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences and HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. These institutions for higher education offer high quality summer courses taught in English at bachelor, masters and PhD level.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, July - August
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline:Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the Summer School at Utrecht website.
Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Summer School
UAB Barcelona Summer School comprises a training offer of undergraduate subjects in a range of fields, mostly taught in English.Courses available include Contemporary Spain through the Eye of the Movie Camera, Spanish as a Second Language, Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Spanish Politics.
Dates: First period: 13 June - 11 July 2025
Second period: 14 July - 1 August 2025
Tuition Fee: €930 per course
Application Deadline: Apply by 15 May to receive a 20% early bird discount. Deadline for First Period is 2 June and the deadline for Second Period is 25 June.
For more information, visit the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Summer School website.
- Universitat Autònoma de Madrid
Explore courses taught in Madrid, covering topics such as Spanish language learning, Economics, Business and Law.
Dates: 1 - 26 July (4 week Economics and Business course)
Tuition fees: Various depending on courses
Application Deadline: Various depending on courses
For more information, visit the UAM Summer School and/or UAM Summer School of Economics and Business websites.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra
The Universitat Pompeu Fabra offers the Barcelona International Summer School (BISS) as a flagship program to advance the curriculum of both domestic and international undergraduate students during the summer term. A wide array of courses will be offered and can be taken in English, Spanish or Catalan. Independent research projects can also be be supervised by UPF scholars in the BISS summer term.
Dates: 1 - 31 July TBC
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses, €550 - 900
Application Deadline: 15 March, 12 April or 17 May TBC
For more information, visit the BISS website.
- Spain Centre for International Education - Climate Change Summer School (CCSS)
The CCSS is a unique opportunity for students to enrich their understanding of climate change through a multidisciplinary approach. This program offers participants the chance to attend classes led by world-class professors spanning various disciplines such as Art, Business, Chemistry, Economics, Law, Sociology and more. In 2025 the CCSS will be hosted by Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and include a range of cultural and social activities with students from Spain and across the world.
Dates: 14 - 25 July 2025
Tuition fees: €799 if applying by early bird deadline and providing a screenshot of this promo on UCL's website. Otherwise the fee is €1099. More details are on the CCSS website.
Application deadline: 28 February (early bird) - 20 June 2025
For more information see the Spain Centre for International Education - CCSS website.
More European Destinations
- Aarhus University (AU) Summer University
Aarhus Summer University offers more than 120 courses within most academic areas - all research-based teaching with a solid academic foundation. Study and take part in a social & cultural programme with more than 2000 international and local students.
Dates: Term 2 - 18 July | Term 23 - 8 August 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application deadline: 18 March 2025
For more information, visit the Aarhus University Summer University.
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - Summer School Europe Inside Out
During this 10-day course jointly offered by the Faculties of Economics & Business, Arts and Social Sciences students combine two majors, chosen from a list of four; Doing Business with Europe(ans); Policies and Politics in the EU; Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe and Social and Cultural Interactions. The course includes visits to Brussels and Antwerp. This summer school is open to Masters and final year Bachelors students.
Dates: 21 June - 4 or 11 July 2025
Tuition fees: €600 or €750
Application deadline: 1 May 2025
For more information, visit KU Leuven's Summer School website.
- University of Antwerp Summer School
Antwerp Summer University offers intensive, short term courses during the summer months with courses across health, design and social sciences. Target groups are different for each summer course and consist of students, researchers and/or working professionals. All programmes combine high quality education (lectures, visits, workshops) with social programmes.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, June - September
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the University of Antwerp Summer School website.
- University of Geneva Summer School
Choose from a range of different courses at Geneva, covering global issues across Law, Sustainability, Policy and Human Rights.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, May - August 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses
For more information, visit the University of Geneva Summer School website.
- University of Porto Portuguese Summer Courses
The University of Porto offers a range of Portuguese language and culture summer courses. In addition, cultural activities will also be offered to participants on the programme. Students should contact the specific schools of the university to see what summer courses they offer.
Dates: Various depending on course TBC
Tuition Fee: Various depending on course
Application Deadline: Various depending on course
For more information, visit the University of Porto Portuguese Summer Courses website.
- University of Tallinn
Tallinn Summer School is a 3-week programme that provides a wide range of courses with a rich, diverse cultural programme, attracting participants from all over the world. In addition to a variety of social events, participants visit museums, historical sights, places of cultural importance, and see some of the nature of Estonia on weekend trips to different locations within the country.
Dates: Various - depends on courses, 14 July - 3 August 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: Various - depends on courses, however early bird deadline is 31 March for some courses
For more information, visit the Tallinn Summer School website.
- University of Tartu International Summer University
The University of Tartu International Summer University provides students with the opportunity to gain an international academic experience from one of the oldest and most distinguished universities in the Baltic States. Students have the chance to explore a selection of interdisciplinary and subject specific summer programmes in English or find a suitable Estonian language course.
Dates: 28 July - 8 August 2025
Tuition Fee: Various - depends on courses
Application Deadline: 30 April 2025
For more information, visit the University of Tartu International Summer University website.
- University of Oslo International Summer School
The International Summer School of the University of Oslo offers a wide range of courses at both bachelor's and master's level, covering subjects including art, literature, human rights and sustainability.
Dates: 30 June - 25 July 2025, 23 June - 1 August (Norwegian language courses)
Tuition fees: NOK5,300 - 10,600
Application deadline: February 2025
For more information, visit the International Summer School University of Oslo website.
- University of Zurich Summer Schools
The University of Zurich offers a range of summer school options through the university institutes and departments. From the Rare Diseases Summer School to Scientific Programming with Python, a host of different programmes are available.
Dates: 30 June - 18 July 2025
Tuition Fee: CHF3,450
Application Deadline: 15 April TBC
For more information, visit the University of Zurich Summer School website.
- Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH) Summer School
The Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH) Summer School provides insight into the Swiss education system, its opportunities and challenges. The programme lasts between one and four weeks (depending on courses taken) and is open to students in educational sciences and/or teacher education who have completed at least one year of full-time study.
Dates: Special Needs and Inclusive Education in Switzerland and in a Global Context: 16 - 27 June 2025 (two weeks)
In the Story: Teaching and Learning with Drama: 23 - 27 June 2025 (one week)
Gamification in Education: 30 June - 4 July 2025 (one week)
NB: Students can choose to do just one course or combine courses to stay between one - three weeks.
Programme Fees: Various - depends on courses (includes a ticket for public transport in Zurich, a social and cultural programme, costs for travelling to school visits and if staying in Zurich for at least two weeks, one weekend trip to the Swiss mountains).
Application deadline: 1 April 2025
For more information, visit the Zurich University of Teacher Education Summer School website.