Demand for lower-cost and budget-friendly destinations are gaining strong momentum in Europe as international students look to tighten their belts, new data from Studyportals suggests.

Free university tuition may sound like a worthy model but the question of whether or not it’s the best way to attract and keep foreign talent is never too far from public debate. As Finland’s plans to introduce fees take hold this year, Beckie Smith looks at current and former fee-free countries to see what the future may hold for this ideal.