Studying History and the Humanities in Europe: Where and How to Apply

Why Europe is a strong place to study the humanities

Europe has a deep concentration of historical archives, museums, manuscript collections and long-established universities, which makes it a natural home for history, philosophy, classics, languages, art history and area studies. For students drawn to primary sources and research depth, that material and scholarly heritage is a real, practical advantage.

The field is broad. 'Humanities' covers history, philosophy, literature and languages, classics and ancient studies, art and cultural history, and area or regional studies (the in-depth study of a region's languages, history and society). Each has its own programmes, methods and entry expectations, so it pays to identify which discipline you actually want.

Where you can study humanities in English

Traditionally, many humanities degrees on the continent were taught in the national language — which made sense for subjects rooted in local history and texts. That is changing: English-taught humanities bachelor's and (especially) master's programmes have grown, notably in the Netherlands and the Nordics, with a substantial number of English master's and international tracks in Germany, Italy and elsewhere.

That said, English-taught options are generally thinner in the humanities than in business or engineering, and some subjects (for example, the history of a particular country) may expect or reward reading knowledge of the relevant language. Use the official national study portals to find current English-taught programmes — Study in NL (Nuffic), DAAD for Germany, University Admissions for Sweden, Universitaly for Italy — and confirm the language of instruction on each university's own course page.

How humanities degrees are structured

Humanities degrees follow the Bologna three-cycle model — bachelor's, then master's, then optionally a doctorate — with study measured in transferable ECTS credits across the European Higher Education Area.

In structure they differ from professional or vocational degrees: rather than training you for one regulated occupation, a humanities degree builds research, source-analysis, argument and writing skills, often with a thesis or research project and the option to specialise (a period, a region, a thinker, a language). A continental bachelor's is frequently three years and a taught master's often one to two years, but confirm the exact length, credit load and whether a thesis is required on the official programme page.

• History — archival and source work, often with a regional or period specialism
• Philosophy — logic, ethics, history of ideas, theory of knowledge
• Languages & literature, classics — textual study, often with language acquisition
• Area / regional studies — interdisciplinary study of a region's history, languages and society

How the application works

Humanities admission usually weighs your prior qualification (a recognised secondary certificate for a bachelor's, a relevant bachelor's for a master's), your motivation and writing (a personal statement, sometimes a writing sample), any required language background, and English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or an accepted equivalent).

Application routes differ by country, so use the right national channel — for example Studielink in the Netherlands, the DAAD/uni-assist route in Germany, Campus France for France, University Admissions for Sweden, and Universitaly in Italy — and have your qualifications assessed through the official recognition bodies (ENIC-NARIC, and national services such as uni-assist or CIMEA). Verify each programme's exact requirements, deadlines and any tuition on the official sources.

• Identify the discipline and any language-of-source requirement
• Find English-taught programmes via the national study portal; confirm on the university page
• Apply through the correct national channel (e.g. Studielink, uni-assist, Campus France, University Admissions, Universitaly)
• Have your qualification assessed via ENIC-NARIC / national recognition bodies
• Verify deadlines, tuition and the visa rules on the official government source — not immigration advice

Funding and the visa step

Humanities tuition, like other subjects, depends on the country and on whether you are an EU/EEA or non-EU student — some public systems charge little, others charge meaningful fees — so look up the exact figure for your fee status on the university's official fees page rather than relying on any quoted number.

Scholarship routes worth checking include national schemes (such as DAAD for Germany) and Erasmus Mundus joint master's, which are scholarship-funded joint degrees — distinct from the Erasmus+ exchange programme. For the student visa or residence permit, each country sets its own rules and financial-proof requirements; this is general information, not immigration advice, so verify the current rules on the official government source for your destination.