tuition fees
Average annual tuition fee charged by public institutions at bachelor level.
According to a new report, OECD countries have different approaches and methods when it comes to covering the cost of a university education. While public institutions in many countries charge hefty tuition fees, around a third of OECD countries do not charge any fee at bachelor or equivalent level. The OECD's latest Education at a Glance report names the United States as having the highest average annual tuition fees of any country worldwide at $8,200 a year in public institutions at bachelor level. As expensive as that may seem, most students do benefit from financial support in the form of loans and scholarships while costs are nearly two and a half times as high in independent private institutions.

In addition to the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan and South Korea all have annual tuition fees higher than $4,000. Costs in Chile are particularly high at $7,654 a year while Japan is third-highest at $5,229. Southern European countries have far lower tuition fees by comparison with public institutions in Spain charging $1,830 a year at bachelor level. Italy is slightly cheaper at $1,658 and Portugal comes last on the following infographic with $1,124.