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In 2022, I reached my breaking point.
I was studying for my undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and paying $1,300 a month to share a two-bedroom apartment with three other students.
Although the space was under 1,000 square feet, I was just glad to get the apartment, which was one of the last ones on the market at the time. Some of my fellow students weren't so lucky or couldn't afford local rent prices — I had friends living in garages, sheds, and even their cars.
I also consider myself lucky because I received a grant that subsidized a good portion of my tuition. Even so, given my high rent and the overall cost of living in that part of California, my student job could hardly make a dent in my monthly expenses.
When I began thinking about pursuing higher education after my undergrad, I looked internationally and eventually settled on KU Leuven in Belgium.
I was able to get my master's degree in a fully English program in just one year for under $5,000 without financial aid — and this price includes my campus costs and books.
The number felt shockingly low, considering just one year of my undergrad tuition, campus fees, and books at UC Santa Cruz was more than triple that price.
The cost of my education aside, studying in Belgium and getting my degree there has been better than I could've imagined.
One of the most appealing parts of Leuven is that it's quite car-free and built around the 15-minute city concept, which means residents should be able to meet all of their daily needs by taking 15-minute bus trips, walks, or bike rides.
I walk or bike around the city often and use the affordable public transportation as needed — some train rides cost me just over $1.
Fortunately, I live just a 10-minute walk from the city center in my student housing, a four-bedroom apartment I share with three roommates. My portion of the rent is $500 a month, which is amazing compared with my former rent.
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Before leaving the US, I was unsure what to expect from the European health-insurance system. Now, I'm fully convinced it's the best part of living here.
As a student in Belgium, I pay $8.90 monthly for a full health-insurance policy, which includes dental care. Typically, 75% of my medical expenses are fully reimbursable.
The costs I do pay are much lower than what I'm used to in the US. A recent hospital visit cost me only about $86 (which, according to some locals I've spoken with, is surprisingly pricey).
Refreshingly, I've never had a medical claim denied, unlike in California, where prior authorizations, administrative red tape, and denials became the norm for me.
Medical care has felt pretty accessible in my part of Belgium as well. Most specialists I've had to see so far have been in a nearby hospital just a three-minute walk away from my home.
As a student without a full-time salary to afford the American standard of living, studying internationally has been a no-brainer.
By getting my master's degree at a European institution, I avoided taking out tens of thousands of dollars of loans in the US. While learning, I also had the privilege of gaining a rich understanding of a new culture and country.
Still, despite the financial stress I felt living in the United States, the country has a soft spot in my heart for numerous reasons, and I wouldn't rule out living there again in the future.
