The constraint nobody mentions in the brochure
Permanent official posts in the European Union institutions are filled through open competitions run by the EU's own personnel selection office, and eligibility is restricted to nationals of EU member states. That is a citizenship rule, not a qualification rule, and no degree changes it.
So the sentence "study international relations in Europe and work for the EU" is, for a Bangladeshi student, not true as written. What remains genuinely open:
- United Nations agencies and programmes, which recruit internationally — but entry is intensely competitive and many internships are unpaid
- International NGOs and think tanks, likewise competitive, often project-funded and short-contract
- Development organisations and donor-funded programmes, where regional expertise is a real advantage
- Diplomatic and civil service in Bangladesh, through the BCS examination, where the degree helps as preparation and nothing more
- Research and a PhD, which is the most structured route the field offers
- Corporate roles in government affairs, ESG, sanctions and geopolitical risk, which are growing
Where it is taught, and what it costs
| Country | Strength | Typical annual tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | Long international relations tradition; several English-taught master's | EUR 0-4,000 public |
| Hungary | Broad English-taught social science; Stipendium funding | EUR 0-5,000 |
| Malta | International relations and Mediterranean studies, in English | EUR 5,000-11,000 |
| Cyprus | European studies, security studies | EUR 3,500-7,000 |
| Sweden | Peace and conflict research is a genuine Swedish specialism | EUR 7,000-13,000 |
| Denmark | Political science and international security | EUR 6,000-16,000 |
| Finland | Global politics, Russia and Baltic studies | EUR 6,000-13,000 |
| Greece | Southeast European and Mediterranean politics | EUR 1,500-4,000 |
| Bulgaria | Fewer English-taught options | EUR 3,000-5,000 |
The Nordic tuition figures are the real cost for a non-EU student. Nordic scholarships and Erasmus Mundus joint master's degrees are the two funding routes worth serious effort in this field — Erasmus Mundus in particular has a lot of politics and development programmes and covers tuition plus a monthly allowance.
What makes this degree pay, and what does not
What does not: the title of the degree. There is no employer anywhere whose vacancy says "international relations graduate required".
What does:
- 1A regional or thematic specialism. South Asian security, climate diplomacy, migration policy, trade law. Something you can be the person for.
- 2Languages. Beyond English, a UN working language or the language of your host country. This is the single highest-return investment in this field.
- 3Quantitative skills. Policy research increasingly runs on data. A statistics or econometrics course on the transcript changes which jobs read your CV.
- 4Internships from the first semester. Think tanks, embassies, NGOs. In this field the internship is the job interview.
- 5Published writing. Policy briefs, op-eds, a research blog.
⚠️ Be careful with the cost of this decision. Politics and international relations are cheap to enter and slow to pay. If the plan is financed by a loan against family property, read graduate salaries and ROI first and compare against a field with a clearer employment path.
Applying
- IELTS 6.5-7.0 is common; this is a reading and writing heavy field
- A motivation letter with a named research question. Generic enthusiasm for global affairs is the most common reason a strong candidate is rejected
- Two academic references, ideally from people who supervised written work
- A writing sample for some programmes
Your undergraduate subject does not need to be politics — economics, law, history and even engineering graduates get in with a coherent argument for why.
Before you apply
- 1Decide what you would be the specialist in, and shortlist departments that actually work on it — read faculty pages, not rankings.
- 2Apply for Erasmus Mundus in the same cycle. The deadlines are early, usually late autumn to January.
- 3Start a language now, and plan internships before you arrive.
- 4If the practical goal is a stable professional career rather than policy work, compare against law and economics.
Official sources — check for yourself
- Your Europe — working in the EU institutions
- Study in Sweden — Swedish Institute
- Study in Hungary — Tempus Public Foundation
- Scholarships we track
Rules and figures change. We review these articles periodically and show the date above, but always confirm the current requirement with the official source before you act on it.
Common questions
Can I work for the EU after an international relations degree?+
Permanent posts in the EU institutions are filled through competitions open to nationals of EU member states, so without EU citizenship that route is closed regardless of your degree. UN agencies, NGOs, think tanks and corporate government-affairs roles remain open and are the realistic targets.
Is international relations worth studying in Europe?+
It is worth it if you build a specialism, languages, internships and some quantitative skill alongside it. On its own the degree has weak direct employability and is heavily oversubscribed, so it is a poor choice if the plan is financed by a loan and needs a fast return.
Which country is best for this field?+
Sweden for peace and conflict research, Denmark and Finland for political science and security, Italy for the international relations tradition and low public tuition, and Hungary for broad English-taught social science with Stipendium Hungaricum funding available.
Do I need a politics background to apply?+
Usually not. Economics, law, history and other backgrounds are accepted if your motivation letter makes a coherent case and names a specific research interest. A vague statement about a passion for global affairs is the most common reason strong applicants are rejected.
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