Key words: student mobility, EU law, higher education

The thesis addresses the recent tension around student mobility and tries to answer the overarching question on how to safeguard mobility rights for study purposes of Union citizens within the EU, while simultaneously ensuring the sustainability of the national higher education systems of (certain) Member States. The main conclusion in this regard is that the current EU legal framework applying to mobile students is both insufficient and incoherent. In addition, the Member States of the EU seem to have trouble properly implementing EU law in this area and cannot by themselves effectively and fairly engage in balancing exercise. Rather there is a need for a comprehensive and generous EU-level study loan system – managed centrally at the EU level - to support the mobility rights of Union citizens for study purposes.