If you want your opinions to he heard, you like taking initiative and a little snow doesn’t scare you off, then the go-to country for your studies must be Sweden.
Long-time ago a country of barbaric Vikings, nowadays Sweden, has polished its manners, and nothing proves it more than the fact that the Swedish higher education system ranks second in the world. Did we mention cutting-edge research and real-world challenges in multicultural academic communities?
To get a better picture about what’s like studying in Sweden, you need to know that the education here is more about self-development through student groups and independent studies, than about listening to the typical teacher lecture. Let’s try and see the details behind this big picture.
That's right! If you come from the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you don't have to pay any tuition fees to study at public universities in Sweden. And this is great news because you can use the money you save to cover living costs, which are above the European average.
These are the three core values of the Swedish society and citizens. These values are reflected in all aspects of life, including work, education, the natural environment, and so on.
Swedes will do as much they can to provide you with the support and resources you need to achieve your academic, professional, personal, or any other goal.
If you're environmentally conscious, you'll love living here. Sweden has been investing in the wellbeing and preservation of nature for a long time now.
It represents an example of what any nation can do through involvement and commitment. For instance, by 2040, Sweden aims to achieve 100% renewable energy production.
Sweden is one of those wonderful places where you don't have to worry about being different or not fitting it. They embrace everybody regardless of their personal choices or background. Stockholm, for example, is often considered as one of the most open cities in the world.
Over 80% of Swedes speak English, which makes it super easy to interact with them whenever you need help or simply want to enjoy a small chit-chat.
Still, we recommend learning at least the basics of Swedish, the most common words, for those rare cases when you meet someone who doesn't speak the English language.
Sweden is home to over 35 universities and university colleges, and they all offer degree programmes according to European standards.
Start your search for a dream Swedish university with one of these universities we recommend:
Studying in Sweden is likely to make you feel relaxed. Yes, students need to work hard, and expectations are high, but the higher education system is also very flexible and informal.
Popular student pastimes include team sports, cultural societies, and outdoor activities (performed very well dressed). There’s also a great nightlife, with clubs and bars dotting Sweden’s cities, and student unions organising evenings out.
Swedes are great with cars, great with IT, and great with the environment. So, it’s not hard to guess which are some of the most popular study areas in Sweden. These are:
Sweden is a great place to live and study. From buzzing larger cities like Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö, to cosy university towns like Uppsala and Lund, there’s a place for every taste in Sweden.
Whether you end up close to the Arctic Circle in Luleå or bumping shoulders with continental Europe in Malmö, you’ll find accessible towns with extensive public transport and bustling student scenes. So, check and pick one of the Swedish cities below, like:
In Sweden, applications for Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes are processed through a central application service, Universityadmissions.se. Still, you can also apply directly through the university and program websites. The general application documents required are:
Additionally, most universities also tend to ask for:
These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programme.
Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice.
If you’re attending a degree programme in Sweden, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures; some schools will require Swedish, while others will require strong English skills. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.
English is a must-have in Sweden, seeing how many Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes are taught in this language. Swedish universities accept as proof of your language skills:
Let's take a closer look at tuition and living expenses in Sweden:
In Sweden, students from the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or other Nordic countries do not have to pay tuition, but only an application fee of around 100 EUR.
Students from non-EU/EEA countries pay tuition fees of 7,500–25,500 EUR per year. Some Business degrees can cost over 30,000 EUR per year.
Naturally, fees vary depending programme and degree type, so be sure to check them when looking for study options in Sweden.
Living costs in Sweden are not exactly a bargain, but in this country, paying more really means getting more in return, in terms of quality of life. The monthly student budget here is around 700–1,200 EUR/month, out of which some of the most common expenses are:
From Abba to Avicii, Sweden is a great music exporter. But don’t let that fool you! Sweden isn’t only about pop culture.
In fact, the country prides itself with a great tradition of monarchy and one the highest gender equality rates in the world. Ready for some more facts that will make you smile while reading? Here they are:
But, on a lighter note, you should also know that, in Sweden:
Recent international policies promote international university cooperation and student exchange between countries worldwide. High-quality study and PhD degrees are made more available to students in order to create a global educational network, achievable through student and staff mobility. Career and research oriented programmes support international student development.
University cooperation enables students study worldwide, for instance in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States and provides ways of recognizing previous degrees. Different study options offer appropriate alternatives to students, depending on their preferred mode of study.
Many study programmes in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America are English-taught. The most popular international student destinations include the following countries: Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, the United States, and more. However, these are not the only countries offering English-taught education. The rest of the world is full of endless study choices, from highly ranked to smaller, more specialized, universities.
If you want further education beyond the undergraduate level or if you want more personal development or a career in academia, you could obtain a PhD degree. PhD degrees are postgraduate programmes that usually follow a Master's, MPhil or MRes, but there might be additional requirements depending on the university. Students are required to do their own research in a chosen topic. With the help of a supervisor, you develop knowledge and analytical skills in a specific or multidisciplinary field and you carry out independent research. The duration of a PhD degree differs per country and institution. Sometimes your own research is accompanied by work for the department such as giving seminars or small group teaching.
PhD students are required to study on campus under close supervision, but there are universities that accept students enrolled into a part-time distance education PhD degree. Studying on campus can also be full-time as well as part-time, in which case the part-time variant is normally twice as long as the full-time study.
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