Sweden is a North European country and its capital city is Stockholm; with the country having a mixture of various cultures and a population of around 10 million. Sweden is well known for the opportunity it makes available to students who desire to broaden their horizon in the educational and intellectual world. Education is such that can be regarded as the key to great achievements and an important element to advancement.
The educational institutions of Sweden are recognised to be of excellent ranks and emphasis is placed on the development and constant growth of admitted students. Sweden institutions are of high ranks the world with a constant growing number of international students in these various institutes. There has also been an impressive record of scholarships in Sweden made available to a vast number of students. There are countless high quality courses and programs offered in the country’s renowned institution. The experience of studying abroad in Sweden is definitely worth it as there are various areas waiting to be explored.
The country has a lot of museums, green parks, waterways, bars, cafes, world class restaurants and so many more. Also, there is no problem of language barriers in Sweden as the commonly understood language of English is also spoken by a large percent of nationals, this can be seen to be to the benefit of international students studying abroad in Sweden. This article covers all you need to know about Sweden and its inseparable connection with education. That is, this article contains information about Sweden educational institutions and how to go about Studying abroad in Sweden, opportunities made available to international students in Sweden.
Subtopics:
- About Studying in Sweden
- Why Study in Sweden?
- Sweden Educational System Compared to Other Countries
- Top Institutions in Sweden
- Scholarships/ Financial Aids/ Bursaries
- Student Visa Processing/ Procedures
- Post Study Opportunities
Why Study in Sweden?
To study in Sweden, there is a need to take note that the Sweden educational system is that which is decentralized and the division of the levels of schooling include an optional pre-school program is made available for children of age 1-5. The four levels of schooling are; kindergarten for age six (6), elementary school, middle school, junior high school and senior secondary school.
The degrees open to students studying abroad in Sweden institutions are; Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. For Bachelor’s degree, there are a lot international courses and certain number of study programmes open to students who are done with upper secondary studies. For Master’s level, there are also study programmes made available to interested students who have gotten a bachelor’s degree.
For advanced studies there are two degrees: Licentiatexamen and Doktorsexamen. Also, universities and university colleges are the recognized higher education institutions in Sweden with a wide range of programmes and courses are offered at different study level. The semesters for the academic year in Sweden are; AUTUMN (August- January) and SPRING. (January-June)
Students who are citizens of Sweden, basically those with a permanent Swedish residence permit and students who are from an EU or EEA or Nordic or Switzerland country, do not have to pay tuition and application fee for the recognized degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees). Students graduating from Sweden institutions graduate with recognized European degrees. Sweden educational institutions also revolve around the upbringing of future leaders, that is the students studying broad in Sweden and making of impacts in their proper understanding of various aspects of life by encouraging innovations. This is made easy with Sweden being a technologically advanced society.
Sweden Educational System Compared to Other Countries
Studying abroad in Sweden has always been regarded as a big deal and various attempts have been made by the Sweden government to compete with other countries as regards the education system and administration and the nature of its system has been a great determinant. Brief comparison of Sweden with Turkey, Mexico and U.S will be given below;
- The regulation of the educational system in Sweden is done by the Swedish Education Act 2010 with the Minister of Education and Research responsible for it.
- Sweden is recognized with nine years of education made compulsory for every child while Turkey has twelve years.
- Under Sweden educational systems, applications are made to higher institutions with specific departments and programs and not just by assignment. The Swedish educational system provides free education thereby making studying abroad in Sweden convenient.
- In addition, the educational system is in the line of primary school, secondary school and tertiary school. The Primary school is also known as Grundskola in Swedish language, while the secondary school is known as Gymnasieskola in Swedish language.
Higher education institutions in Sweden need applicants to provide documentation proving they have met specified prerequisites. There are specific prerequisites and credentials for numerous specialties and programs in addition to the fundamental standards that are the same or comparable at all higher education institutions. All applicants must meet a set of fundamental criteria.
Students often satisfy requirements if they have a diploma from a Swedish upper secondary school or if they have a strong command of Swedish and credentials from a foreign secondary institution that are equivalent. Foreign applicants might need to enroll in and successfully complete an intense Swedish preparation course. Speaking and reading English are also requirements. Every institution and college runs health facilities with staff that includes medical specialists.
Swedish universities pay particular attention to students with impairments, and in recent years, facilities on most or all campuses have been modified to meet the demands of students with special needs. The government mandates that universities set aside up to 15% of yearly undergraduate spending to support impaired students. Higher education institutions have access to additional government and commercial funding possibilities. The government has a central office to oversee the distribution of public subsidies to assist disabled students accepted into colleges and universities. On the Stockholm University campus is where you can find the national coordination office.
Undergraduate level (First cycle)
In the European Region, the bachelor’s level is also referred to as the first cycle. Additionally, you might be acquainted with the phrase “undergraduate.” At this level, there are many international courses offered in Sweden, but there aren’t many study programs accessible.
These programs and courses are instructed in English. To be eligible to study at this level, a student must have completed upper secondary courses that grant admission to higher education.
Master’s degree (Second cycle)
The master’s degree is the succeeding level, or second cycle in the European Region. Another phrase that might be used is “graduate level.” English is the medium of instruction in a wide variety of international master’s programs offered by Swedish universities. Both Swedish and international students with a bachelor’s degree are eligible for these programs (equivalent to a Swedish kandidatexamen).
Professional certifications Professional certifications are given in a variety of industries, including engineering, medicine, agriculture, law, and education. Professional credentials may be made available during either the first or second cycle. Depending on their curriculum, professional qualification programs can range in length from one to two cycles. A professional qualification typically requires five years of full-time study to complete.
Doctoral degree (Third cycle)
Students have the option of pursuing their academic pursuits at the PhD level after receiving a master’s degree. The admissions process is different for students interested in doctoral studies than it is for students at other levels. You must speak with the universities directly if you want application information because they are in charge of managing this procedure.
Top Institutions in Sweden
With universities continuously ranked among the best in the world, the quality and reputation of the Swedish educational system need not be explained. Any student’s academic resume would benefit greatly from the addition of one of its top universities. Here, we have made a list of the best institutions in Sweden. So, if you are looking forward to study abroad in Sweden, these are the schools you can check out.
Karolinska Institute
The university is globally referenced and addressed as one of the world’s top and foremost science and research educational. Institution. It was founded in the year 1810 and presently in Solna. A second campus was created in Flemingsberg. It is basically one of Sweden’s oldest medical school which has large centers used by professionals and its students for research, studies and training.
Also, the university has various departments, some of much are; Clinical Neuroscience, Dental Medicine, Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Clinical Science and Education, Söder Hospital, Public Health Sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology, Women’s and Children’s Health, Laboratory Medicine, Physiology and Pharmacology, Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Oncology-Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Surgery.
Lund University
The University of Lund is one of the top ranked universities in the world which has partnered and associated with both national and international educational institutions or universities. It was official established in 1666 and located in the Lund, one of Sweden’s lovely city. The university has within it 9 faculties and other well established campuses in the city of Malmö and the city of Helsingborg. In these campuses, standard courses and programs are being offered. Despite Lund being a small city, the university has been able to successfully bring in a large population of staff and students and a lot of university structures.
The university known to be white competitive as only qualified students and employees are accepted having gone through proper screening or examination. However, there are certainly international students that have been enrolled for study abroad in Sweden and they university fortunately has accommodations for its students in its three campuses in the cuties of Lund, Malmö and Helsingborg. Some of the buildings of the university are; the university’s main building, the Historical Museum, the Society’s headquarters, University Central Library, Kungshuset and University Hospital.
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a public university located in the city of Uppsala, Sweden and was established in the year 1477. The UPPSALA UNIVERSITY is the oldest university in the country with the university motto as “Gratiae veritas naturae”. The university has registered and enrolled students at different levels, undergraduate level and postgraduate level amongst others. As large as UPPSALA UNIVERSITY is, it is not surprising that a student union was formed.
The Uppsala Student Union was established in the year 1849 to represent the interest of the students in the university. The university has grown to be world class educational institutions and through the various things which make it up, a lot of international students are willing to make applications to further their study abroad in the educational institution.
Gothenburg University
This university also remains one of Sweden’s highly qualified and popular universities and is established with 8 faculties put in place and a lot of departments. The 8 faculties o the university are; faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Creative Arts, Information Technology, Humanities, Education, Law and Economics. The university is well known for its courses, academic disciplines, educational strategies, research, studies and facilities. An important part of the university is the University Board which involves significant decision making for the university.
Stockholm University
A significant part of Stockholm University’s history is that the university was originally established as a college in the year 1878 before it became recognised to be of a valid university status in the year 1960 and located in Stockholm. The university is a large university in Sweden and is highly ranked, it also has another campus in Kist. The university has been able to enrol students in four different faculties which are; faculty of humanities, faculty of law, faculty of natural sciences and faculty of social sciences. The university is properly governed by the decisions which are made by the parliament and the government. There also exists the University Board, the Faculty Boards, University administration and units in the university for its smooth and effective running as an educational institution.
Scholarships/ Financial Aids/ Bursaries
International scholarships, fellowships or grants, are often referred to as financial aids.
They are offered to students who desire to study abroad in Sweden and some are fully funded and some partly funded for all degrees.
1. LSE & UCT- This is a fully funded master’s scholarship which gives the chance and makes available close connection and intellectual development.
2. Swedish Institute 2022 Masters Scholarships – This scholarship is focused on making contribution to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to broaden the horizon of students.
3. KTH 2022 International Masters Scholarships- This scholarship is open to all international student’s interests in studying for a master’s programmer and the scholarship covers full tuition.
4. Halmstad University Masters Scholarship
5. Chalmers IPOET Scholarship
These scholarships contribute to positive development and makes available chances to increase skills, build network and give smooth learning with conducive environments and research facilities for students and many more. Check here for a comprehensive posts on scholarships in Sweden for international students.
Student Visa Processing/ Procedures
To study abroad in Sweden, there is a need for Student Visa applications to be made which can either be a paper application or an online application with the processing time being within two to four months. The study visa fee based on current exchange rate is SEK 1,500 for an adult and SEK 750 for a child. For a Resident Permit, documents required are; a valid passport, proof acceptance or invitation by a Sweden institute, that is an enrollment letter from a Sweden university stating payment of first installment of fee and the duration of the course.
Proof of financial capacity and an individual medical travel insurance covering the cost of at least EUR 30,000(INR 25,80,000). Also a 1000-character essay as to reason for choosing Sweden for studies. There is also the requirement of submission of certificates or qualifications. As regards language there is a requirement of proficiency in English language and the most commonly accepted English language proficiency are IELTS and TOEFL.
Post Study Opportunities
Quite a number of international students decide to stay back in Sweden and work in the country after the conclusion of their studies.
For EU/EEA foreign national, with a right of residence having registered with the Swedish Tax Agency.
Non EU/EEA students are to contact the Migration Board, to apply for a visa extension and get a Work Permit and can also be granted a long-term resident status.
Other permits granted are; an EU Blue Card can also be granted, this is a work and residence permit for highly skilled workers. There is also the Self-Employment Permit for non-EU/EEA national,
Some search engine made available in finding a job in Sweden are;
1. Arbetsförmedlingen (the largest agency in the country),
2. Skype
3. Academic Work (a Swedish agency)
4.The Local (an online newspaper)
5. EURES (European Job Mobility Portal)
In addition, some of the jobs these international students studying in Sweden can delve into with the right qualifications are;
1.Mathematician with the requirement of a Bachelor’s degree in math and with relevant work experience, doctorate and the payment of USD 77,653 is made as salary.
2. Physician with the requirement of a Degree in medicine and USD 99,074.
3. Aviation Manager with the requirement of a Piloting license and payment of USD 85,000 is made as salary.
4. Managing Director with the requirement of Bachelor’s degree in business related subject and a payment of USD 89,033 as salary.
Final Thoughts
Sweden is an amazing study abroad destination. Its college campuses are incredibly stunning!
While many other nations are living in past glories, Sweden maintains its beauty because to its environmental conservation efforts, which have won it the title of most sustainable nation. A career can be started in Sweden even as an international student. Graduates can add a further 12 months to their residency, giving them plenty of time to find employment or perhaps launch a new business.
We hope you find this blogpost helpful!
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