Study abroad : Study in Sweden [2]

Study abroad : Study in Sweden [1]

In my last post I explained why you should choose Sweden as your destination for higher study. If you think there are certain good reasons to choose Sweden then it is worth full to read this article. Read carefully every details.

Where to apply for Swedish Scholarships?

Swedish government agency “The Swedish Institute” is the supreme authority over 500 scholarships per academic year which are awarded to the students and researchers coming to Sweden to pursue their objectives at a Swedish university.

The number of available scholarships varies from year to year, and competition is keen. Most foreign students in Sweden finance their stay without help from scholarships.

The Swedish Institute scholarships are mainly for master’s level studies or advanced studies/research in English-language programs (Courses studied in English medium).

Different kinds of Swedish Institute scholarships are available. Read Swedish institute scholarship list carefully. Most of the scholarships are based on your citizenship.

The Swedish Institute also administers bilateral exchange programs with China, Germany, Italy, and Japan. So if you are from above mentioned countries apply and contact the appropriate authorities listed under bilateral scholarhips. These scholarships are reciprocal so Swedish students are also funded under this agreement.

Some Swedish and foreign organizations also sponsor foreign students. Read carefully other scholarships.

What are the general requirements?

Completion of an upper-secondary (Higher secondary) school program conferring eligibility for university studies in the same country and corresponding in level to the equivalent program in Sweden.

Proficiency in English (both written and oral) equivalent to that required on completion of Swedish upper-secondary education. Universities and university colleges will normally require verification in the form of an international proficiency test certificate.

For courses taught in Swedish – written and oral skills in Swedish corresponding at the level of Swedish required on completion of Swedish upper-secondary education. This is generally assessed by the national Swedish test, TISUS.

What are the requirements for undergraduate students?

General Requirements

1. You must have an internationally recognized higher secondary (upper secondary) level education or must have equivalent recognized qualifications.
2. You have to show proficiency in English by means of internationally recognized English tests like IELTS, TOEFL, EFL or MELAB etc.(See below for required minimum scores)
3. For courses taught in Swedish – written and oral skills in Swedish corresponding at the level of Swedish required on completion of Swedish upper-secondary education. This is generally assessed by the national Swedish test, TISUS (See below).

Specific Requirements

Entrance requirements for a particular course or program are established independently at each academic institution. These requirements vary and you will need to contact the institution directly for exact information. Every university and university college has its own procedure for selecting among eligible applicants. The criteria applied include: grades obtained, results from previous courses, assessment of work samples, interview results, special admission tests and work experience. These criteria may vary subject to subject and university to university.

What are the requirements for Masters Students?

About 600 master’s degree programs at Swedish universities are taught entirely in English.

General requirements

1. Before you apply for master’s level program you should have completed a course of study leading to a degree or diploma equivalent to 180 higher education credits. In most cases a bachelor degree will be regarded as fulfilling this requirement. Specialized knowledge may also suffice.
2. For English-language programs, you should also have documented evidence of proficiency in English such as TOEFL or IELTS EFL or MELAB etc test results (See below for required minimum scores).
3. For studies in Swedish, you must prove that you have skills in Swedish equivalent to the upper-secondary level, usually through the TISUS test (See below).

Specific Requirements:

Same as specific requirements for the undergraduate student.

What are the minimum requirements for English proficiency?

[For both undergraduate and Masters Students]

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Scores 500-550 (paper-based test), 173-213 (computer-based test), 61-79 (internet-based test)
• International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Score 5.0-6.0 (no band lower than 4.5-5.0)
• Cambridge EFL examination. (Grades A or B)
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Score 85-90 points
• General Certificate of Education, Ordinary level (GCE O-level)
• General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

Being a native speaker of English can also fulfill this requirement, provided you can prove a high level of proficiency in English, usually through studies at the upper-secondary (high school) or university level.

Please note that these are general guidelines, and exact requirements can vary between universities.

What are the Language requirements for studies in Swedish?

To be eligible for undergraduate studies conducted in Swedish, students must have documented knowledge of Swedish, both written and oral, corresponding to the level of Swedish required in Swedish upper secondary education (Swedish B/Swedish 2B). For students who have not studied in Swedish upper secondary education, skills in Swedish are normally documented by the nationwide Swedish test TISUS, Test in Swedish for University Studies.

Students with Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic or Faeroese as their mother tongue do not have to verify knowledge of Swedish if their knowledge of their mother tongue is documented by their final upper secondary school certificate.

Finnish students who have studied Swedish in upper secondary education are considered to have the required knowledge of Swedish

What are the required admission documents?

Student must submit:

1. Academic certificates to show that their qualification is eligible for their further studies.
2. Bio-Data including personal information, academic qualification, working experiences and references.
3. Two letters of recommendation in English from their teachers regarding their past studies.

How to find course/major and institutions?

This step is really important for you. You don’t know the universities and their curriculum at all. You even don’t know their reputation and education standard. But here what I want to tell you that all Swedish universities maintain almost same education standard. You better pay more attention on course selection and place of institutions. You can go to particular university website and read their programs and application details. Go to the following links.

1. Find your bachelor program from degree program database.

2. Find your masters program from degree program database.

3. Go to specific university web site and read more details from interactive map of Sweden. [A list of Swedish universities is also provided in this article]

4. Though it is little complex but you can also find your institution and major from the studera website.

How to apply? [Application procedure]

1. It is compulsory to check the program descriptions carefully for detailed information.
2. Read carefully university program details whether they ask to submit application directly or via Studera website. If the authority asks you to submit directly to them then follow the details written in their website.
3. If your university asks to submit application through Studera then make one account in studera which will link your application and personal data and future communication details. You can submit only one application for several courses and universities.
4. Student must fill and submit the application form online at Studera with correct postal and email address as it will be used for all future communications.
5. Once the application is submitted, student must print the cover sheet as instructed in the website (read carefully the instructions while submission).
6. The printed page then should be signed by student and send it by post to the address of Studera along with other required documents. (read carefully the instructions while submission).
7. Keep the valid documents always ready. Keep note of deadlines.

When to apply? [Application deadline]

When you have submitted your application, you need to track the admission process. You should keep in mind the key dates. Key dates for applicants from EEA (EEA: Member States of the EU, and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and non EEA members are different. Check the key dates for bachelor students and masters students.

Read also: Study abroad : Study in Sweden [1]

You may need :  List of universities and colleges in Sweden

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