Choosing a university and preparing documents
Unlike other European universities, most Swedish universities accept Ukrainians after finishing school, and our certificate is sufficient for admission (but there are exceptions: some still require applicants to have studied for a year at a university in their home country). However, it is worth noting: this does not mean they can start studying abroad immediately after graduation. Future students will have to lose a year because the application process for Swedish universities begins in mid-October and ends at the end of January. And at that time, Ukrainians are still studying and do not have their certificates in hand. But there is no need to worry: the free months can be dedicated to intensive study of English or Swedish and specialized subjects, because without prior preparation it will be difficult to integrate into the academic process. Also, a significant portion of time should be devoted to choosing a university and preparing documents. But let's take it in order.
So, you can find a place to study on the website of the Swedish Institute (www.studyinsweden.se), a government organization that promotes knowledge about Sweden and fosters international cooperation in culture, education, and science. On its website, in the Find programs section, there is a built-in search engine. Using it, you can find a university and study program by degree level, specialization, university name, and city. The site also has practical information about studying and living in Sweden (for example, about tuition and housing costs, expenses for food and textbooks, visa details). A second useful web page is www.universityadmissions.se. It also has a search engine for universities and programs. Plus, it describes step by step the procedure for applying to Swedish universities.
But the main feature of the site is that the entire document submission process for future students takes place online through it. After registration, they need to select their preferred programs or courses (bachelor's students have eight choices, master's students have four), ranking them by priority. Then future students need to submit an online application and pay the application fee, which is just over €100.
In addition to online submission, certified and translated into English copies of the required documents must be sent to the university by regular mail. For bachelor's students, this is usually the certificate and its supplement, as well as the results of a certified foreign language exam. For master's students, the list is longer: diploma and academic transcript with grades, a motivation letter, and letters of recommendation. In some cases, they may require writing an essay.
All this must be done by the end of January, and the university's decision should be expected at the end of March. If it is positive, the student must respond by early April that they agree to study there. Otherwise, the spot will go to someone who is on the reserve list (where students with lower results are placed).
However, the online submission described above can be avoided: some private universities accept documents directly from applicants. In any case, to avoid misunderstandings, it is best to check these details with the university.
Tests of strength
Foreigners, including Ukrainians, who plan to pursue higher education in Sweden can breathe a sigh of relief. In most cases, Swedish universities decide whether to admit a student based on their documents (rarely do they require a specialized test or essay). The only test that potential students will have to pass is to confirm their knowledge of English (knowing Swedish is not mandatory for admission because there are many English-language programs in Sweden, especially for master's degrees).
TOEFL. The first option to do this is to take the exam to obtain the TOEFL certificate. You can register, pay, and view the schedule (usually held about 9 times a month) on the website www.ets.org. The exam consists of four parts: listening comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking. The maximum score is 120. A total score of 80-90 is considered sufficient for admission, with at least 20 on the writing section. By the way, TOEFL results are valid for 2 years.
IELTS. Students can also take another certified English exam – IELTS. In our country, you can register and take it at the British Council (www.britishcouncil.org/uk/ukraine-exams-ielts.htm). The exam is held 2-3 times a month, costs 1550 hryvnias, and consists, like the previous one, of four parts. After passing the exam, the student receives a certificate with an overall score from 1 to 9. For admission to a Swedish university, a result of at least 6-6.5 is required (with at least 5.5 in each part). By the way, the validity period of IELTS, like TOEFL, is also 2 years.
If a foreigner nevertheless decides to study in Swedish, they will have to take the TISUS exam. It confirms language proficiency at level C1. It consists of reading, writing, and speaking, and costs about €240. In Ukraine, it can be taken at the Swedish Embassy.
Finding grants and discounts
Just a couple of years ago, higher education in Sweden was free for everyone. But the situation changed in 2011. Now, all foreigners living in non-EU countries who wish to obtain a bachelor's or master's degree must pay for a Swedish diploma (education remains free only for doctoral and postgraduate students). On average, the annual tuition fee starts at €8000–10,000. This is a considerable amount, but there is no need to worry. Swedish universities and other organizations offer generous scholarships to foreigners.
STATE GRANT. One of them is the Visby program of the mentioned Swedish Institute (details at www.studyinsweden.se in the Scholarships section). It is intended for future master's students, PhD students (candidates of sciences), and doctors of sciences. So, for master's students, the competition for the scholarship opens annually in February, and the deadline for submitting documents (which includes a completed application form, CV, motivation letter, and recommendation letters) expires in the same month. It is important to note that the competition for the grant is held simultaneously with admission to a Swedish university. And these two processes are closely interconnected.
So, when applying for admission, a student receives a personal number, without which they cannot participate in the scholarship selection. This means they must meet all deadlines and strictly follow all instructions during the admission process. The names of the lucky ones (there will be 45 this year) are announced in April. The scholarship they receive covers tuition fees, insurance, travel, and each scholarship holder receives just over €1000 monthly. By the way, it is awarded for one year, but it can be extended if the scholarship holder performs well.
SCHOLARSHIPS FROM UNIVERSITIES. Universities also offer scholarships to foreigners. For example, at the universities of Halmstad, Stockholm, and Gothenburg, foreigners who pass the competition have their tuition fees fully covered. At the universities of Karlstad and Lund, scholarships of various sizes are given – 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of tuition fees, at Malmö University – 75% and 90%, and at Jönköping University – 30%. By the way, unlike the previous scholarship, some universities provide financial aid not only to future master's students but also to bachelor's students.
TO ALL FOUR DIRECTIONS. There is another scholarship opportunity for foreigners – the Erasmus Mundus student mobility program of the European Commission, in which many Swedish universities participate. Within its framework, while studying at a Swedish university, one can go to study for a semester or a year at another European university, receiving a monthly scholarship of about €1000.
Six reasons to go to Sweden
1. Swedish universities are among the best in the world according to the well-known rankings Times Higher Education and QS.
2. Sweden has many scholarships for foreigners from various organizations. Moreover, the universities themselves offer tuition discounts – from 25% to 100%. They can also allocate grants for conducting research at another university or country (the amount can be about €2500).
3. Education keeps up with the times: lectures are given by practitioners, current industry issues are discussed in classes, and the library has all the necessary modern literature. You can also order a textbook from another university or even another country.
4. In addition to lectures in their own department, students can attend lectures in other specialties.
5. Free Swedish language courses are provided for foreigners.
6. After completing a Swedish master's program, one can apply for postgraduate studies at any university in the world.
Six reasons not to go to Sweden
1. The main emphasis in studying is on the student's independent work. So those with self-organization problems will find it difficult to study.
2. Due to the large difference in the programs of our and Swedish universities, you will have to catch up a lot in the first months (this concerns master's students more).
3. For plagiarism, you are immediately expelled and may be deprived of the opportunity to enroll again. And if a student fails an exam, they must retake the course and pay for it.
4. During studies, you will have to spend a lot on textbooks (one costs €20-50).
5. It is difficult to get a dormitory room due to the large number of applicants (exceptions are exchange students and scholarship holders), so many have to wait in line for more than a year. By the way, housing will cost €250-550 per month.
6. Without knowledge of Swedish, it is difficult to find a part-time job.
To be continued.
Lyudmila KOLB,
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