Studying abroad today is not only prestigious, but also very far-sighted. After all, with a diploma from a European university, finding a job in your speci alty is much easier. And not only abroad, but also here. However, not all universities in Europe are equally good, and besides, not all countries welcome students from other countries with hospitality. Let's look at the best universities in Sweden, because this country is famous for its high quality of education, as well as a record number of scholarship programs for foreigners.
Swedish kingdom
If you are reading this, it means that you are interested in Sweden, at least at the level of the country where you would like to study. And if so, you will have to live here for a while. Therefore, it is worth at least a little to know about it.
The Kingdom of Sweden is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula and is washed by the B altic Sea, bordering Finland and Norway.
As for the currency, the Swedish krona is used here, and not the euro, as in France, Germany, Finland orNetherlands.
Swedish is spoken in this country and highly valued. However, most citizens speak excellent English, so if you know it, you will not be lost. But if you plan not only to study, but also to earn money in parallel, or even dream of staying here to live after receiving a diploma, you will have to get to know the language of the locals better.
It is also worth bearing in mind that life here is very expensive, as with our money. Therefore, in addition to paying for studies, you will need to have money for medical insurance, food, housing and other small expenses.
Fortunately, Swedish law welcomes the employment of students from other countries. And if you feel that you can combine study and work, and also have the financial ability to pay for at least the first year, you can already choose which of the universities in Sweden you would like to study. Fortunately, foreigners are welcome in this country and, especially for them, English-language study programs have been developed in almost every university.
Features of the education system
Before choosing an educational institution, it is worth learning a little about the educational system of the country.
We are skipping kindergarten, where, like ours, kids are from 1 year to 6.
Then the children go to school, where they will study until the age of 16 - 9 classes. This part of Sweden's education is compulsory for all its citizens.
At the age of 16, school graduates can either go to work or study until the age of 20 in gymnasiums. Visiting these establishments is optional. However, if youwant to go to university or just aspire to have a normal job in the future, and not work hard at McDonald's for a penny, do not neglect the gymnasium.
It is worth noting that even if you are in a fit of youthful maximalism, you did not study at this institution, but immediately found a job - Swedish law provides for the possibility of visiting their counterparts even in adulthood. These are the so-called higher folk schools, where you can get a certificate of completed secondary education.
So, after graduating from a gymnasium or its equivalent, you can go to university. Note that in Sweden this can be done at age 20. So if you plan to study at one of the universities of this state with your school certificate, you will have to “walk” for a couple of years until you reach twenty. This has its advantage - there will be time to work or learn Swedish. And if there is both time and desire - go to the army or finish some vocational school.
Higher education in Sweden is represented by 3 stages:
- undergraduate;
- magistracy;
- doctorate.
At the first stage, you will have to study for 3 years, you can, of course, 2. But in this case, you will only receive a diploma of higher education, which will look beautiful in a frame on the wall, but it is of little use for employment in Sweden or another European state. Where do you, apparently, want to go to work, having spent so much time, effort, and most importantly, finances to get an education.
After a bachelor's degree, you can continue your studies at a master's degree(2 more years). Foreigners can enter here by immediately receiving a bachelor's degree in their home country.
To become a doctor (don't forget that this is an academic degree, often not related to the profession of a doctor) - after the master's degree, you will have to work on textbooks for another 4 years. The good news is that you can also apply here if you already have a master's degree from another country.
It takes 9 years to complete all stages of Swedish higher education, and taking into account 12 years of schooling and gymnasium, it turns out that only by the age of 30 does a resident of Sweden finish his studies if he did not take breaks.
At the same time, not everyone becomes a doctor, because in order to gain knowledge and the opportunity to find a good job, it is often enough to complete a bachelor's or master's degree.
Pros and cons of studying
If you are determined to study here, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of this educational system.
The first thing you need to know is that studying at universities for foreigners (except for EU countries) is paid. And this is from 7.5 to 20 thousand euros per year, excluding accommodation, food, medical insurance and other household expenses.
However, unlike other European countries, in Sweden there are a lot of scholarship programs for foreigners, and almost every self-respecting university. In addition, in this country there are special programs that issue grants for training for the most promising foreigners - these are VISBY and SISS. Help first - the opportunity to study for free at universities in Sweden forRussians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, as well as citizens of Moldova and Georgia. The second targets Kazakhs, Armenians, Kyrgyz, Turkmens and Azerbaijanis.
And now back to the cons, scholarships and grants are different. Some cover only academic expenses (tuition fees), that is, you will have to fork out of your own pocket for accommodation, meals and other pleasures. However, this is more often the case for scholarships from Swedish universities, while grants from VISBY and SISS also cover additional costs.
In addition, doctoral students are en titled to monthly assistance in the amount of 1.5 thousand euros, which is a payment for their scientific activities.
And again to the minuses. It is unprofitable for foreigners to study for a bachelor's degree in Sweden, since at this academic stage there are no scholarships or grants. And it will be very difficult to pay for both studies and living in this country through part-time jobs, unless, of course, you already have a job in some company, and obtaining a diploma is just a formality.
And now back to the pluses. Many universities in Sweden have the opportunity to study remotely, even while in another country. Lectures and seminars with this form take place online, which is very convenient. However, if you get an education in this way, you will not get a student visa, which means that you will not be able to earn extra money specifically in this country.
But do not despair, because our handyman with knowledge of classical literature and history, as well as fluency in at least two European languages, is welcome in all hotels and resorts in the world. So if you are sure that you will find inIf you have the strength to study after an 8-12-hour shift on your feet in one of the Maldives, you can apply for distance learning in Sweden. Fortunately, it costs less than a daily one, and the diploma will be identical.
And the last thing: weighing all the pros and cons of getting a higher education in Sweden, remember that in this country they are aimed at forming specialists in their field - people who not only know, but know how to do something. And this means that here you have to study for real. On the other hand, if you endure all these difficulties, then finding a job will not be so difficult. Moreover, the Swedes, like most developed European countries, are interested in highly qualified foreign specialists and are ready to provide them with grants and employment after graduation. However, for this you need to be very, very good at your job, and also be able to show yourself from the best side.
What should I do?
After reading the previous paragraph, you might think that studying at Swedish universities for our compatriots is something beyond their capabilities. Actually it is not. Studying in this country will not be easy, but not much more difficult than in any of our universities, but the level of technical facilities and benefits there is definitely higher. So if you want to learn, and most importantly, are ready for it - you can. Moreover, you can apply with our diplomas immediately at any of the stages. And if this is a master's or doctoral program, you may even be able to become a scholarship holder or get a grant.
What documents are needed
The application and other papers can be submitted via the Internet by registering on the official website of the chosen university. As a rule, applicants are required to provide.
- Diploma or high school diploma with an insert with grades (this is important, because in Sweden there is a so-called "certificate competition").
- Recommendations from previous place of study.
- A letter about how good you are and what grace will descend on the university that sheltered you.
- Passport.
- Screenshot of your account on the university website.
- Certificate confirming your knowledge of English, and better Swedish. For English it's TOEFL or IELTS, for Swedish it's TISUS or SLTAR.
- And, of course, a receipt for payment of the mandatory fee for processing and receiving your data. As a rule, the amount is several tens of euros.
Probably, it is worth clarifying that all of the above documents are copies certified by a notary. In addition to them, at any university you will be asked to send something else.
Most often this is an essay of some kind, examples of your scientific research in your chosen field or evidence of your many extracurricular activities, which should convince the strict Swedish commission that you are an extremely versatile person.
It is best if these are not just recommendations, but some kind of certificates or diplomas, indicating that you have some real success. This is important, because in addition to your package of documents, hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants from all over the world will be considered. And you should be against their backgroundlook like a delicious strawberry muffin. Although this situation is typical for any university in the world - natural selection in action.
In addition to submitting a package of documents for admission to a selected Swedish university, it is worth starting to look for a scholarship program and apply there as well. Usually all data is available on official websites - so go for it.
All your applications will be carefully considered and you will be notified of the decision, whatever it may be. If you are accepted, get ready to submit a new package of documents, this time for a student visa, but that's another story.
University of Lund (Sweden)
So, let's start considering universities where you can go to study. First of all, this is Lund University (Lund University).
In Sweden, it is considered not only one of the most ancient, but also prestigious. Enrollment here is based on school / university grades from the certificate / diploma.
There are English-language programs for foreigners, as well as the opportunity to study for a semester, or even a year of exchange, the availability of distance / distance learning.
But this university does not provide scholarships and hostels. So if you want to study here, you will have to fight for a grant from VISBY or another international foundation.
As for the faculties of Lund University in Sweden, they are as follows:
- Humanitarian.
- Theological
- Medical.
- Natural sciences.
- Right.
- Social sciences.
- Economyand management.
- Engineering.
- Art Academy.
Uppsala University
Another public university, whose level is recognized as one of the highest in the world, is Uppsala University. By the way, in his homeland he is considered almost the best.
Like the previous one, the University of Uppsala (Sweden) actively hosts foreign students - they make up 22% of all students here.
However, enrollment here is no longer only based on grades from the school (previous university), but also taking into account entrance exams.
There is no own scholarship here either, and you will have to look for housing yourself. According to the official data of the university itself, a month of accommodation (excluding study expenses) will cost from 600 to 1200 dollars.
At the same time, it is possible to study remotely or develop an individual training program.
Faculties here are as follows:
- Arts & Humanities.
- Engineering and technology.
- Life sciences and medicine.
- Natural sciences.
- Social sciences and management.
- Physics.
- Chemistry.
University of Gothenburg
Another university that is ready to welcome English-speaking foreigners within its walls is the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. It is worth mentioning that the city in which it is located is the second largest in its country, so one cannot dream of cheap housing here. But there are more opportunities to find a good part-time job or a job after graduation.
Admission here is based on grades. For foreigners, English-language programs have been developed, but only for magistracy.
But this university provides housing and also gives scholarships to especially outstanding students. As in previous cases, here you can study remotely.
Here there are such faculties in the following areas:
- Art.
- Social Sciences.
- Business, economics and law.
- Pedagogy.
- Science.
- IT.
- Medical Academy.
- Valand Fine Art School.
Chalmers University of Technology
Like the previous one, this university is located in Gothenburg. However, unlike most Swedish universities, it is not public, but private. Despite this, it provides scholarships and an exchange program. However, the university does not provide housing, and besides, there is no distance learning. And this is understandable, because Chalmers University is considered the best research university in Sweden and one of the best in Europe. And scientific experiments, as you know, cannot be done in absentia.
He owes much of his achievements to "fresh blood" - that is, foreign students, whom he targets. Therefore, 90% of his students come from other countries.
This university is aimed at educating the scientific elite, therefore it specializes in technical subjects, natural sciences and architecture.
It includes the following faculties:
- Nanotechnology.
- Ecology.
- Informatics.
Industrial design.
- Management.
- Architecture.
Stockholm University
This university, although located in the capital, does not provide scholarships or housing to foreign students. But on the other hand, admission here is only based on grades in a diploma or certificate.
Among the faculties of this university are:
- Arts & Humanities.
- Language and culture.
- Medicine and he alth.
- Science and technology.
- Engineering.
- Business and social sciences.
This university has 2 observatories (Stockholm and S altsjöbaden), a center for marine research, a center for interdisciplinary environmental studies and 5 laboratories (marine, glaciological, for the study of marine fauna, ethology and botany).
A nice feature for the Russians may be the fact that in the XIX century. Sofia Kovalevskaya was a professor at the Department of Mathematics here.
Karolinska University (Institute)
Last in our top, but not least - Karolinska University in Sweden. He is known not only for the high quality of knowledge and skills of graduates, but also for the fact that his committee appoints Nobel Prize winners in the field of physiology and medicine. So you can imagine their level. In addition, 2 hospitals (in Solna and Hudding) belong to this university, where they not only treat patients, but also carry out research in the field of medicine.
Please note that most of the medical programs here are taught in Swedish, so you need to know it when applying here.
It is worth noting that this university is a medical university in Sweden, but is called an "institute" (Karolinska Institutet). Although it is allowed to call it a "university", since it is in essence, preparing bachelors, masters and doctors.
It consists of 22 faculties, each of which explores a separate medical field, from cell and molecular biology to pharmacology and gynecology. So there is a lot of practice here. So if you took the risk of entering this university and intend to get all its degrees, forget about life as such for the next 9 years.
In conclusion, I would like to add that, like in our country, people also live in Sweden, and different ones. And on average, they are no smarter or dumber than you and me. Therefore, anyone who does it here will be able to study in that country. The main problem is financing, because the level of our salaries and Swedish salaries is very different. And this is perhaps the fattest minus, often covering absolutely all the pluses.
