About university and university college
At a university or university college, you can study a wide range of programmes and freestanding courses. Higher education studies involve a great deal of freedom and responsibility. Your studies must always be based on scientific or artistic knowledge and proven experience. It is important to be critically questioning and to put what you read into your own perspective.
Many opportunities for different types of study
At a university or university college, you can study in many different ways. You can
- study on a programme
- choose courses to work towards a degree yourself
- earn a vocational degree
- take freestanding courses for skills enhancement or the like
- take summer courses
- study on a foundation year programme
- study at the bachelor's (first-cycle) level
- study the master's (second-cycle) level
- study at the doctoral (third-cycle) level.
The different study levels at universities and university colleges
Universities and university colleges offer three levels of studies:
- bachelor's (first-cycle) level
- master's (second-cycle) level
- doctoral (third-cycle) level.
There is no significant difference between a university and a university college, but a university always offers programmes at all three levels. This is not always the case at a university college.
Foundation year
A foundation year programme is for individuals who lack specific qualifications for admission to the higher education programme in which they want to study. It is a one-year programme at the upper secondary level that does not earn any credits. However, it can mean that you are guaranteed a place on the programme you plan to attend.
Foundation year, antagning.se, Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Different ways to earn a degree
You can choose to study a programme that leads to a degree. The university or university college will then decide which courses are included in the programme and in which order you should take them. You are then guaranteed a place on all the courses included in that programme.
You can also choose to put together your own courses that lead to a general degree. In such case, you are more free to choose the order in which you study the courses.
Some vocational degrees, such as for nursing or psychology, can only be obtained by completing a programme.
How the programme is structured
You have a lot of freedom to choose how to organise your time when you study at a university or university college. There are lectures, seminars or other forms of scheduled teaching. Lectures and seminars are the most common forms.
All of the programmes offered by universities and university colleges are made up of courses. Some courses are only a few weeks long, while others last a whole year.
Full-time study involves about 40 hours a week. Not all of these hours are booked for lectures. A lot of time is spent reading literature and doing assignments on your own.
Most programmes start in the autumn, but there are also programmes that start in the spring. You can also choose to take summer courses. If you are a full-time student, you will take 60 credits per year.
You can choose to study many courses part-time, for example at a 50% or 25% pace. With part-time studies, you study fewer hours per week and take fewer credits. The lectures are then usually held in the evenings or at weekends. This makes it easier if you want to combine your studies with work.
Different teaching methods
A lecture is a talk given by a teacher to a group of students on a particular subject. The size of lectures can vary, from a large group in an auditorium to a smaller number of students in a classroom. During the lecture, you listen and take notes.
A seminar involves a small group of students coming together to discuss a particular topic that you have learned about in advance. Participation is often compulsory, and the teacher will grade you afterwards.
At university and university college, you may be required to write academic papers. You are often required to complete a degree project in the form of a 15-credit academic paper. This is an independent, investigative research project, and is one of the requirements for earning a bachelor's degree. There are also often smaller academic papers you need to write during the course of your studies.
Programmes leading to a vocational degree often include one or more periods of placement. This allows you to practice your future profession in a workplace.
Entry requirements for admission to a university or university college
To be admitted to a course or programme, you must meet the entry requirements. There are two types of entry requirements – basic entry requirements and specific entry requirements. For some programmes, it is enough to meet the basic entry requirements, but many programmes also require you to meet specific entry requirements.
Basic entry requirements
All higher education preparatory and vocational programmes in upper secondary school result in you meeting the basic entry requirements for higher education if you have completed the programme and graduated.
Basic entry requirements, studera.nu, Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Specific entry requirements
Specific entry requirements mean that you are required to have certain prior knowledge that you obtain by taking certain courses at the upper secondary level. The specific entry requirements are linked to the content of the programme and differ between different programmes. For example, if you are studying to become a doctor, you will need a strong knowledge of science subjects.
Some programmes may also have different requirements, offer exemptions or require a work sample portfolio. Find out what the requirements are at the university or university college where you want to study.
Other ways of becoming qualified
Prior learning
Even if you did not attend upper secondary school, you can still apply to universities and university colleges. Your prior learning may be considered sufficient if you have documented proof of it.
Prior learning may come from courses you have taken, or it could be experience you have gained through working life or from organisations or prolonged periods of time spent abroad.
If you want to apply based on prior learning, you must demonstrate your overall competence by submitting your documents, such as grades or certificates. The university or university college you have applied to will then make an overall assessment of your qualifications and decide whether you have the potential to complete the programme.
To have a better chance of being admitted to a programme, you can take the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test. Prior learning does not have its own selection group and does not give a merit rating.
Exemption
The university or university college may grant an exemption if you have neither formal qualifications nor prior learning. This means that you are exempted from one or more entry requirements for a programme on one occasion. Exemptions are rarely granted.
Contact the university or university college where you want to study if you wish to apply for an exemption.
Application regarding prior learning and an exemption
Read more about where to send your application regarding prior learning and exemptions at the Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website, antagning.se
Prior learning, antagning.se , Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Selection groups
Applicants to a programme are divided into different groups. Which group or groups you are placed in depends on your study background.
The selection groups can be divided into three main groups:
- Those competing based on grades: the direct group, the supplementary qualification group and the folk high school group. At least one third of the places are filled from here.
- Those competing based on Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test results. At least one third of the places are filled from here.
- A group that the university or university college sets the rules for.
How the places are distributed between the direct group, the supplementary qualification group and the folk high school group depends on how many applicants there are in the different groups.
Good to compete in several selection groups
It is an advantage for you to have several different qualifications, such as grades and results from the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test. This will allow you to be placed in several selection groups at the same time, increasing your chances of being admitted to a programme.
If several applicants have the same qualifications, the university or university college may use, for example, the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test or other tests to categorise applicants into the different grade groups. They can also use interviews or a lottery system.
Allocation of places and selection, antagning.se, Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test
The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test is a voluntary test that can be taken twice a year. If you take it, you will participate in more selection groups in the admissions process.
In order to be included in the selection, you must meet the entry requirements for the programme you are applying to. Being in several selection groups increases your chances of being admitted to most programmes.
Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test, antagning.se, Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Application and admission
You can apply for most programmes at universities and university colleges in Sweden via the website antagning.se. The website also contains information about how to apply and when you can submit your application. Some programmes are outside the usual autumn, summer and spring admission periods. They follow their own timetable. Check the programme's page on the website of the university or university college to see which dates apply.
Antagning.se, Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR)
Studies are free of charge for most students
Studying in a programme at a university or university college in Sweden is free of charge for most students. You are also eligible for student grants and loans from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN). You do not have to pay any enrolment or tuition fees if you
- are a Swedish citizen
- have a permanent residence permit in Sweden
- have a temporary residence permit (for reasons other than studies) in Sweden
- are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you must pay enrolment and tuition fees.
The universities and university colleges themselves set the tuition fees and are responsible for collecting payment of the fees. Contact the university or college where you want to study for more information.
Enrolment and tuition fees, studera.nu, Swedish Council for Higher Education’s (UHR) website
Student grants and loans, CSN’s website
Get help from a study and vocational guidance counsellor
Every university and university college offers study and vocational guidance. You can contact them if you are interested in any of the programmes offered by the university or university college, and they can also give you general guidance on studying at the university level. Study and vocational guidance counsellors are knowledgeable about the content of the various programmes, qualifications, different professions and the labour market.