Swedish University Education Posted by Tibor on Sep 1, 2010 in Uncategorized
Swedish university education is one of the top ranked educations in the world. The reason is for that is a lot of research and that people are not afraid of using new technologies and methods. Swedish education is often based on the one-step-ahead idea. The Swedish governments have invested a lot into adequate educations. There has been a tendency since the early 90s that universities started looking for sectors that might develop or should/could be succesfully developed. You plan ahead and it is for long-term. The education should be competitive on an international scale. Swedish institutions have been flexible changing their profile, research areas and developing them during the years.
In Sweden education is free of charge. From this year it is also a free choice whether you want to pay for your student union a semester fee or not. I have to highlight the importance of these fees, whether it is up to you or not. I think it is essential to be in a safe position if anything unfair happens to you at the university. Let´s say you have problem with a teacher or with the institution. The student union can always provide you any kind of help (inculding legal) and back you up. Besides, you receive a student discount card and a bunch of benefits. It is like belonging to a union at work. The union always keen on your interests towards the employer. A membership can lead to equality in dialogue. There have been discussions about introducing an entrance fee for students coming outside of the EU, but to be honest I really don´t know if any decision has been made about it.
If you live in Sweden you can go to KOMVUX to learn Swedish as a second language aka. Svenska 2 that gives you secondary school competence. Before KOMVUX you have also a possibility (when you arrive to Sweden) to learn Swedish at SFI (Svenska för invandrare/Swedish for immigrants). It is free of charge and gives you primary school competence. There has been lot of criticism towards SFI-system, but I have to say it really depends on your teacher and your engagement how much you will learn. You´ll be given the tools. Besides, it is for free! How many countries do you know where language education is free of charge? Not many.
Swedish universities have a wide range of Master programs given in English, but if you want to study in Swedish you have to of course speak the language. You have two choices to be eligible for studies in Swedish. One option is a test so called TISUS (Test in Swedish for universities). An additional fee has to be paid for taking an exam. I have heard that you can write the tests also once or twice a year at the Swedish Embassy in your home country. It is a hard and very advanced test just like a Proficiency Test in English. Both universities and Folkuniversitetet provide preparation courses for these exams. It is strongly recommended if you ask me. You can apply for a preparation course that is free of charge at the universities or buy a place through a so called Tisus course-package at Folkuniversity in case you don´t get into the university. To be able to study at a Swedish university you have to have TOEFL or Cambridge certificate or anything similar that can be transferred by the local university or by VHS that is the Board for Higher Education Service. They can also transfer all your credits from your native country, but even the local universities provide that service. If you are a new student take contact with a so called student counselor studievägledare. They usually know everything about the bureaucracy.
You can also take an international Swedish language examination that is called SWEDEX if you need proof of your Swedish knowledge in a foreign country because of work or other reasons. The Swedex won´t give you any qualifications for higher education in Sweden. The exams are from level A2-B1, which is the European Framework of Reference for Langauges and it is valid all across the EU.
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Comments:
Nikki:
Ahh this is cool. I have my eye on a masters programme at Stockholm University that is taught in English. Since I am from England, am I correct in thinking I wouldn’t need to prove my competence, since it is of course my first language?
I am also learning Swedish so I will be able to get a part time job as I understand the cost of living in Stockholm is pretty high!
Rastik:
One thing is that the education is for free, the other whether there universities can accept enough students. I’ve heard that in Sweden there are no entry exams but universities rely on high school grades only. And some students simply study abroad (and pay for it) because they cannot get to the university in Sweden. Would a tuiton fee allow to accept more students?
Rastik:
And a personal remark regarding unions: I know that they are very popular in Sweden and I’m glad they are not compulsory for students. I can imagine their role for some professions (e.g. workers in a factory). But students, office workers, …?
What kind of discount card is associated with student unions? Is it something more than regular ISIC?
Tibor:
Hi Rastik!
1.Thanks for bringing interesting discussions to the forum. There are several categories in Sweden when it comes to entry requirements. First of all you have to meet the general ones which is you have finished high school and you know Swedish and English. For some courses and programs we do have special entry requirements such as higher knowledge or Mathematics or previous academic credits or a special test that is called Högskoleprovet. You can also raise your grades at KOMVUX in case you don´t have enough credits from high school.
There are also certain regulations about acceptance to higher education by quotas when it comes to age, sex and work experience. So it is a bit complicated. Well, I do believe in free education for everyone so I wouldn´t be happy about a tuition fee. However, it could be a solution to draw a line and say we have 40 places and the rest is payable. But then again you have to draw a limit there as well because of limited resources and future chance finding a job. A lot of people with academic background go without a job in Sweden. It is true that many students can´t get into certain programs even with straight A-s. So they move abroad. On the other hand it has positive effects as well on for example Swedish Health Care where you return with several language knowledge and international experience in your pocket. And that is quite good in a multicultural society. And let´s not forget that 70 % of these students simply did not have good enough grades to meet the requirements in Sweden. But something has to be done I agree with you.
2. About the student union. I think that the most important is that they can help you with any kind of twist between you and your institution. I don´t want to hand over all the power to the institutions. So simple is that. The student card gives you plenty of discounts from 10%-50%. Buying books, computer, food, traveling, software to computers at some places etc. For a student even 10 % is a good discount.
Erik Nor Cal:
Hej,
The Swedish system sounds like a very good deal for all students. My question concens employment after completion of your degree. I have an aquiantance at Lund who came to the states for a summer research project as a PhD candidate. While here we talked at length about Swedish education and she felt disheartened that despite earning a PhD she will have a very difficult time finding employment in her field of interest in Sweden. Does a university degree guarantee employment? Does having a post graduate degree (MS or PhD) give you a better chance at empployment/
Tack
Tibor:
Hi Erik!
I guess it does not. You can´t be sure about that in any other country either. If her field is very specific then it can be really hard I guess.
Erik Nor Cal:
I guess what I’m asking is is there a lot of unemployment among well educated (college and above) people? My son is interested in attending college in Sweden with the hope of living and working there as well. Goteborg vid was great… If he doesn’t go I will.
Tack
Tibor:
Hi Eric,
We have problem with youth-unemployment (let´s say people between 22-30). Talking about people with diploma. It is a problem indeed. But if for nothing else but for the sake of education and experience in another country..he should really give it a try. Good contacts are good contacts even over here btw. But I guess he´ll have some years at the uni before getting a diploma and so much can happen until then…
Camilla:
Halloj!
I have a few ideas for future posts.
I think perhaps readers of this blog will be interested in a post about Högskoleprovet. I didn’t get very good grades in High school, not enough anyway, but I really wanted to study so I took the test and got a 1,8 and got into the program i wanted.
And how about a post on the KY-utbildningar that has become more popular in the last decade? More people fins jobs after completing one of those. And there also is collaborations between universitys and KY. I went to a KY for 2 yrs and then I could transfer my credits and take them with me to the university and studied one and a half more year for a kandidatexamen i Geography.
Tibor:
Hej Camilla!
It is indeed a good idea, won´t forget it!
somorita:
Hello,
I’m a student from Bangladesh. I want to get admission in your University. I found Your University address from sromobazar.com.Can I apply from the site to you? Do you have any agent in Bangladesh?
Pls reply me at somorita131@gmail.com
Lily:
Hi! I just sat the TISUS and wrote about the experience.
http://beinginplaces.com/tisus-total-confusion/