The later part of Swedish education Part 2 Posted by Katja on Feb 15, 2011 in Uncategorized
In part 1 of “The later part of Swedish education” we very briefly looked at what high school was like in Sweden. In part 2 we are going to look a little bit at what students who don’t get into Swedish universities do instead.
What happens to all the students who don’t get into medical school for example? If they don’t want to wait until the next application period (you can usually get into university twice a year, in spring and autumn) then a lot of people go abroad to amongst other countries Poland or Hungary to get the first year or two of their medical education. Then they return to complete their education in the Swedish system. The universities in those countries, contrary to the Swedish universities, not free. Since there are a huge amount of students (a large number of them Swedes) who go to these countries, special universities specifically aim their business at foreigners and therefore make sure that all their courses are offered in English. Swedish students contribute to those universities’ economies immensely with their annual tuition fees.
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Comments:
Natasza:
Don’t give the misleading information, universities in Poland are free of tuition.
Katja:
I am not saying that all of the universities charge fees, but do not be mistaken about there not being any universities at all in Poland that charge at least for foreigners tuition.
Natasza:
“The universities in those countries, contrary to the Swedish universities, not free.” – this implies that exactly all universities in Poland charge fees. I have no idea what do foreigners have to pay, so I don’t say anything on this topic. For Poles, universities are free unless you want to do a special paid weekend course, but it’s optional – if you study the regular way, it’s free.
blaaraeka:
actually both of you are wrong (or not completely right;))
public universities in poland give so called ‘day studies’ which are completely free not only for Poles, but for everyone from european union countries.
though, 99,99% of these studies are in polish and that’s why for those scandinavians (the majority of them in cracow are actually from norway, not sweden) studies in poland are not free. and they would have to compete with best polish students to get into such studies.
but not only foreign students have to pay! public universities give so called ‘evening studies’ as well. those are not weekend courses (‘non-stationary studies’), but you have to paid for them. generally people who do not manage to get into free studies are studying there. and of course all privately-owned universities charge tuiton fee.
additionally, i don’t know what’s the fee, but i guess these medical studies in english are ridiculously expensive taking into consideration polish economical conditions (but still cheap for swedes probalby). attracting foreign students is the way to build up economic situation of medical faculties at the universities, but saying that ‘Swedish students contribute to those universities’ economies immensely with their annual tuition fees.’ is huge overassesment. maybe we are still poor country but remember that 40 million people live up here! bunch of Swedes who didn’t make it into free medical studies up in the north can’t make the difference;)
Natasza:
Personally, I’ve never heard of “evening studies”, so apparently not all universities in Poland provide them. And of course, there is a tuition for both “weekend courses” and private schools but this tuition is NOTHING compared to what foreign universities charge in countries where the higher education is paid. Don’t get the idea that in Poland you have to pay $40,000 for studies.
Also, blaaraeka, don’t bother about Swedes boasting about how wonderful they are and how underdeveloped other countries are compared to Sweden – it’s their national trace 😉
blaaraeka:
yeah, i just realized that in cracow only jagiellonian university provide such ‘evening studies’ (classes are not in the evening by the way:D) and technical university or economics university does not;)
blaaraeka:
provides* do not* ;]