Study at the home of Nobel prize

Scholarships

This highly industrialised country in northern Europe has a population of a little over nine million. Swedish universities promote innovative research. Their reputation is cemented with rigorous quality control. The education system is student-centric; personal initiative and critical thought are prized. The country is an innovator and creative force in the modern world.

Look at the Volvo buses, a popular innovation admired the world over. Nearly 30,000 foreign students are studying in Sweden. Their number is 8.5 per cent of the entire student body. Swedish universities offer around 600 Master's degree programmes in a wide range of disciplines. There are Ph.D. candidates from some 80 countries. Students have the freedom to work during their studies. The Swedish Institute grants hundreds of scholarships every year to foreign students.

For accommodation and other expenses, a majority of the South Asian students receive scholarships from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). STINT, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, has a scholarship programme for foreign students in international Master programmes.

The Ford Foundation's International fellowships form another source. The tuition fees are fully subsidised by the State. However, foreign students (from countries outside the European Economic Area) may have to pay for their studies from the autumn term of 2011. There would be additional scholarships.

Sweden has 48 universities/accredited institutions of higher education. Comprehensive facility for programme/ course search is available in the website www.studyinsweden.se. The site offers

facility for searching programmes based on factors such as Level (Bachelor's /Master's), subject, university, and location. You may keep in mind factors such as your aptitude, interests, and location of the institution while you

search for your right option. There is no age limit for admission to any programme.

The local student union at your university may help you find suitable accommodation for you. There is plenty of accommodation available at schools located in smaller and middle-sized cities or towns. The situation is difficult in the larger cities, especially in Stockholm. Many students prefer to live in student dormitories. When applying for a residence permit, you must prove to the Swedish Migration Board that you will have a guaranteed sum of money at your disposal throughout the entire period of your studies. Roughly SEK 7,300 per

month for ten months of the year. (One 1 Swedish Krona is a little less than seven Indian rupees)

The degree structure

The degree structure in Sweden conforms to the Bologna Process, a European standard. There are three levels, each with minimum requirements for entry. Degrees awarded at each level are defined in terms of the expected learning outcomes.

First level

There are two degree options:

Achievable after two years of study

Bachelor's degree after three years

You can join this level after the higher secondary school.

Second level

There are two degree options:

Degree of Master (two years)

Degree of Master (one year)

You can join this level after a three-year Bachelor's degree or three years of Swedish first level.

Third level

A degree of Licentiate, after two years of research, and a Ph.D. after four years of research. You can join this level after a Degree of Master (two years) or a Degree of Master (one year), or four years of full-time studies, three at the Swedish first level and at least one year at the second level, or a comparable international degree. If you want to pursue studies in the Swedish language, you have to pass the TISUS test in Swedish.

This includes reading comprehension, oral presentation and written composition. Several institutions offer full-time/ part-time Swedish language programmes for beginners.

A higher secondary certificate would normally be sufficient for admission to an undergraduate programme in the English language medium. A certificate to prove your English language proficiency also may have to be produced (TOEFL, Cambridge EFL, or IELTS at the prescribed level).

Further, additional requirements if any for specific courses would have to be fulfilled. There could be competition for admission, and therefore good academic history and fine performance in interview may be necessary. Your eligibility for admission for any programme is to be decided by the concerned university or university college, based on your academic attainments. There is no age restriction for admission.

Reputed universities

Some of the reputed universities and institutions of higher education are: Chalmers University of Technology, Linköping University, Lund University, Örebro University, Royal University College of the Fine Arts, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm University, Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Umeå University, University of Borås, University of Gothenburg, Uppsala University, Växjö University

Contact: Embassy of Sweden, 4-5 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110 021; Ph: 011-4419 7100; e-mail: [email protected]