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STUDY IN SWEDEN

Education in Sweden is mandatory for children between ages 7 and 15. The school year in Sweden runs from mid/late August to early/mid-June. The Christmas holiday from mid-December to early January divides the Swedish school year into two terms.

Preschool is free for low-income families and subsidized with a price ceiling for all families. The year children turn six they start the compulsory preschool class (förskoleklass), which act as a transition phase between preschool and comprehensive schools. Children between ages 7 and 15 attend comprehensive school where a wide range of subjects are studied. All students study the same subjects, with exception for different language choices. The majority of schools are run municipally, but there are also privately owned schools, known as independent schools.
Almost all students continue studying in 3 yearlong upper secondary schools where most students choose one out of 18 national programmes some of which are vocational and some preparatory. For students not fulfilling the requirements for the national programmes, introductory programmes are available where students work to satisfy the requirements for the national programmes. In 2018, 16% of students finishing year 9 of comprehensive school were not eligible for national programmes.

The higher education system is compatible with the rest of Europe through the Bologna Process where degrees are divided into 3 cycles, basic level, advanced level and doctoral level. There are two degrees available in each cycle of different lengths. Universities have no tuition fees for Swedish citizens (as well for citizens of European Economic Area countries), and student aid is available from the government.

Pre-School
Preschool is offered to all children whose parents are working, studying, unemployed or on parental leave from the age of one. From the age of 3, all children are eligible for at least 3 hours of preschool education every day for free. Fees for children being at preschool for more than 3 hours a day or under 3 years of age are based on family income and number of children. Prices range from free to a maximum of 1 425 SEK (€135 or US$150) per month As of July 2019 with exact rates set by the municipality It is intended to free up parents to work, establishing a foundation for children going into the comprehensive school and promote fundamental values such as the equal value of all people. This is achieved through pedagogical activities prepared by preschool teachers often involving things such as play, singing and drawing. The preschool teachers should incorporate multiple educational moments each day
Comprehensive School
Class of 15- and 16-year-olds celebrates a successfully completed Realexamen (graduation from realskolan) in a Stockholm suburb in 1965. In 1842, the Swedish parliament introduced a four-year primary school for children in Sweden, “folkskola”. In 1882 two grades were added to “folkskola”, grade 5 and 6. Some “folkskola” also had grade 7 and 8, called “fortsättningsskola”. Schooling in Sweden became mandatory for 7 years in the 1930s and for 8 years in the 1950s. In 1962 the first version of the current compulsory school was introduced with Swedish children having 9 mandatory years in school – from August the year the child turns 7 to June the year the child turns 16. The 1962 curriculum included two different study paths vocational and preparatory, this was however abolished in the 1969 revision. In 1980 came another major revision increasing the emphasis on the theoretical subjects. In 1994 the grading system was changed and in the latest revision from 2011 the grading system was changed yet again this time also introducing grades from year 6.
Secondary Education
In 1905 realskolan was introduced for students wanting to continue studying after folkskolan it had varying length between 3 and 6 years. In 1968 gymnasieskolan was introduced with a similar structure to the current version. 22 different programmes some of which were vocational and some preparatory. These programmes lasted from between 2 and 4 years something that was changed in 1991 making all programmes 3 years long.
Higher Education

After upper secondary school, students can apply to university in order to receive tertiary education. General academic degrees are offered by public universities and university colleges that tend to attract students on a regional basis. Besides general academic degrees, the higher education system also provides a number of professional degrees at a bachelor’s or master’s level in fields such as engineering, law and medicine. Independently from the Bologna Process-compatible university system there is a system of higher vocational education where subject areas such as, Business Finance and Administration, IT, and Hospitality and Tourism are being taught.

Types of degrees

Swedish degrees are incorporated in the Bologna Process, the European higher education framework. In this system degrees are divided into three cycles, corresponding to bachelor’s level, master’s level and doctoral level. In Sweden, there are two general qualifications for each cycle of different lengths and various professional degrees and various professional degrees at bachelor’s or master’s level.

Language Requirements
Before being accepted to a higher education programme in Sweden, all applicants must demonstrate a minimum proficiency in Swedish and English. For international applicants, the Test in Swedish for University Studies is used to test Swedish language proficiency and Test of English as a Foreign Language or the Cambridge First Certificate in English exam may be used for English.
SweSAT
The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (Högskoleprovet) is a standardised test used as one of the means to gain admission to higher education in Sweden. The test itself is divided into a mathematical part and a verbal part, which both contain 4 subdivisions, in total 160 multiple-choice questions. Apart from the English language reading comprehension test, all sections are taken in Swedish. To gain admittance to courses or programmes using the SweSAT students need to independently fulfill the eligibility requirements.
Student Aid
Swedish students receives help from the National Board of Student Aid (CSN) while studying. CSN is a Swedish Government authority that is sending out financial aid for studies. This includes loans and grants for students that is studying in Sweden or abroad in another country.[72] As of autumn semester 2011, higher education is free of charge only for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens.
Independent Schools
Prior to the 1990s, there were only a handful of private schools in Sweden, mostly tuition-funded boarding schools, whereof Sigtunaskolan and Lundsbergs skola are the most well-known. A major education reform in 1992 allowed privately run schools offering primary or secondary education to receive public funding for each student, at a level similar to what public schools receive. These are called “independent schools” (friskolor), and in 2008 there were around 900 of them.[ The “independent schools”, similar to charter schools in the United States or academies in the United Kingdom, are funded with public money (skolpeng) from the local municipality, based on the number of pupils they have enrolled, in the same way Swedish public schools are. Consequently, they are not allowed to discriminate or require admission examinations, nor are they allowed to charge the students any additional fees. They are, however, allowed to accept private donations. Regional economic differences directly affect how much money each municipality can provide per pupil. Anyone can start an independent for-profit school, or a chain of such schools, in Sweden. Many of them offer an alternate pedagogy (such as Montessori), or a foreign/international, religious or special needs (such as hearing-impaired) profile. There are also several secondary schools with an elite sports profile. Internationella Engelska Skolan and Kunskapsskolan are the two largest “independent school” chains. In 2008, more than 10% of Swedish pupils were enrolled independent schools.

Educonsult International has partnered with WESTERN EDUCATION PARTNERS, which cooperates with all the universities in Sweden – www.wep-acdemic.com

Educonsult International
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