What is it like to go to a Swedish university? What is expected of you?
Image by: Simine Azarnoush
Swedish University vs American University: How are they different?
By: Priscilla Silva
Published 29 August 2021
What is it like to go to a Swedish university? What is expected of you? How does it compare to, for example, the American system? If you just landed in Sweden ready to start your semester abroad, this is for you.
I first came to Sweden as an exchange student from the United States back in 2016. I was excited and intrigued: soon I would discover a new culture, a new language and a new group of friends. Of course, I was also mentally prepared for the cultural shock that comes with moving to a new country. And while being able to buy mustard at the pharmacy but not wine at the supermarket did shock me, some of the biggest surprises came once the semester started.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest differences I found between the American school system and the Swedish one, based on my own experiences with both.
1. Grading
Grading in Sweden varies depending on the school and the program you are studying. The most common system goes from A to E, where A is an “Excellent” and E is a “Pass”. The failing grade in Sweden is the U which stands for “Underkänd” or “Fail”. Yes, the Swedish U is the equivalent of the American F.
It is also not uncommon for Swedish universities to only give out two or three grades: VG of “Väl godkänd” (Pass with distinction); G or “Godkänd” (Pass); and of course, the infamous U. This grading system, I came to discover, is commonly used in the fields of Arts and Humanities for simplicity purposes.
One of its biggest advantages is that there is little room for debate: if you fulfill all of the course learning outcomes, you pass. However, its greatest disadvantage shows, for example, during group work. If the majority of the group did a good job, everyone passes–even the person that didn’t participate.
But don’t worry if you get a U! Because in the Swedish university system you always get a second chance. Or a third. Or a fourth.
2. Re-exams
Didn’t pass a class? No problem! One of the beauties of the Swedish university system is that, unlike the American one, you’re always given the opportunity to retake those exams you didn’t pass or couldn’t complete on time due to personal reasons. So technically you can’t really fail. And no, you won’t be forced to repeat the whole course like we do in the States.
Your instructor will usually inform you of the date and time of the first and second re-exams on the day they announce the final. If you still haven’t passed it after your second try, they will make arrangements with you to give it another shot. Still, try to keep the slacking to the minimum or you’ll end up with too many incompletes, which might prevent you from accumulating enough points to continue in your program.
3. Independent study is a must
Speaking of slacking, when I first arrived in Sweden for my studies I was surprised at how seemingly “low demand” all my classes were. While I had class at least four days a week back at my American university, in Sweden I would only have class two days a week, sometimes even one. Moreover, I found that most professors didn’t mind if I didn’t show up to class everyday, a move that would’ve had me getting kicked out of my classes back in the United States.
This apparent freedom led me to adopt a passive attitude towards my studies. I began falling behind, not attending class, leaving everything to the last minute and not even touching the readings until the night before the final essay was due. Naturally, I did poorly in my first semester.
This is when I started to notice that most students would come to school even on their days off (which by the way, are not really “off” as you are expected to do independent study on those days). Your teachers won’t tell you this because, as a university student, it is assumed that you know this already. For that same reason, they won’t be chasing you to make sure you’re in class, because you are responsible for your own learning.
So no, Swedish teachers won’t babysit you like some American teachers do, but I can promise you you will become more self-sufficient and assertive.
So you want to learn Swedish?
Being an English speaker in Sweden is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you have little to no trouble getting around and making yourself understood, as the majority of Swedish people speak English relatively well. On the other hand, it’s easy to put off learning the language or simply not even consider it because of this advantage.
While learning Swedish might not be a priority if you’re only staying for one semester, if you plan to stay longer it is highly recommended that you learn at least the basics as English will only take you that far, especially when meeting new people.
Here’s a few tips on how and where to learn and practice your Swedish.
1. Make a vocabulary list or board.
Writing down new words is a common technique utilized when learning a language. However, you can also make drawings or cut pictures from magazines if you prefer. If you don’t like making lists or carrying a notebook everywhere you go, another option is to make a collage or poster that you can hang in your room and look at everyday.
2. Post-it notes.
I once visited the house of a fellow international student friend and I noticed she had placed sticky notes on top of common objects like the door, the shelves and the fridge with the equivalent word in Swedish. “This is how I’m learning”, was her answer when she saw my confused face. That same day I went home and began doing the same.
3. The supermarket is a good place to start.
Apart from the classroom, the supermarket is perhaps where I did most of my Swedish learning. Even if you dread going grocery shopping, take this as an opportunity to learn the names of food items in Swedish. Not only will this help you to discover new foods that perhaps don’t exist in your home country but it can also come handy when trying to find recipes online.
4. Subtitles are your friends.
Another common technique used when learning a language is watching movies and TV in the target language with subtitles in your own language or viceversa. In Sweden it’s common for TV shows to be played in their original language (usually English) with Swedish subtitles. Instead of getting annoyed by them, use the subtitles in your favor to try to learn the correct spelling of the words.
5. Språkcafes and Language Exchange
This last one might not be for everyone, but if you enjoy meeting new people every week you can join a språkcafe or “language cafe”. These are gatherings organized by local associations where the objective is to practice your language skills. Participants are usually divided in groups according to their level of proficiency, so everyone can attend. There is usually one språkcafe in every city, especially those with a great influx of international residents like Malmö. Some of them meet at a local cafe or library and some others meet online.
A few språkcafes even offer a modality called language exchange, in which half of the meeting will be conducted in Swedish and the other half in your native language, so you will have the opportunity to teach others as well as learning from them.
So you want to learn Swedish?
Being an English speaker in Sweden is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you have little to no trouble getting around and making yourself understood, as the majority of Swedish people speak English relatively well. On the other hand, it’s easy to put off learning the language or simply not even consider it because of this advantage.
While learning Swedish might not be a priority if you’re only staying for one semester, if you plan to stay longer it is highly recommended that you learn at least the basics as English will only take you that far, especially when meeting new people.
Here’s a few tips on how and where to learn and practice your Swedish.
1. Make a vocabulary list or board.
Writing down new words is a common technique utilized when learning a language. However, you can also make drawings or cut pictures from magazines if you prefer. If you don’t like making lists or carrying a notebook everywhere you go, another option is to make a collage or poster that you can hang in your room and look at everyday.
2. Post-it notes.
I once visited the house of a fellow international student friend and I noticed she had placed sticky notes on top of common objects like the door, the shelves and the fridge with the equivalent word in Swedish. “This is how I’m learning”, was her answer when she saw my confused face. That same day I went home and began doing the same.
3. The supermarket is a good place to start.
Apart from the classroom, the supermarket is perhaps where I did most of my Swedish learning. Even if you dread going grocery shopping, take this as an opportunity to learn the names of food items in Swedish. Not only will this help you to discover new foods that perhaps don’t exist in your home country but it can also come handy when trying to find recipes online.
4. Subtitles are your friends.
Another common technique used when learning a language is watching movies and TV in the target language with subtitles in your own language or viceversa. In Sweden it’s common for TV shows to be played in their original language (usually English) with Swedish subtitles. Instead of getting annoyed by them, use the subtitles in your favor to try to learn the correct spelling of the words.
5. Språkcafes and Language Exchange
This last one might not be for everyone, but if you enjoy meeting new people every week you can join a språkcafe or “language cafe”. These are gatherings organized by local associations where the objective is to practice your language skills. Participants are usually divided in groups according to their level of proficiency, so everyone can attend. There is usually one språkcafe in every city, especially those with a great influx of international residents like Malmö. Some of them meet at a local cafe or library and some others meet online.
A few språkcafes even offer a modality called language exchange, in which half of the meeting will be conducted in Swedish and the other half in your native language, so you will have the opportunity to teach others as well as learning from them.
