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Last Updated: February 6th, 2023|1509 words|15.1 min read|Views: 1311|0 Comments on Education System in Sweden – Career Paths|
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Sweden is prominent for its exceptional international education system besides the liberal government, high level of living, security, and beautiful scenery. International students can enjoy an absolutely new culture while living in one of the secure countries.

The Swedish education system is structured in four main parts; Preschool education, Primary and lower secondary education, upper secondary education and higher education. A child has to enroll in his sixth year. It is a mandatory preschool year which is fixed by the Swedish Education Act.

In Sweden, attending secondary school is optional and the municipality will follow up with students who won’t pursue secondary education until the age of 20. In the upper secondary school, students are given a total of seventeen different national programs to choose, in addition to local programs or individual tracks. Undergraduate, graduate and are offered by universities.

Various worldwide leading companies have their headquarters in Sweden which points out that studying in Sweden will be fruitful in terms of promising careers.

History of Swedish Education

History of Swedish Education

Sweden’s educational background is very old and it has a very complex history. To know the History of Swedish Education we have to go back to late 1800. The parliament in Sweden in 1842 introduced the first educational system of a four year primary education. Later, after a few years, 2 grades were gradually added with the previous one.

Following 47 years from 1900, Swedish education was seen improving vastly and slowly the students’ interest in education increases. Nineteenth century was the time when Swedish women entered the educational sector vastly.
Schooling was made compulsory in Sweden in the 1930’s. Later, in the middle of 1900, two different study modules were introduced; vocational and preparatory. Till the end of the 90’s Swedish education went through some major and minor changes. In the meantime, the grading system was introduced.

Level of Education

Every country has its own structure of education which varies from country to country. In Sweden, there are mainly four educational stages. Let’s take a step-by-step look at each one:

Preschool education

In Sweden, the preschool system is free for all families for children aged one to six. Preschool is open to children as early as one-year-old however, parents in Sweden have the choice of enrolling their children in preschool rather than daycare because school is not required until the age of six.

Primary and lower secondary education

Swedish children aged six until they are 15 years, primary school is mandated. Almost all of the schools follow nearly the same curriculum including the private ones, according to the rules of Swedish National Syllabus. In secondary education, students have to study a total of 16 subjects. They are-
Swedish, English, mathematics, technology, physics, chemistry, biology, physical education, geography, arts and crafts, music, history, social studies, home economics, and religion.

Upper secondary education

Every university requires a complete certificate of students’ upper secondary education for further education.

In Swedish upper secondary education, there are seventeen different national programs to choose from, in addition to local programs or individual tracks to build a student’s learning style and career goals. Twelve of the national programs are vocational, while six are meant to prepare students for further study. Secondary education offers programs for preparation such as-

  • Sociology,
  • Physical Science,
  • Entrepreneurship and Economics,
  • Technology,
  • Arts,
  • Humanities

The eleven other career-focused courses are-

  • Engineering and Electrical Systems
  • Construction Projects
  • Vehicle and Transport
  • Social and Medical
  • Child Management
  • Business Administration
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Restaurant Management
  • Technology
  • Property Management
  • Tourism and Hotel Management

Higher Education

Swedish higher education is top-notch among the international students. Majority of universities focus on the students’ research and study in detail. The Swedish Higher Education is structured into three parts. Such as:

  • Bachelor’s level which is the first cycle
  • Master’s level which is the second cycle
  • Doctoral level which is the third cycle

Sweden can be an amazing destination for you if you are an international student and in search of university for your higher education. Amongst the top universities the following marked ones are listed in the World University Rank.

University Names Location Ranking in Sweden THE Ranking
(2023)
QS Ranking (2022) Global Score
Karolinska Institute Stockholm 1 49 51 74.9
Lund University Lund 2 119 95 69.0
Uppsala University Uppsala 3 148 128 67.8
Stockholm University Stockholm 3 176 153 67.8
University of Gothenburg Gothenburg 5 250 185 66.6
KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm 6 155 89 61.0
Linkoping University Linkoping 7 330 320 57.0
Chalmers University of Technology Gothenburg 8 337 125 56.7
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala 9 356 N/A 55.8
Umea University Umea 10 369 369 55.5

Swedish people are experts in various fields and are technologically advanced. As a result, Sweden’s top courses are focused on a plethora of fields. The following list includes the top Swedish courses for students:

Popular Program Course Duration Available in
Engineering 3 years (Bachelor)
2 years (Master)
Kth Royal Institute Of Technology, Lulea University Of Technology, Jonkoping University
Computer Science and Technology 3 years (Bachelor)
2 years (Master)
Kth Royal Institute Of Technology, Uppsala University,
Umea University
Business Administration 3 years (Bachelor)
2 years (Master)
Uppsala University,
Karolinska Institute, Lund University
Arts 3 years (Bachelor)
2 years (Master)
Lund University,
Uppsala University,
Stockholm University
Mathematics 3 years (Bachelor)
2 years (Master)
Lund University,
Uppsala University,
Stockholm University
Architecture 2 years (Master) KTH Royal Institute of Technology,
Chalmers University Of Technology
Law 1- 2 years (Master) Umea University, Stockholm University,
Uppsala University

Swedish Online Degree

If you are thinking of improving your skills and boosting your experience then online education is one of the easiest mediums for you. Online education has become one of the most popular educational systems among students. It is the way through which you can continue your job without shifting. Through online education you will get one of the prominent degrees just attending classes sitting in front of your laptop. All you need is a good internet connection.

Swedish Universities offer excellent online programs in Europe and the world. The notion of online education is expanding vastly especially after the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Picking an authorized Swedish University will be the best way to build a promising career if anyone wants to earn a Sweden-approved degree without shifting from one country to another. Different institutes offer different facilities to the online degree holders.

Best Cities for International Students

Sweden is known as one of the highly demanding countries in terms of higher education. Some areas are best known for international students and higher education. They are:

Stockholm

Approximate living cost per month: 882.9$ for a single person estimated monthly costs.

 

Top Universities: Stockholm University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

 

Lund

Approximate living cost per month: 803.25$ for a single person estimated monthly costs.

 

Top Universities: Lund University.

 

Gothenburg

Approximate living cost per month: 839.6$ for a single person estimated monthly costs.

 

Top Universities: Gothenburg University, Chalmers University of Technology.

 

Uppsala

Approximate living cost per month: 884.1$ for a single person estimated monthly costs.

 

Top Universities: Uppsala University, Newman Institute.

 

Funding and Scholarships for international students in Sweden

The leading universities in Sweden are offering more than 1500 Swedish scholarships for international students for the academic year 2023–2024. Those Swedish scholarships cover tuition fees, housing costs, health insurance, and travel expenses.
Make your dream of attending one of the best universities in the world by applying for fully financed scholarships for international students at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Uppsala University, Umea University, Karolinska Institute, Lund University, Stockholm University, and many more top universities.

Career Building and Work Permit

There are some criteria which you need to fill if you are a student of a non-EU country and dream of staying and working in Sweden. Firstly, you have to apply through the Swedish Migration Board for a work permit after completing your higher education.
Getting permanent residency in Sweden is not impossible nor very easy. The Swedish Government requires a five-year residency commitment before granting permanent residency. International Students from non EU countries must provide five years of job experience to get a PR.

FAQs

Does Sweden have a good education system?
The Swedish education system is regarded as the best in the world. This is due to the fact that they provide international students with a diverse and extensive array of options and scholarships.
Citizens of the EU and those with a permanent Swedish residency permit are offered special discounts and in some cases free of cost education. However, international students of non-EU countries have to pay the fees properly.
Which country’s education system is best?
According to a recent study, the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany are the top 3 countries that are best in the education system.
How much vacation time do Swedes get?
Nearly 25 vacation days.
What grade is a 14 year old in Sweden?
Grade 7 or 8.

Conclusion

The Swedish education system is worldwide famous for international degrees. Some students may find Sweden a bit high in cost of living but it is worth it when you count the entire achievement after finishing your degree.

The standard of Swedish education is increasing and improving day by day. Hence, this is the main reason for the increasing number of applications in Swedish universities.

If you have any question regarding Sweden’s education system you are invited to comment below.

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