FAQ about exchange studies

No language certificate or language exam is required. However, Uppsala University expects exchange students to be able to communicate in English at least at the B2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will be asked to evaluate your level of English in the application form. Your exchange coordinator at your home department might also be asked to confirm that you have at least a B2 level of English.

More information

• Definition of B2 level from the Council of Europe

All courses on the page about courses for exchange students are open to incoming exchange students on university-wide exchange agreements. However, they may have specific entry requirements. When you apply, you include your transcript of records so that Uppsala University can determine if you are eligible for the courses you selected.

Entry requirements are listed in the syllabus for each course and are accessible on the page about courses for exchange students.

The number of spaces available on every course is limited and you might not meet the entry requirement for some of the courses you have chosen. Because of this, Uppsala University cannot guarantee that you will be placed in the first courses you request. This is why you need to send us eight course choices.

Including less than eight courses in your course proposal might result in a delay in admitting you.

Under normal circumstances, you cannot change courses. Uppsala University does not have an "add-and-drop period".

Students selected through a university-wide agreement

Once the Letter of Admissions has been sent out, courses are fixed. A course change can be done only in one of the following cases:

1. If the courses you have chosen overlap a lot.
2. If the courses you have been admitted to would have a negative impact on your studies after the exchange. This must be confirmed by the coordinator at your home university via email to mobility@uu.se.

Students selected through a department or faculty agreement

Contact your department's or faculty's coordinator at Uppsala University if you have a question regarding course change.

As an exchange student, you can drop a course on two terms:

1. You do it before the deadline.
2. You still reach the minimum amount of credits per semester after having dropped it.

Deadline

The deadline to drop a course is three weeks after the course starts.

The minimum amount of credits

Exchange students with EU/EEA citizenship need to be registered for at least 22,5 credits per semester.

Exchange students with non-EU/EEA citizenship need to be registered for at least 30 credits per semester. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency requires students to be accepted to full-time studies to issue residence permits.

The first step is to check your schedule and verify what is mandatory and what is not. After this, speak to the professors responsible for the courses. Do they overlap all the time, or only a few times throughout the semester? If they only overlap sometimes, your professors might be able to find a solution. If they overlap a lot, email mobility@uu.se and ask for a course change.

Yes, you can. Uppsala University offers some Swedish courses, such as the Basic Swedish courses 1-4 throughout the autumn and spring semesters. You apply for these courses by including them in your exchange application.

More information

• Basic Swedish courses

Yes, but you have to prove that your level of Swedish is good enough to take university-level courses.

The reading list is found on the syllabus for each course on the respective course page. You can find all courses for exchange students here.

For academic questions, please contact the relevant department directly. Contact details can be found at the bottom of the course description.

What is course registration?

Shortly after Uppsala University sends you your Certificate of Acceptance, you will receive the Letter of Admissions with a listing of the courses that you are admitted to. You also need to register for these courses.

How to register

Course registration takes place during the first week of class, if not already coordinated by the relevant department. Registration procedures vary between departments and information about specific procedures will be available once you activate your student account.

Questions about course registration

• Students selected through a university-wide agreement: contact mobility@uu.se.
• Students selected through a department or faculty agreement: contact your department's or faculty's coordinator at Uppsala University.

No, we cannot convert the grades you receive here into another grading system. Uppsala University cannot use any other grading scale than the one determined by the department in question.

More information

• Grading scales at Uppsala University

It is advisable for students to activate their accounts online before their arrival, as soon as they receive the Letter of Admission. Alternatively, students can also activate their accounts in person at the start of each term by presenting an official photo ID. An activated account enables students to access course details, schedules, and Wi-Fi services within university-owned facilities.

If you are unable to activate your student ID and student account during the recommended days of arrival or orientation week, please follow these instructions.

A full-time study load at Uppsala University is 30 credits per semester.

If you have EU/EEA citizenship, you can study 22.5 credits per term. This equals a workload of 75%.

However, the Swedish Migration Agency requires non-EU/EEA students to be accepted to full-time studies, which means 30 credits per term. Failure to meet the Swedish Migration Agency's requirement will result in your residence permit application being denied.

Maximum

Exchange students can take a maximum of 37.5 credits per semester at Uppsala University. This exceeds the full-time study load of 30 credits and equals a workload of 125%.

Minimum

Exchange students with EU/EEA citizenship need to be registered for at least 22,5 credits per semester.

Exchange students with non-EU/EEA citizenship need to be registered for at least 30 credits per semester. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency requires students to be accepted to full-time studies to issue residence permits.

Students at Uppsala University take courses consecutively. This means you take courses one after the other rather than in parallel. Because of this, you need to "map" your courses. You can find information and examples of how to do this on the course mapping page.

The autumn semester officially ends around mid-January so you can expect to have classes and exams during the first two weeks of January.

More information

• Uppsala University's academic calendar

There are several grading systems at Uppsala University and each faculty decides which of the grading scales to use. See the grading systems used at Uppsala University. Please note that ECTS grades are not given.

If you have a long-term disability that affects your studies, you can get targeted study support during your time at Uppsala University. Please contact the coordinators well in advance of starting your studies to discuss your need for support. At the start of the semester, there might be a wait to book an appointment with the coordinator and be notified of support.

More information

• Targeted study support

Students selected through a university-wide exchange agreement

Email the coordinator for your programme at Uppsala University with a scanned copy of your Learning Agreement. If you have not yet received their contact information, please email the same to mobility@uu.se.

Students selected through a department or faculty exchange agreement

Please contact your department's or faculty's coordinator at Uppsala University.

1. Go to "My Ladok"
2. Download your secure and verifiable Transcript of Records. If you send it to your home university, let them know they can use the link and verification code at the bottom of the page to verify that the document is authentic.

Note

• The departments can submit the grades up to five weeks after the official end of term.
• Uppsala University's Transcripts of Records do not include failed courses.
• If you have questions about missing results, contact the department where you studied directly.

Yes, you can. Everyone who has studied a minimum of five credits at Uppsala University is welcome to join the Alumni Network.

More information

• The Alumni Network