Intakes in Sweden

Study in Sweden:

The quality of education at the universities in Sweden is on par with some of the best in the world. There are 8 universities in Sweden that feature in QS World Ranking 2023, and all of them are in the top 350 universities of the world. For long the country has been known for science and technology courses, however, for a number of courses and specializations, Sweden is a more than apt choice for international students.

There are two Intakes to study in Sweden.

1. Spring Intake
2. Autumn Intake

Here is all you need to know about Intakes in Sweden.

Intakes in Sweden: When to Apply

As we have mentioned, there are two intakes in Sweden. Here are the important deadlines and dates for them. International students are advised to start the application process and documentation a year before the Intake they are targeting, as there are a lot of stages to the application process in Sweden :

Autumn Intake in Sweden

The Autumn Intake in Sweden is the primary intake, and almost all the universities offer all the courses for the Autumn Intake. The Autumn Intake starts in August-September. Here is a timeline to follow for the Autumn Intake in Sweden for International students.

The online application process at the “university admission” website from 15 October generally and they are open for admission till mid-January. The students will get to know if they have been accepted into the university or not by early April. As soon as students receive notification of acceptance, they are advised to apply for the student visa as the process takes time.

6 Steps to Study in Autumn Intake in Sweden 2023

If you are someone looking forward to studying in September Intake for Sweden, here is the timeline one needs to follow:

Step 1: Start Now..!! January 2023

• Begin early and by June, shortlist 6-7 top universities in Sweden that you will apply to. Visit websites of the best universities in Sweden and note application requirements, due dates etc.
• By that time, be familiar with bank loan options and scholarships in Sweden to support your studies.
• Start your process by downloading admissions brochures from the university websites.
• Also, research on different cities as well as different accommodation options.

Step 2: Crack the exams: January 2023 to February 2023

• Start your preparations for the exams as asked by the university.
• Prepare for entrance exams such as GMAT, GRE, SAT, etc. also get prepared for your English language requirements such as TOEFL or IELTS Many universities offer to study in Sweden without IELTS.
• Register for the required exams on time. 
• Take the required tests around September.

Step 3: Its application time: March 2023 to April 2023

• Check out the list of universities in Sweden for international students offering study abroad programs in Sweden, and prepare for your application. 
• Think hard about what makes you unique as an applicant and sketch out your strengths and self-appraisal in the statement of Purpose.
• Ask your professors or managers for the required letter of recommendation.
• Start drafting your SOP and essays. Give a month to structure these documents appropriately.
• Check and Apply before the deadlines.

Step 4: What next: April 2023 to May 2023

• Do not delay replying to college emails. Also, there will be quite a few!
• Appear for personal/video interviews. These are scheduled around January - March.
• Once you get a letter of acceptance, make your decision as soon as possible and inform the universities.
• Also, pay your application fee on time.

Step 5: Visa and money matters: June 2023 to July 2023

• Research for and start applying for external scholarships (if required).
• Apply for a student loan if required, after you get your letter of acceptance.
• Check visa prerequisites and Collect all your documents for your Sweden student visa. 
• Apply for a student visa in time. Remember the time taken for visa processing!

Step 6: Get ready to fly: July 2023 - August 2023

• Book airline tickets.
• Organize an International Debit/Credit card.
• Collect all your documents and their photocopies, to take along.
• Check out the Pre-departure checklist!
• If the orientations and Courses start in September, it is advisable to arrive in Sweden by August. 
• Start looking for accommodation on or off the campus depending on your preference.

Spring Semester in Sweden

The Spring Semester in Sweden starts in January and it is considered the secondary intake. Some of the courses might not be available for the Spring Intake in some of the Swedish Universities, therefore the best way to go is to check on the university websites before applying.

Students who miss the Autumn intakes have a chance to apply for the spring intake and not waste the whole year. The Applications start in June and the deadlines are somewhere in Mid-August. The students will be notified about their application in October. Here is a tentative timeline to follow for the Spring Intake for Universities in Sweden:

6 Steps to Study in January Intake in Sweden 2024

If you have decided to study in Sweden, and you want to apply for January intake, here is the timeline you can follow to apply at Universities in Sweden to study in January 2024.

Step 1: Start Now! May 2023- June 2023

• Start looking for a course in your field of study, bachelor's and master in Sweden Courses starting in January, and after that, a University. 
• Make a list of the Universities that suits your academic and career goals best. Look for particular cities and tuition fees of the courses you want to study. 
• Once you are ready with your University, check their website and look for the application due dates. You must complete and submit your application before the due date. So Plan and act accordingly.

Step 2 - Take your specialized tests: July 2023 to August 2023

• The chosen university will have some specific admission requirements that you need to fulfill. One of them is the entrance exams. 
• There are many competitive entrance exams one can take to get admission into a Swedish University. The most required exams are IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, etc.
• The result declaration also takes time and you might need to retake them if the scores are not satisfactory. Read more about language requirements at Study in Sweden without IELTS

Step 3 - Start Applying to Colleges: June 2023 to July 2023

• Once you have decided on the course and University, start preparing for the application. 
• Universities in Sweden might ask for application essays or SOPs and LORs. The idea is to highlight the strengths you possess and present yourself as a unique applicant.
• Start preparing your statement of purpose. 
• Contact your professors or managers for a Letter of recommendation. 
• You should start documentation at least a month before the application deadline.
• For applying, you have to visit their respective University and follow the steps mentioned there. 
• Apply on time before the due date.

Step 4 - Confirmation letter and Interviews: September 2023 to October 2023

• The University will soon mail you their decision about your application. 
• You should reply to their mail as soon as you are ready with your decision.
• You may be asked to take a personal interview.
• Once you confirm your positive reply, you might be asked to pay a confirmation fee by some Universities. Pay them as per the deadlines.

Step 5 - Sweden Visa Application / Education Loan: October 2023 to November 2023

• Once it is confirmed, you will get a letter of acceptance from the University. 
• As soon as you get the confirmation letter from a Swedish University, start preparing for your Student Visa in Sweden Application. The visa processing will also need time, so keep that in mind while planning.
• Apply for a student loan. Start applying for your student loan and manage the money you will be required to show. 
• If you want to apply for scholarships in Sweden, start the process for the same. File all the documents you will need for all these applications.

Step 6 - Book your Tickets and fly: November 2023 to December 2023

• You are almost ready. Book the flight tickets
• If the orientations and Courses start in January, it is advisable to arrive in Sweden by December. 
• Look and decide on accommodation. 
• Collect all the necessary documents and their photocopies required before leaving. 
• Arrange for an international credit/debit card, and a pre-departure checklist to have a hassle-free journey to Sweden.

University Admissions in Sweden:

There are two rounds of admission for the Universities in Sweden each semester. The second round normally starts later than the official commencement of the application period.

• For the Autumn Intake in Sweden, the second round will start in Mid-March and the students will be notified about their acceptance between July to August.
• For Winter Intake in Sweden, the second admission round will start around Mid-September. The students will be notified in December whether they have been accepted by the universities or not.

In many cases, the English-taught courses are only available to apply in the first round. There may be some courses that might not be available for the second round altogether. That is another reason why it is best to apply for the first round to begin with.

Since the results of the application are declared in July/August for the Autumn Intake which starts in August/September, and the results for Spring Intake will be declared in December, when the semester starts in January, the international students are not advised to apply for the second round. Since there is less than one month of time between the acceptance in the university and the start of the semester, students will not have enough time to apply for a student visa in Sweden.