Study abroad

You may find find what exchange agreements Linnaeus University have with other universities and colleges in the placement database below. Please note that there are limitations to the placement list and that there is no possibility to apply for all placements indicated in that list.

What placements will be available for the upcoming application rounds is based on reciprocation and if the host university will be available to accept students for the upcoming academic year. Please also note that some agreements are faculty specific and/or for a specific level of study. You may find more information under the heading "Study Area and Study Level" in the placement list. 

You may find the placement list here.

Please note that the final placement list is with placements that you can apply to for the specific application round is only available when the application is open. 

Information about the application

• Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.
• You cannot start the application, save, and continue at a later time; make sure that you have the required documents scanned as pdf files before you start the application.
• If several applications are sent in, only the last one is considered.
• It's only possible to apply in both application rounds if you apply for two different semesters.
• It's possible to apply together with another student. You will then both get the ranking number of the student with the lowest ranking score. A placement can only be offered if you can both be placed at the same host institution.
• It's mandatory to submit a academic statement to your application.
• Note that you must open the academic statement on the link below, download it to your computer and then open it in a Adobe-reader and then fill it in. 
• If you have studied at other Swedish universities/university colleges you may also add your academic transcripts for these studies to your application. All attached documents needs to be sent to outexchange@lnu.se

Application requirements

Requirements to apply for an exchange placement and requirements for getting to go on your exchange placement.

• Explanations:The credit requirements are counted at the deadline
• If you do not reach the credit requirements from your category before November 15, you are welcome to apply. You will, however, be placed after the students who reach the credit requirements.
• These are the requirements to apply for an exchange seat. Read more about the requirements to go on exchange.
• If you do not study full-time at Lnu, this will be taken into consideration.

Successfully completed higher education credits: This means credits that are registered in LADOK at the point in time given. Higher education credits that are not registered in LADOK will not be considered.

Information on this website is valid barring potential mistakes. Please contact the International Office if you have any questions.

Linnaeus University has bilateral agreements covering students and/or lecturers with some 500 universities in more than 50 countries. These agreements are often part of an exchange program or consortium. Below is a summary of the exchange programmes that Linnaeus University participates in. A list of available exchange placements is published on the site prior to the application round.

Sister universities/bilateral agreements

Linnaeus University has bilateral exchange agreements covering various subject areas with universities in Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. A bilateral agreements means that every year, Linnaeus University, exchanges students directly with the universities in question. Each year our students study at sister universities, and, as part of the mutual exchange agreement, students come from the sister universities to Linnaeus University. Many of our sister universities offer courses in English. Fore more information, see the list of available exchange places.

ISEP - the International Student Exchange Program (USA)

ISEP is a network including some 140 universities in the USA and about 200 in the rest of the world. The network covers all subject areas, and all Linnaeus University students can apply to be placed at a university in the network. A list of universities included in the network can be found on the ISEP website; www.isep.org.

The idea behind ISEP is that it should cost neither more nor less for a student to study abroad. The amount charged from students participating in ISEP is based on what it would cost to study at the home university. For students at Linnaeus University this cost is the equivalent to the cost of student accommodation and food, SEK 32.000 per semester. This amount is paid to Linnaeus University prior to departing for your exchange destination. When arriving at your host university, your food and accommodation are already paid for by an outbound ISEP student, meaning you will not have any other costs for this than what you have already paid.

A registration fee of 395 US dollars is levied when submitting your ISEP application (please note: costs may change without prior notice). When you have got an ISEP placement you will also have to pay for an insurance through ISEP.

When you have been nominated as an ISEP student, an extensive application process begins, with documents being sent to the ISEP head office in Washington DC, which administers your exchange placement. Note that the processing time for an ISEP placement is long, and it is sometimes required that the applicant has passed the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test.

Make sure to check carefully what language skills and prerequisites are required when choosing a university, as universities outside the US do not always offer all their courses in English.

If you wish to apply for an ISEP placement, you should choose "ISEP" in your web application instead of choosing a specific university. You will be asked to specify which university you have chosen for your placement at a later stage."

USAC - University Studies Abroad Consortium

Linnaeus University's participation in the USAC consortium provides opportunities for exchange studies in several different countries, for example, Costa Rica, India and Ghana. More information can be found on the USAC website, www.usac.unr.edu. Note that it is not possible for Linnaeus University students to study in all USAC countries listed on the home page.

If you wish to apply for a USAC placement, you should choose "USAC" in your web application. You will be asked to specify which institution you have chosen for your placement at a later stage.

During the academic year 2016/2017, USAC will award three $1,000 scholarships to Linnaeus students who participate in a so-called specialty program*. To be eligible for the scholarship, you need to be a full-time student at Linnaeus University and apply in one of Linnaeus University's application rounds for exchange studies.

*Under "program" in USAC's webpage you can find out if a program is classed as s specialty program or not."

Erasmus (Europe)

Erasmus+ is an exchange programme funded by the European Union. All Erasmus agreements are linked to specific subject areas, meaning that you are only able to take courses from that specific subject area at the exchange university. Hence, it is important that you apply for a partner university where we have an agreement within your subject area.

All European universities does not offer courses in English, so unless you master the local language it is important that you check that they offer courses in a language that you speak. You are required to study full time at the host university.

All Erasmus students are eligible for a grant. The amount is between 360-420 euro/month. Students with disabilities can choose to apply for an extra grant to cover additional costs incurred through the exchange. Students with children are also able to receive some extra funding. You will receive more information about the grant once you have been offered an Erasmus exchange placement.

Nordplus (the Nordic Countries)

Nordplus is the Nordic Council of Minister´s program for promotion of exchanges of students and lecturers between Nordic universities. The program is founded upon various subject networks, and at Linnaeus University there are subject networks in comparative literature, library science, social work, health and caring sciences, and teacher education. Please contact your department/school for further information about exchange possibilities in one of these networks.

Linnaeus University also participates in the Nordlys network where cooperation is undertaken in all subject areas. All Nordic universities are part of the Nordlys network. You can study in the country´s language or take courses offered in English, if available. As a Nordlys student you are eligible for the Nordlys grant or in some cases the Erasmus+ grant. You will receive more information from the International Office once you have been nominated for a Nordlys exchange.

Many of the exchange placements are very popular which means that all applications must be ranked. All complete applications are ranked based on academic achievement. The criteria are:

• Student completion meaning number of completed higher education credits (hp) in relation to the number of hp you have been registered for.
• Grades meaning number of hp that you have received the grade VG for in relation to the number of hp where VG has been possible to receive. If it has not been possible to receive the grade VG on any course, the student completion will be multiplied with 1.5 instead.
• For placements outside of Europe, the total number of hp (from 16 to 90 hp) achieved at Linnaeus University will also be considered.
• If a situation should arise where two student have the same ranking number, credits achieved at other Swedish Higher Education Institutions will be considered. Transcript from other Swedish Higher Education Institutions can therefore be attached to the application.

Based on these criteria, a score is calculated for each student which will create a ranking list according to these scores. The student with the highest score will be ranked highest.

Exchange placements are offered according to the ranking list. Placement offers will be sent to the students by email as well as a notification by text message (only to Swedish mobile numbers). You have to respond to your offer within three working days.

To get to go on your exchange, you must later fulfill certain credit requirements from Linnaeus University. Read more about these requirements under the heading "Application requirements". If you do not fulfill these requirements, you are not eligible to go on exchange and your application will be withdrawn.

To be accepted by the host institution you must also fulfill their requirements.

Linnaeus University does not require any language test when you apply to us for an exchange placement. But the host universities might require different kinds of language tests.

Exchange placements outside of Europe.

TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language, is a requirement at some of our partner universities in the US, and many of the universities that are available through ISEP. The test is valid for two years. See the webpage of TOEFL for further information.

There might also be other language requirements/tests. Many of our partner universities in Australia require that you have skills in English corresponding to level C1 in the Common European Framework Language System. If you don´t have this you will have to do the TOEFL or IELTS-test.

In Asia, many of our partner universities require language tests or some kind of certificate that proves your language skills. Sometimes it's enough that we at the International Office write this certificate for you. Otherwise, you might need to find a language teacher who can verify your language skills or do a language test.

In the list of available places outside of Europe you may find the requirements for the universities (the information may be subject to changes). It might also be that a language test is required at a university where this was not specified in the list of available places. Then you will get this information when receiving the application material from the university.

Many students with disabilities go on exchange and you can receive special support during your exchange studies. Linnaeus University pays for the support you need to conduct your studies at the partner university.

It is important that you reach out to the contacts for students with disabilities at Linnaeus University if you are considering studying abroad so that you can work together with them in figuring out which countries would be most suitable for you considering your disability. Some countries may require more planning and consideration to enable you to go about your studies and your day-to-day life than you need in Sweden. Schedule a meeting with the contact for students with disabilities before applying for an exchange placement.

You will work together with the contact to create a supportplan based on the unique conditions existing in the country you are interested in studying in. In general, it is easiest for students with disabilities to travel to Anglo Saxon- and Nordic countries, but it depends on what disability you have and what kind of support you require.

If you go to a Nordic university through Nordplus or to a European university through Erasmus, you can apply for mobility-funding to cover any additional costs that might arise due to your disability, such as transportation or physical therapy. The amount awarded depends on what additional costs might arise.

If you are interested in studying at a university in Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands or Austria, you can find information on the Study Abroad Without Limits website. Study Abroad Without Limits connects students with disabilities who are interested in conducting a semester abroad with local students in the host country who can answer questions and inform them about what it´s like to live and study in that country if you have a disability.

Swedish Board for Study Support

Please visit their webpage to find out if you are eligible for study support.

Insurance

It is important to make sure that you have a proper international student insurance before you leave Sweden. All students who take part in Linnaeus University's exchange programmes are insured during their stay abroad by the Swedish State's Insurance during Education Abroad offered by Kammarkollegiet. This insurance is free of charge.

The Swedish State's Insurance during Education Abroad (Student UT) applies during your studies at the host university, as well as two weeks before the programme's start and two weeks after it ends. The cover applies only in the host country and during direct travel between this country and Sweden. This means that you will need to buy additional insurance if you wish to travel outside your host country, e.g. during weekends or holidays, or if you wish to travel to other countries near your host country before or after your exchange period. If you wish to travel to your host country earlier than two weeks before the start of your studies, or stay there longer than two weeks after the programme ends, you will also have to buy additional insurance.

It is up to each individual student to choose their own insurance. A number of insurance companies offer specific international student insurance. Please contact different insurance companies and check the terms and conditions and premiums for their international student insurance. This insurance should cover some type of indemnity insurance.

Certain universities and exchange programmes require that their students take out a special insurance they offer. This applies particularly to universities in Canada, Japan and the USA, but other universities/countries may have similar arrangements.

Health and medical care

If you are a citizen of a European Union country and are going on exchange to another country within the European Union you need to bring the European Health Insurance card which entitles you to health care on the same conditions as the citizens of that country.

If you are not a citizen of a European Union country or you are going abroad outside of the European Union you need to have insurance that covers health and medical care.

• Students who will go on exchange during spring semester and who do not reach the credit requirement on 30 June kan get an conditional acceptance for exchange studies. Then they get until the start of the autumn semester to reach the credit requirement.
• Exemption can be given to students studying abroad through Lnu during the academic year 2019/2020 and students who have a registered study break. Individual decisions will then be taken.

Erasmus Scholarships

Erasmus is an exchange programme sponsored by the European Union. Almost all our agreements within Europe are written within this programme. If you are offered an exchange placement to a host institution where we have an Erasmus agreement you will be awarded an Erasmus Scholarship. Students with disabilites can apply for extra funds through the programme. Students going for an exchange with children can also receive som extra funds.

More information about the Erasmus Scholarship can be found below.

Nordplus (Nordic countries)

Nordplus is an exchange programme sponsored by the Nordic Council to enhance exchange between the Nordic countries. As an Nordplus exchange student you will also receive a scholarship.

In many countries it is required that you have a visa or a residence permit in order to be allowed to enter the country and study there. Different rules apply in different countries. Therefore you need to check with the embassy of the country you are going to what they require there.

Students who are not European Union citizens might need to apply for a student residence permit in the European countries as well, even if they already have a Schengen residence permit for Sweden. It is also important to inform the Swedish Migration Agency when you apply for a residence permit in another country and to get information from them about how to organize the Swedish residence permit again after the return to Sweden.

Please view the following website for updated news regarding Brexit: https://www.government.se/government-policy/brexit/

FAQ
Frequently asked questions and more information about Brexit can be found on The Swedish Migration Agency’s website.

Do you have any other questions concerning how this will affect you?
Are you an exchange student who is about to travel to Great Britain? Email outexchange@lnu.se and they will help you.

Are you an exchange student and a British citizen? Email inexchange@lnu.se and they will help you.

Are you a student and a British citizen but not covered by an exchange agreement? Email internationalstudent@lnu.se and they will help you.

As an Erasmus + student you are assigned a scholarship provided you meet the following basic requirements:

• That you study at least three months at your host university (unless the official semester at your host university is shorter than three months, if so this is approved).
• That you study full time and that the courses you study during the exchange can be transferred into your degree at Linnaeus University. This is regulated by your Learning Agreement which is to be set up along with your academic contact person at Linnaeus University and then sent to your host university for approval.
• That you take part in the Online Language Support (OLS) provided by the EU Commission and complete their evaluation after finishing your exchange.

To get the Erasmus + scholarship, you agree to comply with the conditions laid down for the Erasmus + students, you can read about your rights and obligations in the Erasmus Student Charter.

Erasmusplus_Student_Charter.pdf

Language test and Online Linguistic Support (OLS)

The EU Commission has established a language support for Erasmus + students, called Online Linguistic Support (OLS). In order to receive the Erasmus+ grant you need to complete two language tests in the main language you will be studying in during your exchange. International Office will contact you with more information when it is time for you to do the test.

You take one language test before your exchange semester and one after. You will receive an email from OLS with a link to the language test and it takes around 30 minutes to complete. The second language test, will then be sent to you at the end date of your exchange semester. Your results will be sent to Linnaeus University, but will in no way affect your exchange studies.

If your level at the first language test shows a low result, you will be offered and recommended to do a language course, offered entirely online. However, this opportunity is open to all students. The language course is teacher-led with 1-6 people / group and focuses primarily on reading and listening comprehension.

Payment of the scholarship

The payment of the Erasmus + scholarship is made in two installments. The first payment is made when you have arrived at the host university and have completed:

• Language test 1
• Learning Agreement
• Scholarship Agreement (Grant Agreement)

The second payment is made after the end of your exchange when you have completed:

• Language test 2
• Evaluation. This is generated by the EU Commission database and is automatically sent to you when the end date of your exchange semester has passed.
• Certificate of Departure (CoD). This certificate should be signed by your host university when your exchange is completed. It confirms your exact end date.

Size of scholarship

The scholarship is calculated based on nationally set rates for your host country. You can see the rates in the table below. The days are calculated based on the dates you provide in your grant Agreement and your Certificate of Departure.

National Scholarship Level (monthly rate) for 2019:

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities have the opportunity to apply for additional scholarships for the higher costs of foreign studies.

Students with children

Students who have children which they bring on their study exchange can receive some extra funds from the Erasmus+ programme.