Application and admission - Exchange students

Last changed: 23 February 2024

If you are interested in doing an exchange at SLU, start by contacting the International Office/Study Abroad Office at your home university. Make sure that your home university has an exchange agreement with SLU and has nominated you for exchange studies, before applying.

Application periods

  • The application period, including nomination period for the Autumn semester or Full academic year is 1 March - 1 April.

 

  • The application period, including nomination period for the Spring semester is 15 September - 7 October.

 

 

Term dates of the Academic Year 2024-2025:
Autumn semester: 02 September 2024 – 19 January 2025
Spring semester: 20 January 2025 – 8 June 2025

Important information about the application procedures

The application is only available during the designated application periods. Late applications can be submitted, however we cannot guarantee availability of courses or accommodations with late applications.

Step 1: Get nominated by your home university for exchange studies at SLU. The International Office at your home university will do this for you, contact them if you are unsure if you've been nominated.

Step 2: Once you are nominated, the SLU Mobility Team will contact you with instructions on how to apply to SLU as an exchange student. Fill in the online application for exchange studies.

Step 3: After submitting your application for exchange, you will receive a link to apply for courses. When you apply for courses, you will upload your Transcript of Records. Your transcript should include all courses you have taken at university-level. You must also upload a list of any courses NOT listed in your transcript, but which you will have passed by the time you start courses at SLU.

Exchange students must take a minimum of 22.5 credits per semester to be considered full-time students. The maximum amount is 45 credits. Please read the information below on how to choose courses.

Please note that SLU does not offer any languages courses.

Admission

For the autumn semester, you will receive an acceptance letter via email in May/beginning of June. For the spring semester, you will receive an acceptance letter in November/December.

If you are staying at SLU for the whole Academic Year, you will receive an acceptance letter for the whole year, but you are only able to apply for courses one semester at a time. You will apply for courses for the Spring Semester in September/October

How to choose courses

The Swedish University Credit System is compatible with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). 1 Swedish credit = 1 ECTS credit.

The Swedish academic year is divided into two semesters, 20 weeks each. One semester of full-time studies (100%) equals 30 credits. Each semester is divided into two periods. Exchange students should be full-time students. During one semester, the minimum requirement is 22.5 ECTS credits.

You must fulfill the eligibility requirement for individual courses. Check if you fulfill the eligibility requirement on the course page. If you do not meet the pre-requisite for a certain course, you will not be admitted.

Only choose courses at one campus, as the SLU campuses are spread throughout a large part of Sweden. You are allowed to change a course during the first two weeks of classes

Example of course combinations equal to full-time studies

 

Period 1

 

Period 2

1A

 

1B

2a

2b

One 15 credit course, or
Two 7,5 credit courses, or
One 5 credit course + one 10 credit course

One 15 credit course, or
Two 7,5 credit courses, or
One 5 credit course + one 10 credit course

One 30 credit course (e.g. thesis)

 

Note: Students at Campus Alnarp only have the option of two 15 credit courses, or a 30 credit thesis.

Thesis

In order to do a thesis at SLU, you must find a supervisor at SLU. The supervisor must email mobility@slu.se to confirm this, and send us the applicable thesis course code.

 

Accommodation for Exchange students

SLU offers student accommodation to exchange students, depending on availability and provided that your application has been submitted on time. Note that housing is not guaranteed. 

More information about student housing options for each SLU campus can be found on the SLU Housing webpage. After you have received your acceptance letter from SLU, you will receive information about the accommodation you have been assigned, including suggested move in date and how/when to pick up the keys.

In your housing application you will have the opportunity to select and prioritize your accommodation options. Please contact housing@slu.se for any further questions.

Language Requirements

English Language Requirements

It is up to your home university to guarantee that the student has the right level of English. The recommended level of English language proficiency should be equivalent to high school studies in English (in Sweden, referred to as English 6). You should be confident in your abilities to follow courses taught in English.

No English language examination, certification, or proof is required for exchange students. You do not need to upload any documentation in your application.

Swedish Language Requirements

If you wish to take courses taught in Swedish, different rules apply. You will need to upload one of the following documents as part of your application:

  • Passing grades in Swedish 3 or Swedish as a second language Course B (university level or vocational school)
  • Folk High School (folkhögskola) certificate of Swedish 3 or Swedish as a second language Course B
  • TISUS test for university studies in Swedish
  • Passing high school grades in Danish, Norwegian, or Icelandic
  • Passing high school grades in Finnish for students who have Swedish as a mother tongue, or with at least 5 courses in Swedish.

Insurance

All incoming exchange students are required to have comprehensive health and accident insurance from your home university/country.

In addition to this, exchange students are provided with a supplementary accident insurance valid ONLY in Sweden through SLU called Student IN . This insurance covers only accidents.

Veterinary Exchange Students

Summer Veterinary Clinic 2024

Note: there will be no intake to the summer veterinary clinic 2024. 

Prerequisites for the clinic - you must:

  • at least have studied your fourth year of a veterinary programme; and
  • Have passed the preclinical courses and clinic preparation courses. The clinical preparation course at SLU is 30 ECTS credits and has a theoretical coverage of the common diseases and treatments of cattle, horses, sheep, dogs, cats & pigs, clinical chemistry, practical obstetrics, hygiene and prevention of infection, general surgical principles including preoperative scrub-up and standard operating procedures for the operating theater. You need to have completed similar courses.

Veterinary courses

All Veterinary courses are taught in Swedish. We only accept veterinary exchange students from Finland, Denmark, Norway or Iceland. If you wish to take veterinary courses in Swedish, you must be able to fulfill the Swedish language level equivalent as listed above. A very limited number of spots are available in Veterinary courses for exchange students.