The Swedes invest more per capita in research and development than any other country in the world “in medical, technological and environmental areas as well as social research” with an emphasis on translating new ideas into practice. University curricula at all six ISEP member institutions in Sweden reflect this trend but also provide strong programs in business, humanities, political and social sciences. Numerous courses are taught in English and attended by Swedish as well as international students. Support services for international students are excellent and ISEP students are allowed to work in Sweden while on the exchange.
University West was founded in 1990. Originally spread out across three campuses, its new location in Trollhättan was built in 2008 and designed specifically to meet the needs of modern students. The university’s programs cooperate and collaborate closely with regional businesses and society. This year, the university hosted more than 200 international students.
This program would be suitable for students that are ready to be abroad, but would still like some of the academic services that a U.S. college provides. It is a good choice for someone that is a world traveler OR has never left their hometown.
Learn more about University West here! Read the ISEP Country Handbook to learn more about visa requirements, educational system, and culture.
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To be eligible to participate in this program, students must meet the following requirements:
Students applying to ISEP must apply for an Exchange option (in any country) as a first choice but may apply to a Direct option as a back-up. Direct options may have an additional cost (see a financial section for more information). |
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5,000 - 20,000 on Campus
<100,000 residents in Trollhättan
Language(s) spoke on campus: English, Swedish
Trollhättan is located 80 kilometers north of Gothenburg, a tri-city area with a population of nearly 250,000 people. SAAB Automobile and VOLVO Aero are the major employers in the region. The university is also close to Lake Värnern, one of the biggest lakes in Europe. The railway station downtown provides easy access to Gothenburg, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. Students can fly on low-fare air tickets from Gothenburg to dozens of other European cities, such as London, Milan, and Barcelona. To learn more about the visa process for this country, please visit the ISEP Country Handbook for Sweden. |
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ISEP students are welcome to select courses and course packages from the online list at the university website. As an example, the international program for politics and economics is a three-year bachelor program with courses taught entirely in English.
FIELDS OF STUDY
The typical course load is four courses per semester. Each semester runs approximately 20 weeks long. COURSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH For both international and Swedish students at the basic level: The University offers a number of integrated semester-long English-language courses. ISEP students can take Swedish courses as part of their curriculum. Academic Environment and Teaching Style Most professors will be European. Professors are often more formal than those in the United States, though still concerned with student success. Some classes may tend to involve more lecture than group work or discussion, as is the norm in Europe. Often, grades are based mostly on 1-2 exams rather than a collection of assignments, quizzes, and exams. Please understand that the academic system is quite different. Classes are usually lecture-based, instead of discussion or group work. Classes are often much larger than those found at Lake Forest College. Grades are based heavily, at times almost entirely, on one end-of-term exam, though some courses will also offer a midterm. Professors are often more formal than those in the United States. All courses/modules may have prerequisites. Some departments may have limitations on numbers of courses that can be taken within or outside it. Be aware of these limitations. Because a translation between Swedish and US grade is lacking, it is up to the home institution to award credit as they see fit. One method is to compare the Swedish grade description with those of the ECTS, and then ECTS with US. To Earn 4 Lake Forest credits, students must take 27 ECTS credits. To Earn 3 Lake Forest credits, students must take 21 ECTS credits. The number of credits listed here is estimated, and GEO will work with you, your advisor, and the registrar to ensure you are earning enough credits to keep you on track for graduation. Please review the ISEP country handbook for more information on the education system, grades, class hours, and classroom etiquette. |
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Trollhättan is located 80 kilometers north of Gothenburg, a tri-city area with a population of nearly 250,000 people. SAAB Automobile and VOLVO Aero are the major employers in the region. The university is also close to Lake Värnern, one of the biggest lakes in Europe. The railway station downtown provides easy access to Gothenburg, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. Students can fly on low-fare air tickets from Gothenburg to dozens of other European cities, such as London, Milan, and Barcelona. |
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ISEP students are housed in student dorms or apartments. They have single rooms with private bathrooms and shared kitchen and laundry facilities. Upon arrival, students receive a one-time meal stipend to be used throughout the semester. |
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For all approved programs for guaranteed financial aid transferability, students pay their Lake Forest College tuition plus a program fee. The program fee for a semester with the ISEP Exchange to University West includes orientation, on-site director, college fees, housing, and the equivalent of 19/meals per week. Here is an estimated budget for the Fall 2019/Spring 2020 programs:
Tuition rates and program fees are subject to change each year, but this information was up-to-date as of March 2019. We will notify applicants, and update this page if the program fee or other estimates change. You can discuss with Financial Aid your specific aid package and your expected family contribution. Deposits to other programs, if required, are paid by the student to the host program, and will appear as a credit on your study abroad term bill from the College. Keep in mind that you may spend more or less in certain areas like personal expenses, travel, meals, or airfare, depending on exchange rates and your own spending habits. Classroom or lab fees are not included in this estimate and will depend on your course registration choices. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships! A great listing can be found here.
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