Spot the Difference: Sweden vs. the United States

Academic Differences:

• Workload- workload in Sweden is roughly comparable to what one would receive in the US.
• Classroom Culture- classroom culture is also roughly comparable to the US.
• Flow of the Semester- semesters are almost a full month longer than in the US.
• Expectations of Students- once again, roughly comparable.
• Faculty/Student Relationships- comparable.

Credits:

• Typical Amount of Credits for Courses- most courses in Sweden are 7,5 or 7.5 credit hours, although this number can vary upwards to 15 credit hours. Also, programs are offered in Sweden that consist of 30 credit hours.
• Valuation of Credits- a credit hour in Sweden is worth half of what it is worth in the US. So, a class worth 7.5 credits in Sweden would be worth only worth 3.75 in the United States.
• Meeting Times- classes can meet in the same way as in the US, or they can sometimes meet in four quarters- one for each class.
• Credit Transfer- if one takes a full course load in Sweden of 30 credit hours, it will transfer as 15 upon returning to the US.

Grades:

• Grading System- the grading system for higher education in Sweden typically consists of just three grades- VG - Väl godkänd (Passed with distinction), G - Godkänd (Passed), and U - Underkänd (Fail)

Support:

• Support Availability- Roughly comparable.

Full-Time Status:

• Full Time Requirements- a minimum of 30 credit hours is typically required, which is the same as the 15 credit hour requirement in most US institutions with credit differences taken into account.