Education Abroad & Exchange - Linköping

Linköping University

Since 1980, Linköping University’s International Exchange Program has provided students, teachers and university staff from the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France with the opportunity to study in Swedish through a specially designed exchange program.  The university also offers a program taught in English for exchange students with little or no Swedish language training.
As the youngest of Sweden’s six universities, Linköping University (LiU) is rapidly earning a reputation for being innovative and non-traditional.  Educations have focused on the values of practical experience and interdisciplinary approach to higher education.
LiU employs 800 teachers and researchers and accommodates roughly 9,000 students in 24 departments.

Location

Linköping is an old city with a rich cultural history dating back to the 12th century when the city was a center of both political and spiritual power.  Much of the old city can still be seen today; for example, Domkyran, a 13th century cathedral, and Gamla Linköping, a small village to which 18th and 19th century houses have been moved.
Linköping today is a growing city housing a regional museum and a theatre as well as a number of Swedish government agencies, including the National Geotechnical Institute and the Swedish Road and Traffic Research Institute, which were relocated during the government’s decentralization of the 1970s.  It is also an industrial city, home of SAAB-Scania’s aeronautics division as well as highly developed electronics and computer technology industry.  One of Sweden’s six regional hospitals is here and is an integral part of medical education at LiU.

Length of Study

One year or semester for both Swedish and English language programs.  The Fall semester lasts from August through January and the spring semester from January through June.

Curriculum

Students choose to participate in either the original Swedish-taught courses or in the English-taught curriculum.  Some overlap between programs can be arranged.

Program in English

LiU’s courses in English represent a wide variety of courses in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and the Sciences.

Program in Swedish

Students who are fluent in Swedish and fulfil the necessary requirements can choose among 600 different courses in virtually all disciplines.

Housing

Rooms are reserved for exchange students in dormitories which are about a fifteen-twenty minute walk from the campus.  They are organized in corridors, each with 8 single student rooms and a shared living room and kitchen.  All student rooms have their own toilet and shower and are furnished with bed, desk and chairs.  Students must provide their own linens and cook their own meals in the corridor kitchen.  There are restaurants and coffee shops nearby.

Student Union

All students at the Universities of Uppsala or Linköping belong to a student union which acts as a service agency. The student union is often able to provide information or assistance with questions concerning health care, housing, sports and social activities.

Eligibility / Language

Applicants should demonstrate general academic strength and a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students entering the Swedish language program should have a strong command of Swedish (at least 12 credits of college-level Swedish language instruction) since all teaching and course materials are in Swedish. Students entering the English-taught programs do not need any knowledge of Swedish but will benefit culturally from Swedish language training.

Contact

Regine John (reginejohn@ipo.umass.edu)
International Programs Office
William S. Clark International Center
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9335
Tel: (413) 545-2710

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