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Uppsala University

Sweden Sweden

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THE World Ranking: 140

Overview

Overview

Uppsala University (UU) is the oldest university in Sweden. Founded in 1477, with world-famous scientist Carl Linneaus and other Nobel Peace Prize winners in the list of alumni, UU holds onto its great history but is never afraid to step into the future. Beautiful buildings and modern facilities mix perfectly across the campuses of this institution.

 

The education system at UU is all about sustainability, developing in the right direction and growing personally and professionally. It’s a system that appeals to lots of students and applicants, especially when the teaching standard is so high and UU continues to rank very well.

 

UU is usually ranked in the top 150 universities globally each year, and an education at the university gives students access to some of Sweden’s most impressive lecturers and tutors. These lecturers and tutors shine in great learning facilities and lecture theatres equipped with quality technology, and students learn things they’ll be able to take with them for life. Plus, independent study and research are easy in each of the university’s many great libraries.

 

Learning sites at UU cross the city of Uppsala, and there are also UU locations on the island of Gotland to the south. Students have access to the beauty of nature and the excitement of city life. There are over 26,000 full-time students enrolled, and 17 per cent of these students are from an international background. This is no surprise since UU has a global reputation for being a great university and a unique learning environment.

 

Since the international student community at Uppsala is so strong and such a big portion of UU, the university knows how to welcome people from all backgrounds and prepare lots of different kinds of learners for success.

 

Some courses at UU are taught in Swedish, some in English. Bursaries and scholarships meet financial needs and reward academic achievements. Student services keep everyone happy and focused on their studies. Preparation for the world of work (in Sweden or beyond) starts on day one and doesn’t stop until graduation. For this reason and many more, graduate outcomes from UU are great.

 

Explore more about studying at UU:

 

Teaching quality

Entry requirements

Scholarships & funding

University structure

Facilities

Student support

Graduate outcomes

 

Teaching Quality

UU is one of the highest-rated research universities in Sweden. It has an overall score of 59 per cent and a Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE) of 131 as of 2022. Its QS World University Rankings for 2023 is 128, showing potential applicants that UU always ranks in the top 150.

 

Lecturers and researchers at UU are committed to giving their students a great education and sharing important learning skills with them. The teaching quality is always high, and the aim is always to prepare students for successful careers after graduation. Plus, the university is always looking for ways to develop sustainably and improve the world and creating a new generation of outside-the-box thinkers is a great way to keep up that development.

 

At UU, the student-to-lecturer ratio is 11 to one. This is a big reason why Uppsala’s teaching quality is so high, as it means all students get the attention and focus they need to succeed. UU tutors also know when to step back and let learners take the lead. People who study here become leaders, driven to grow but always supported by high-quality teaching methods and staff.

 

Big and important areas of research at UU right now include women’s mental health, and diabetes treatment. The university has also played a major part in BATTER 2030+, a project devoted to developing sustainable batteries and energies of the future. UU is also participating in a 10-year project called The Viking Phenomenon (discovering and investigating Sweden’s Viking past).

 

The university’s Information Technology Department is well respected and has won various awards for inspiring and impactful teaching (department lecturers have won awards for leadership and outstanding technical achievement). Whether students are interested in Uppsala’s history, ready to build a better future or looking for the best of both worlds, they can create a great academic path for themselves at UU.

 

Entry Requirements

The university makes international outreach a priority, and the entire country of Sweden is a very welcoming one to come and study in. Overall, UU encourages as many international students to apply to the institution as possible. UU recommends that these students apply through the International Admissions round if they’re planning to study at an undergraduate level.

 

Some entry requirements for Uppsala vary between courses and programmes, while other university entry requirements apply to every applicant. To be eligible for Uppsala University, all applicants must have successfully completed their upper secondary school or high school qualifications (or the equivalent in their home country).

 

They must also be able to prove a certain level of English language ability (for courses in English, of course. If they’d like to study one of UU’s courses delivered in Swedish, they’ll need to prove their ability to speak Swedish instead).

 

Course-specific entry requirements for students are available on the relevant pages on the university’s website. An example of specific university requirements that change between courses would be for the BA in economics. This course of study requires applicants to have attained a higher level of upper secondary school mathematics.

 

For postgraduate students, exact entry requirements will vary depending on the programme they’d like to study and the level of degree they’d like to get. Generally, they will need to share their previous relevant university qualifications (and proof of these qualifications), and they’ll need to show that they have a strong knowledge of written and spoken English (or Swedish, as explained above).

 

English Score Required

Some courses at Uppsala are taught in a combination of Swedish and English, some only in English and some only in Swedish. The language understanding a student will need to demonstrate will depend on the course they want to study at UU. Programmes taught in English include:

 

  • Game Design and Graphics
  • Game Design and Programming
  • Game Design and Project Management
  • Energy Transition, Sustainability and Leadership
  • Sustainable Development in Industrial Engineering
  • Leadership, Quality Management, and Improvement

 

If studying in English, a student will need a minimum English score to be accepted. There are three main internationally recognised tests that the university accepts: the IELTS, the TOEFL and the Pearson Test. An undergraduate applicant will need a minimum IELTS overall band score of 6, a minimum TOEFL score of 87 and a minimum Pearson Test score of 62.

 

A postgraduate applicant at the MA level (programmes at this level are taught primarily in English at UU) will need a minimum IELTS overall band score of 6.5, a minimum TOEFL score of 90 and a minimum Pearson Test score of 68. On average, the entrance scores of students accepted into UU are an IELTS overall band score of 7 and a TOEFL score of 100.

 

Admission

All international students applying for admission to UU need to apply via the International Admissions round. This is an external national Swedish system, and it will include an application fee of SEK 900 if the applicant isn’t from an EU or EEA country.

 

For undergraduate students from Switzerland and EU/EEA countries, tuition is free. For postgraduate students from the same countries, costs range between SEK 90,000 and SEK 135,000 annually. Non-EU students will need to prove they can handle the financial demands before they’re admitted and should check how much they’ll be paying in tuition fees for their chosen course on the UU website.

 

Admission for international students also requires certain supporting documents, depending on whether the course applied for is a BA, an MA or a PhD. The exact documents needed will depend on the course, so students should always familiarise themselves with individual programme requirements, but undergraduates will definitely need to share:

 

  • A copy of their passport
  • An official high school transcript, including their upper secondary school leaving certificate and reports for the previous three years
  • A statement of purpose

 

University admission requirements for MA students will include the same documentation, but they’ll also have to supply a transcript of their previous university records and diploma, a CV/resume, their thesis submitted in English, a letter of recommendation and a personal statement.

 

Scholarships & Funding

There are some great scholarships and funding opportunities available to international students at UU. The exact options change each academic year, but there are always several scholarships aimed at international students at both levels: undergraduate and postgraduate.

 

Some international student university scholarships are awarded to students from any country outside of the EU/EEA, and some are available only to students from particular countries. Students are entitled to apply for more than one scholarship but may only receive one whilst studying at UU. Only students who are studying on-campus at Gotland or Uppsala can apply. The process of applying for scholarships is easy and usually happens right after an admission application.

 

Any student who is a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country could benefit from the Uppsala University Global Scholarship. This scholarship covers tuition fees in full. It’s only available to postgraduate students who show academic talent and meet the entry requirements for their specific course.

 

Students from Ghana, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda might be eligible for Anders Wall Scholarship Foundation support. Scholarships from Wall also cover all tuition fees, and undergraduates and postgraduates are eligible if they meet the entry requirements of the course they’ve applied to.

 

The King Carl Gustaf Scholarship is available to postgraduate students from countries like Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras, Mali, The Philippines, Somalia, South Korea and Yemen. Students must be able to prove that they are being impacted by conflict/natural disasters and must also meet certain academic requirements.

 

University Structure

UU offers a wide range of courses, programmes and world-leading research institutes for students. It currently offers 75 undergraduate programmes, six international undergraduate programmes, 75 postgraduate programmes, 70 international postgraduate programmes and a total of 2,000 courses (890 of these courses are taught in English).

 

In total, UU has 12 campuses (most of which are in the city of Uppsala) and the departments of the university cover these campuses, turning every UU-owned space into an exciting learning environment. The faculties break down like this: 

 

  • The Disciplinary Domain of Humanities
    • The Faculty of Arts
    • The Faculty of Educational Sciences
    • The Faculty of Languages
    • The Faculty of Law
    • The Faculty of Social Sciences
    • The Faculty of Theology
  • The Disciplinary Domain of Medicine & Pharmacy
    • The Faculty of Medicine
    • The Faculty of Pharmacy
  • The Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology
    • The Faculty of Biology
    • The Faculty of Chemistry
    • The Faculty of Earth Sciences
    • The Faculty Maths and Computer Science
    • The Faculty of Physics
    • The Faculty of Technology

 

Uppsala is recognised as one of Sweden’s leading research institutions and the university is very proud of its research projects. There are lots of great institutes and centres across the departments, including CIRCUS (the Centre for Integrated Research on Culture and Society), Uppsala Antibiotic Centre and CEMFOR (the Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism).

 

Facilities

The facilities at Uppsala, both academic and extracurricular, are excellent for students. Every person studying at UU can find places for socialising and amazing research resources at all of the institution’s 12 campuses. Each campus is a student life centre where students can learn one minute and make new friends the next. Lots of the city’s ancient, historic buildings are part of the university complex, including the Uppsala University Library and Gustavinium, the excellent university museum.

 

There are some great academic spaces at UU. The Humanities Theatre is a prominent lecture theatre and a perfect example of the well-designed learning spaces that are standard at the university. It has 137 seats and lots of great modern technology. It’s the perfect size for social learning, and the technology makes it an even more flexible space.

 

Over on the Blasenhus Campus, there’s the Experimental Classroom (an educational space and a great student activity centre) and the Uppsala Child and Baby Laboratory. The Karin Baye Library at the English Park Campus and the Law Library at Gamla Target both offer wonderful research opportunities, while the Rudbeck Lab is a modern research space for immunology, cancer and genetic disorders.

 

For sport and exercise after class, the 1477 Centre on the Blasenhus campus can’t be missed. Students can get involved in various ball sports at 1477 (maybe even at a competitive level if they’re interested). It also acts as a great overall student recreation centre, with facilities for rock climbing, spinning and gym sessions.

 

There are lots of good food and drink options at each of the campuses, offering a wide range of cuisines and catering to different dietary needs and preferences. Students need good fuel to learn effectively, and UU makes sure they never go hungry on campus.

 

Accommodation

Student accommodation can be hard to find in Sweden, and it’s challenging to find at UU. It’s a competitive process, so the university advises students (especially international students) to start their accommodation applications as soon as they’ve enrolled in a course. This way, they’ll have the best chance of making sure they get a place at their ideal residence.

 

Different university accommodation rules and student house availability will apply depending on where a student comes from and whether they’re an undergraduate or a postgraduate. All fee-paying international students from a non-EU/EEA background are offered a housing guarantee and the average monthly rental costs for accommodation at UU are between SEK 3,800 and 6,300.

 

All other students will need to find their own accommodation in Uppsala. The best way to start this journey is by joining one of the 13 ‘Student Nations’. These nations own university accommodation options via their student housing foundations. Most of the options are in good locations for UU, and there are a variety of different rooms on offer (single rooms, double rooms, private apartments and so on).

 

There are also student house options in Visby, where the university’s Gotland Campus is based. Surrounded by beautiful nature and just a short distance from the sea, the natural environments of Gotland are great for peaceful student life and studying. Several housing companies in Visby offer accommodation, and students can also approach private landlords directly.

 

Student Support

Uppsala University understands that great student support is part of a great education. That’s why UU offers lots of support services, including career counselling and advice, mental health support and disability assistance.

 

The institution's Student Health Services department is on hand to help students with any part of life that they may be struggling with. For international students, this could mean settling into a different country. Stress, low self-esteem, excessive drinking and various types of anxiety can all be handled via the student support services team’s range of seminars, group sessions and student guides for studying.

 

Any person with longstanding physical and mental disabilities is entitled to a targeted student support programme during their studies. They will be assessed and given support based on their needs, so each individual student can be guaranteed the right level/type of support for the problems they’re personally experiencing.

 

There are also university chaplains available to talk to in both Uppsala and Visby, and these chaplains can speak with students of all faiths. The service is confidential and can help with everything from worries about the future to stress about academic demands. Whatever support services a student needs, they will be able to access them easily at Uppsala University. UU is proud to be supportive.

 

Graduate Outcomes

Students should consider applying to Uppsala if they dream of a bright future, as graduate outcomes and job prospects after UU are great. This is one of the best research universities in northern Europe. The alumni network is strong, and the university has been able to create some important connections to businesses on a national and international level. Plus, students benefit from lots of great career services while they’re learning.

 

There are various different portals, workshops and forms of guidance, including access to one-on-one appointments with a career guide (available in Uppsala and Visby) and events for networking and learning employability skills. Plus, lecturers are always doing their best to prepare students for the standards of the working world. Here are just a few of UU’s best employment services for students:

 

  • UU CareerGate (an online hub that helps students find events, jobs, internships and placements).
  • Career Tuesday (a weekly dedicated space for events/lectures/workshops/seminars focused on job hunting, job applications, exploring career options and improving employability).
  • GoinGlobal (a service for students who dream big and want to make an impact outside of Sweden, featuring lots of experts and experienced advice).

 

Subjects you can study at Uppsala University

  • Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
  • Applied and Pure Sciences Applied and Pure Sciences
  • Business and Management Business and Management
  • Computer Science and IT Computer Science and IT
  • Creative Arts and Design Creative Arts and Design
  • Education and Training Education and Training
  • Engineering Engineering
  • Health and Medicine Health and Medicine
  • Humanities Humanities
  • Law Law
  • Social Studies and Media Social Studies and Media
  • Travel and Hospitality Travel and Hospitality
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Key facts and figures at Uppsala University

Rankings

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Source: THE

140

OVERALL SCORE

62.8%

TEACHING

43.9%

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

74.7%

INDUSTRY INCOME

97.7%

RESEARCH

55%

CITATIONS

81.3%
QS World University Rankings 2024
Source: QS

105

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023
Source: ARWU

82

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS
Source: Study in Sweden

SEK51,120

AVERAGE PRIVATE RENT
Source: Study in Sweden

SEK45,000

AVERAGE TUITION FEE PER YEAR

POSTGRADUATE

SEK100,000

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