Stockholm
- a renowned academic centre in an international setting
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and one of the most prominent academic centres in northern Europe. Of the 80,000 students who study at the city’s impressive 21 universities and university colleges, some 5,000 are international students and guest researchers. Exchange students, Master’s students, and guest researchers come to Stockholm from all over the world. As a student in Stockholm, you will meet people from countries such as China, Japan, Australia, Germany, Spain, and the USA.
In Stockholm, you will find cutting edge competence everywhere – from technical colleges and nursing schools to universities and university colleges specialising in social sciences, law, economics, and art. Traditional education is offered alongside interdisciplinary studies with a modern approach to the academic tradition. There is an extensive range of programmes and courses to choose from and many of the Master’s programmes are available in English. Whichever field you are interested in, you can be sure to find the perfect education in Stockholm.
Top-notch education and award-winning research
Stockholm offers higher education of the highest international standards at recognised universities and university colleges, including renowned institutions such as Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Stockholm School of Economics, and Stockholm University. Over the years, no less than twelve Nobel Prize Laureates have been active at these universities and university colleges, within the fields of physiology and medicine, physics, economics, and chemistry.
Ground-breaking international research continues to be carried out at the universities and university colleges in Stockholm, and several institutions rank among the best in the world within their academic fields. Climate and environmental research, neuroscience, financing and financial markets, economics, health and social inequality, medical epidemiology, and nanotechnology are particularly prominent areas of research. Once you enrol in Stockholm, you will have knowledgeable researchers as your professors.
Stockholm is also the hub of Sweden’s political, cultural and business sectors and the financial centre of Scandinavia. Several multinational companies are located here, side by side with the headquarters of international Swedish NGO’s, public authorities, and cultural institutions. Researchers and professors from Stockholm are regularly quoted in the media, participate in social debates, and are regularly invited to participate in vital national and international inquiries.
Equality, tolerance and a unique atmosphere
The city of Stockholm offers a multicultural setting where you will meet people from all over the world. As an international student in Stockholm, you will have ample opportunity to learn about new cultures, customs and languages. Most Swedes speak excellent English and they will be happy to guide you around your new home town!
Like many other metropolitan cities in the world, Stockholm is known to pick up quickly on international influences. With a broad ethnic spectrum, the latest trends within fashion, culture, art, and music quickly take root. Restaurants with cuisine from every corner of the world jostle with cafés, pubs and night clubs, galleries and museums, large shopping centres and unique boutiques. The city also houses several large arenas, including the famous Stockholm Globe Arena, which host some of the world’s greatest performers and sport events. Around the city you will also find a wide range of seminars and forums open to the public where current political, cultural and social topics are discussed and debated.
Sweden is one of the most gender-equal and tolerant countries in the world. This is reflected throughout society, resulting in a unique atmosphere at the academic institutions in Stockholm with excellent opportunities for open and relaxed contacts between university staff, professors, and students.
Swedish universities are famous for their investigative research and independent thinking, which is cemented with rigorous quality controls and nationally certified degrees. The teaching methods provide scope for and strongly encourage creative and critical thinking among students, thus placing them at an advantage and preparing them for working life. In Sweden, the students’ democratic influence on the curriculum and university matters in general is valued and safeguarded.
An English speaking people
Most Swedes speak good English and are very friendly and happy to be of help. Swedes study English from the first grade in primary school, and since television is not dubbed into Swedish, children tend to pick up the language quickly. In everyday life, English will take you a long way. However, you will find that if you learn some Swedish, this will act as a great door opener when it comes to community information, social life, and work.
A changing climate
The climate in Stockholm is extremely varied and every season has its particular charm. It is warm in the summer and cold in the winter. Where Stockholmers go swimming in July, they can go long-distance skating in January. However, compared to other Swedish or northern cities, Stockholm has a fairly mild climate. Average daytime temperatures vary from 20 to 22°C (68 to 72°F) during the summer, frequently exceeding 25°C (77°F). During winter, average temperatures vary from −5 to 1°C (23 to 34°F). Temperatures rarely drop below −10°C (14.0°F).
Check out the current weather in Stockholm at www.smhi.se.
More information about Stockholm
Want to know more about Sweden?
Sweden is an open, multicultural society with a long tradition of welcoming students from abroad. It is a society that promotes gender equality, tolerance, and inclusiveness. Some 26,000 foreign students currently study in Sweden, thereby creating the conditions for a vibrant, international study environment.
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