INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE

Exchange at Växjö University

University Information | Location Information | Courses Available | Academic Credit | Eligibility | Costs | Deadlines & Dates | Orientation | Housing | What's Next? | Helpful Links

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University Information

Växjö University, located in Växjö, Sweden, is UMD’s oldest exchange program. As Duluth and Växjö are sister cities and have an excellent relationship, so do UMD and Växjö University. The university, established in 1967, has about 10,000 students and is known for its business school, but also has courses in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and education. The campus is located only about 3 kilometers from the city center on Lake Trummen. Teleborg Castle is a popular feature of the campus.

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Location Information
Växjö University is located in the city of Växjö in the south central Swedish county of Kronoberg. The city of Växjö has nearly 80,000 inhabitants and is surrounded by several lakes. Växjö's history dates back to the 12th century. In the 19th century, it became a center point to the mass emigration of Swedes due to an agricultural crisis that crippled the country. It is now an important cultural and business center. Kronoberg County makes up part of the province of Småland, which is known for the " Kingdom of Crystal" where much of the world-renowned Swedish glass is made.

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Courses Available
Växjö University offers a wide variety of courses and programs for students to take in English instruction. Programs offered cannot be taken as partial but an additional single
course, usually Swedish language, can be added. If selecting single subjects, students can select classes from various subjects.

To view the most up-to-date course offerings, please visit programmes and courses for exchange students at the Växjö University website. Also, please view current course equivalencies for Växjö University.

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Academic Credit
Classes are measured in Swedish Points are European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits. Classes worth 5 points are equal to 7.5 ECTS or 4 UMD credits. Classes are typically taken one at a time and are usually 4 weeks long.

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Eligibility
Degree seeking students at any University of Minnesota campus who have completed one full year of study prior to the beginning of the exchange are eligible. For some areas of study, students should have completed substantial upper division course work. The minimum GPA is 2.4, and students need to consult with a study abroad advisor in the International Education Office (IEO) in 138 Kirby Plaza before they apply. Tentative acceptance will be done by IEO. Final acceptance is done by the foreign university.

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Costs
Our goal is to keep prices similar to those of attending UMD. The program cost per semester to attend Blekinge Institute of Technology can be found here.

Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. Financial aid may be applied toward the cost of exchange programs. There are several study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students.

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Deadlines & Dates
Deadlines to apply to a program occur during the semester previous to that which you wish to study abroad. In general, deadlines fall around March 15 to begin study in the fall semester or October 15 to begin study in the spring semester. Fall semester at Växjö University, including arrival and orientation, typically runs from late August until mid-January. Spring semester, including arrival and orientation, typically runs from late January until early June.

Study: Fall semester or full academic year
UMD Deadline to apply: March 15
Fall arrival dates: end of August
Fall orientation dates: end of August
Fall semester: September - January

Study: Spring semester 2009
UMD Deadline to apply: October 15
Spring arrival dates: mid-January
Spring orientation dates: mid-January
Spring semester: mid to end of Januray - June

For more information on deadlines to apply, click here.

For more information on the academic calendar at Växjö University, click here.

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Orientation
At least one pre-departure orientation and one on-site orientation will be held. Pre-departure orientation will include information about financial aid information, class transferring, international insurance, student residence permit, classes, travel tips and two handbooks for participants to reference: general study abroad handbook and Swedish handbook.

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Housing
Student housing consists of small apartments for 2-4 students or corridors for 6-12 students. Corridors consist of individual bedrooms and usually their own bathrooms, and share living room, kitchen and dinning room with corridor mates. Typical corridor mates will include Swedish and international students.

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What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides information on financing, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, the UMD study abroad application may be downloaded from the IEO website. Please complete the application with required accompanying materials and return it to IEO.

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Helpful Links for Sweden & Växjö

• Swedish Migration Board
• The Consulate General of Sweden in New York
• General Sweden Information
• American Scandinavian Foundation
• Visit Sweden
• Swedish Tourism Information
• SJ - Swedish Railways
• Scandinavian Airlines

• The City of Växjö
• Småland Airport
• Växjö University
• Växjö University exchange students
• Växjö International Students (VIS) student organization

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