Exams to Study in Sweden: IELTS, TOEFL and Other Requirements

There are many universities in Sweden for international students, out of which almost all of them have similar entry requirements. To study in Sweden, students should keep in mind the general entry requirements of the chosen university as well as the program-specific entry requirements. When the student is ready to apply, they can use the Swedish Council of Higher Education’s website to apply for admission to Swedish universities.

The specific requirements for university admission in Sweden will be mentioned on the university website. Some of the most popular English proficiency test scores accepted for admission to the top universities in Sweden includes IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and others.

English Proficiency Exams to Study in Sweden

University admissions in Sweden require all international students to demonstrate certain English language proficiency test scores to qualify for the university of their choice. They are as follows:

IELTS Requirements for Sweden Universities

To get into the top universities in Sweden, international student should qualify the International English Language Testing System for universities in Sweden. The minimum IELTS scores and their sectional scores are provided below:

• English 5: Band of 5.5. No section should be below 5.0
• English 6: Band of 6.5. No section should be below 5.5
• English 7: Band of 7.0. No section should be below 6.0

TOEFL Requirements for Sweden Universities

In order to take part in the most sought-after courses in Sweden, a student should qualify the minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL requirements for Sweden universities.

Note: To study in Sweden, TOEFL examinee score records are not taken into consideration. Students need to verify their TOEFL results before applying to universities in Sweden. If this is not the case, their admission will not be accepted.

Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments Requirements to Study in Sweden

To get into the top universities in Sweden for international students, they need to have:

• Cleared MELAB (Michigan English Language Battery) for English 5, with a minimum score of 85
• Cleared MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) for English 6, with a minimum score of 90

PTE Requirements to Study in Sweden

PTE is a widely accepted exam required to study in Sweden. The details of PTE scores are as follows:

• For English 5: Minimum score 68 and writing score 61
• For English 6: Minimum score 62 and writing score 61
• For English 7: Minimum score 47

Students should make a note that their test results should be verified, else they will not be admitted in the universities in Sweden.

Cambridge ESOL Examinations

• For English 5: Cambridge first certificate in English with grades A, B or C/ B2 First (FCE)
• For English 6: Cambridge English: Advanced/ C1 Advanced (CAE)/ Cambridge ESOL level 2 certificate
• For English 7: Cambridge English, Certificate of Proficiency in English/ C2 Proficiency (CPE)

Study in Sweden: Preparation for Bachelor’s Courses

There are two major types of Bachelor’s degree to study in Sweden. They are as follows.

Universities in Sweden for international students take in students to study in the bachelor’s courses if the student has:

• Has completed secondary school qualification
• Has a minimum proficiency in English. The requirement is same as the Swedish upper secondary course: English 6/English B

If a student fails to have previous university qualifications, they are required to submit their high school qualification. Some universities in Sweden for international students offer seats to students depending on their high school qualification and not university qualification.

Study in Sweden: Preparation for Masters Courses

The requirements to study master’s courses in the universities in Sweden for international students are:

• The student must have a Bachelor’s degree from a university which is internationally recognized. This is the same as a Swedish Kandidatexamen.
• The applicants should be proficient enough in English. They must have qualified internationally recognized qualifications like IELTS or TOEFL scores.

Study in Sweden: Preparation for Ph.D. Courses

Universities in Sweden for international students are known extensively for their research. This is one of the reasons as to why Sweden is becoming an increasingly popular study abroad destination. To study Ph.D./Doctorate courses in Sweden a student must have:

• Student must have a university degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree with emphasis on the same subject that the student wishes to do his research on.
• Previous university thesis where the student has done some independent research
• Should be proficient in English. Some universities in Sweden for international students also require students to have basic Swedish skills, where seminars and lectures are conducted in Swedish. 

Admission Requirements for Top Universities in Sweden?

To get into the universities in Sweden for international students need to make sure that they take part in additional learning methods and not simply the qualifying exams. Following are the ways that student can do this:

• Preparatory courses: These are the kind of courses that a student can undertake before he or she seeks admission in a bachelors or a master’s course in Sweden. Examples of such courses are: Pre-MBA courses, Pre-medicine courses or Pre-law courses.
• English courses: If a student is seeking admission to study in Sweden, he should make it a point to be adept enough with regards to English speaking/writing. It is essential that a student does this as some of the seminars and lectures in Sweden are conducted in Swedish. It is advisable that students undertake an English prep course before attending the university

In a nutshell, university admission in Sweden is pretty uncomplicated provided that students understand the pre-requisites of the admission process and the test requirements.