What's it like to study at a university in Sweden?

During a lesson a teacher can present a topic, but students are also expected to be active. For example, you may be asked to answer questions or take part in a discussion.

In a lecture, a teacher talks about the subject in front of a group of students. You can ask questions, but the most important part of a lecture is listening and taking notes. Teachers often discuss important parts of the course that can't be found in the textbooks.

In a seminar, a teacher and a smaller group of students gather to discuss a specific subject. In seminars, students are more active than in lessons or lectures. It's important to prepare for the seminar in advance by reading course material and studying your notes. 

Self-studies are those times and weekdays when you have no scheduled classes at the University and the expectation is that you will study on your own or together with you classmates.

In group work you do an assignment with other classmates in a smaller group and present your results as a group. This presentation can either be given orally or in writing. Group work is a common type of study form at KI.

An assignment where one or more students are to conduct an experiment. Once the assignment is completed, the students present orally or in writing.

A written exam with a time limit. The type of questions vary depending on the subject. They can be questions about pure facts, investigative tasks where you must reason through a question, or a problem that must be solved. 

A written test that is completed at home. The questions in a take-home exam often require you to reflect on a specific question. You can use other resources in support of your answer.

You meet with a teacher and discuss the subject being examined. The discussion usually lasts a few hours. The teacher asks questions that require facts as the answer, or asks that you reflect on a topic. An oral examination can be one-on-one or in a group.

A task that is to be completed individually or in a group.

You can be asked to write a PM (memorandum) about a topic where you discuss it at length. This type of assignment is also called an essay or paper.

You must have successfully completed one or more assignments in a laboratory. Laboratories almost always require the student to describe their work and results in a report. Laboratories can be completed in a group.

Students are divided into groups where each is required to complete an assignment together. Grades, however, are given individually. 

An academic paper can be required for an examination, but at a certain level it can also be required in order to complete a specific degree. Academic papers are generally rather large assignments that can take up to an entire semester to complete.

You are always assigned a supervisor (a teacher) to support you in your work on the academic paper. The supervisor helps with advice and feedback on your arguments and research methods. When an academic paper is completed, it must be defended. This is called public discussion or ventilering (in Swedish) of your academic paper. What this means is that, at a seminar, you answer questions about your paper and listen to feedback. Questions are asked by one or more fellow students (opponenter) that have been assigned to review your paper.