Newly admitted students
Starting one of our programs in Autumn 2023?
We can't wait to meet you! We hope you're excited to start your program, too. We've compiled a bunch of information for you below - take a look, and get ready - we'll see you in the autumn!
What’s coming up
Lund University arrival day
On Arrival Day, international mentors and university staff will welcome you and help you settle into your new life in Lund and Sweden. We recommend all international students to attend, though attending Arrival Day is not required. More information about arrival day can be found here.
Orientation weeks
Arrival Day marks the start of the University's orientation weeks offering a variety of activities that aim to help you settle in smoothly at the University and in student life. A full program and possibilities to sign up and/or buy tickets will be available here.
Programme introduction day (mandatory)
25 August 2022 from 9-15 (Location TBA)
Each year, we organise a big welcome event for all Graduate School students. It's our personal way of introducing you to the department, as well as fall new students to meet each other! Be sure to watch your email for an update from us this summer regarding this awesome in-person event!
Course start (mandatory)
The moment we've all been waiting for! Monday, 28 August is the first day of teaching on most of our courses. Excited yet?! Here are links to your first profile course:
SIMP01: Introduction to Global Studies (Global Studies Students)
SIMP27: Gender, Class, Ethnicity and Sexuality (Social Studies of Gender Students)
SIMP37: Theories and Issues in Development (Development Studies Students)
SIMP45: Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies (Society & Politics of the Contemporary Middle East Students)
SIMP55: The Process of Social Research (Social Scientific Data Analysis Students)
Attendance at course start is mandatory. If you miss the first course meeting of your first course, you risk losing your place on the program. If you must miss the course introduction due to documented reasons such as illness, please contact frank [dot] schreier [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se before the course introduction meeting. You must in any case be able to demonstrate that you are in Lund to start the program, even if illness prevents you from attending the course introduction meeting.
Conditionally admitted students & document submission
In order to start the program, you must be able to demonstrate that you have completed and passed your bachelor's degree studies. Conditionally admitted students must submit their degree documents for verification by the Lund University Admissions Department before they can be registered to the program. The following information outlines what needs to be submitted and how, depending on the country in which you previously studied.
Required documentation
Students are required to submit their degree certificate/diploma and final transcript showing all completed courses and grades in to fulfill conditional admission requirements. For students with previous studies in the majority of countries*, it is enough to upload a copy of your degree certificate once you receive it and before starting the program. If you completed your bachelor's studies in Sweden, you do not need to upload any documents; instead, just notify master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se once your final grades are reported in Ladok and you have applied for your degree certificate.
*However, if your degree was awarded in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, or the USA, your official transcript must be sent directly to University Admissions by your previous university to the following address:
PostNord Strålfors AB
Att: University Admissions in Sweden
R 312
SE-190 81 Rosersberg
Sweden
If you will not have a diploma by the deadline mentioned below, we will accept a certified transcript showing that you have completed and passed all bachelor's-level course work. You will then need to submit your diploma at the deadline mentioned below. This will, however, have implications on your official registration. Please see below for how this impacts your registration.
How and when to submit required documentation
How to submit the required documents
The easiest and fastest way to submit the required documentation (as long as your degree was not awarded from a university in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, or the USA) is to upload it to your account on universityadmissions.se and email master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se once that is complete. Students who graduated from the aforementioned countries must have their previous university send their proof of graduation to the address mentioned above.
If your bachelor's degree is from a Swedish university, it is enough to email Graduate School (master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se) your Swedish personal number letting us know once all of your credits are reported in Ladok and that you have applied for degree certificate.
Deadline to submit required documentation
Newly admitted students must submit proof of completed bachelor's degrees by the time of program start, which is the start of the Autumn Term: on 28 August.
As aforementioned, if you are unable to submit your final documentation by that date, you can submit a certified document showing that you have completed and passed all bachelor's-level coursework (such as a letter from your university stating that you have completed all required coursework) by the first day of courses, and then the final transcript and/or diploma (depending on your country-specific requirements) no later than three weeks after the start of the term (absolute latest deadline: 18 September).
Implications to registration
We will not be able to register you to the program until you have submitted the required documentation. Therefore, you may not be registered on the program right away, if you are submitting after 28 of August and before 18 September. This is important to know in case you have scholarships, student financial aid (such as CSN in Sweden), or other important matters that require you to prove that you've been registered to the program and not a single course.
In order to be registered to the program, you must be physically present in Lund at the beginning of the program.
Pedagogical Support
If you need any special assistance throughout your studies, you are welcome to apply for pedagogical support. This could range from:
- General support in academic studies
- Studying with a permanent disability – Disability Support Services
- Reading and writing support at Lund University Libraries
- Improving your study skills and academic writing – The Academic support Centre
Any students interested in learning more about the university's support offerings are welcome to join for a webinar on 21 August from 15:00-16:00 on Zoom.
On the webinar, you will meet :
- Ida Jarbe Holmlund, coordinator at Disability Support Services
- Henrik Mejborn, special educator at Disability Support Services www.lunduniversity.lu.se/disabilities
- Sandra Petersson, language and study consultant at The Academic Support Centre www.lunduniversity.lu.se/academic-support-centre
Want to join? Register no later than August 18th, by sending an email with your name and information about your studies to: ida [dot] jarbe_holmlund [at] stu [dot] lu [dot] se.
Frequently asked questions:
For students from most countries*, it is possible for you to scan and upload your degree documents to University Admissions instead of bringing your hard copy documents to the Graduate School Reception. It is good if you have your original copies with you in Sweden in case the Admissions Department should need to see your original copies.
*If your degree was awarded in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, or the USA, your official transcript must be sent directly from your university to the following address:
PostNord Strålfors AB
Att: University Admissions in Sweden
R 312
SE-190 81 Rosersberg
Sweden
Those who are still waiting for their degree to be issued can upload a copy of the transcript of records showing that all coursework within the Bachelor's degree has been completed.
Additionally, please send an email with your name, programme and personal number to frank [dot] schreier [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se. Please mention in the e-mail that you have uploaded your Transcript of Records and let us know when you expect your diploma to arrive.
Regardless of your nationality, if you are a conditionally admitted student who received your Bachelor's degree from a Swedish university, your credits will be registered in the national system and you will not need to send a transcript. If you diploma/examensbevis is not issued by the time you begin the program (or at the latest three weeks after the start of the term), you will need to get a certificate or letter from your university stating that you have completed all required coursework and passed, and that you are just waiting on your diploma to be issued.
Additionally, please send an email with your name, programme and personal number to master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se and let us know.
Depending on your specific extenuating circumstance, you may be able to apply for a deferral of studies. This guarantees that we hold you place and you can start the program during the next academic year.
Deferral of studies can be granted for the the following special reasons:
- Employer decided to postpone my leave of absence (include certified copy of the employer’s decision)
- Basic military training or civilian military service (include certified copy of the draft order)
- Employment or service in the armed forces in accordance with Section 12 of the Act (2012:332)2 (include certified copy of certificate)
- Childcare (include certified copy of certificate)
- Illness (include doctor’s certificate)
- Elected position in a student union (include certified copy of certificate)
- Other (include an account of the reason as well as certified copies to support the account)*
Lack of funding/scholarship is unfortunately not a reason that can be accepted under the “other” category.
For inquiries regarding deferrals of study, please contact us at master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se with your full name, application number, program you've been admitted to, and the reason you need a deferral of study. If you are eligible for a deferral, we will send you instructions on how to apply.
You can contact Graduate School at master [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se with any other questions.