Sweden, a country known for its high GDP is one of the countries that provide several opportunities for those who are looking for an outstanding career in nursing. Becoming a nurse in Sweden is quite expensive especially for international students. However, there are several Nursing Scholarships in Sweden that students can take advantage of.
Universities in Sweden offer different nursing programs for undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. programs. To make it more attractive, Swedish citizens and EU/EEA citizens are offered free study opportunity. Students living in these countries won’t have to pay the tuition fees. Some of these Swedish universities offer lucrative scholarships to international students enrolling in a nursing program.
See Also: Top Scholarships in Sweden Without IELTS for International Students [Fully Funded]
How to Apply for a Nursing Program in Sweden
The following are several steps that one must be aware of before thinking of applying for a nursing program in Sweden:
#1 Know the Requirements for becoming a Nurse in Sweden
Any individual wishing to become a nurse in Sweden must complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing and be licensed to work in Sweden. However, if you have already obtained a nursing degree abroad, you can choose to practice nursing in Sweden in three ways.
First, you can submit application for a license to practice at the National Board of Health and Welfare of Sweden which will assess your educational qualifications, ask for language proficiency test, and may ask you to take clinical training before sending your application.
The other two ways to become a nurse in Sweden is for the fellow to obtain additional training from reputable nursing institutes or obtain a Swedish first degree in nursing for international students.
#2 Research some Nursing Schools in Sweden
When looking out for suitable nursing schools, always look out for the school’s profile in terms of the school’s nursing accreditation and the faculty members of the school. It is also essential to check out the school’s location, whether it is located in the city or the countryside as this will impact on your financial disposition.
It is generally known that schooling in the city is more costly than in the countryside. Also, the cost of tuition depends on whether you are studying nursing at a university in Sweden or in a college.
Researching a nursing is not difficult. You can check through a university’s website, course program, and course requirements.
#3 Check out the Institution’s Requirements
It is important that you fulfill all the institution’s requirements. Some nursing schools require that you possess the educational qualification required to enter the nursing school as an international student and this is very important if you are to be admitted into their nursing program.
Some schools also require that you meet their language proficiency requirement which is a pre-requisite for you to be admitted into their nursing program. For instance at Karlstad University, you need to obtain a language proficiency test such as TOEFL (minimum score for paper-based test: 530, computer-based test: 173, internet-based test: 72) or IELTS (minimum score 5.5).
#4 Be Financially Prepared
Studying abroad requires huge financial commitment as an international student as you will be required to pay for almost everything including tuition, books, accommodation, feeding, etc. You have to take into consideration the number of years required to study nursing and other daily financial commitment including transportation, food, study materials, rent and other personal expenses.
#5 Prepare your Application
An applicant who is keen on achieving his/her of becoming a certified nurse in Sweden will have to go through all the eligibility criteria or the entry requirements of the nursing school of choice. Applicants are to ensure that they prepare all their documents in advance before setting out to apply for the nursing program as this will help them avoid rush-hour application and thereby minimize unnecessary mistakes.
Top Nursing Scholarships in Sweden
1# Swedish Society of Nursing Scholarship
The scholarship is aimed at supporting nursing students to meet their potentials without having to worry about their funding. Nursing students can apply for the Queen Silvia Nursing Award as well as the Swedish Nurses’ Association Study Fund (SSEF’s memorial fund) which is being administered by the Swedish Society of Nursing.
The scholarship aimed at nursing students is awarded by the Fund of Swedish Society of Nursing. The purpose of the scholarship is to improve and develop basic education of nurses. The award should be used for improving the winner’s skills and knowledge beyond the regular education.
2# Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals
The Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) target highly-qualified students from selected countries and are awarded for full-time master’s level studies in Sweden. It covers both tuition fees, living costs, and insurance.
The scholarship is one of the top scholarships in Sweden in which nursing students can take advantage of irrespective of their nationality.
3# Nursing Education Fund
This fund benefits current and future nursing employees by funding educational opportunities and scholarships needed to advance the nursing profession at Swedish Hospital, from continuing nursing education and advanced degrees to educational technologies.
Educational opportunities for nursing staff provided by the Nursing Education Fund include:
- Certification for specialized nursing
- Scholarships for the pursuit of advanced degrees
- Swedish Hospital Nurse Leadership Fellows program
- Magnet conference participation.
#4 Swedish Universities’ Scholarships
Several Universities in Sweden offer lucrative scholarships to students from non-EU/EEA countries to study nursing in Sweden. A significant number of Swedish institutions still offer scholarships in the form of tuition waivers for international students.
Some of these universities include Chalmers IPOET Scholarships, Halmstad University Scholarships, Karlstad University Global Scholarship, Karolinska Institute Global Master’s Scholarship, Lund University Global Scholarship, Malardalen University Scholarships, Malmo University Master’s Scholarship to mention but a few.
Other notable nursing scholarships in Sweden are PZRN Scholarships, Virginia Ohlson Scholarships, Eileen M. Hallman Scholarship, Alyce Johnson-Chrystall Scholarships, SCHNAA Scholarships.