Your right to complete your studies
Courses and programmes are changed and cancelled, degree-awarding powers are taken away and students take leave from their studies. How do you complete your education when things like this happen?
If you've started your course or programme, in general you have the right to complete it. There are some exceptions to this rule and some situations where it isn't so easy to know what rules apply.
Finish where you started
In general, you have the right to finish your course or programme at the university where you started. A student does not have the right to finish a course or programme at another university, even if the course or programme is also offered there.
If degree awarding powers are withdrawn
Sometimes a university has their degree awarding powers for a specific degree programme withdrawn. If this happens with the programme you're studying, you have the right to finish the programme. The university can award a degree (qualification) for those who started the programme before the decision was made to withdraw degree awarding powers.
If degree awarding powers are taken away for your programme, contact your school/department for more information.
The Swedish Higher Education Act, chapter 1, section 14
Higher education institutions that are exceptions (non-public)
If you're studying at one of the following university colleges, you do not have a guarantee that you can complete your programme if degree-awarding powers are revoked:
- Beckman's College of Design
- Chalmers University of Technology
- Gammelkroppa skogsskola
- Johannelund School of Theology
- Jönköping University
- Marie Cedershiöld University College
- The Newman Institute University College
- Örebro School of Theology
- Red Cross University College
- Sophiahemmet University
- University College of Music Education in Stockholm
- Stockholm School of Economics
- University College Stockholm
- All schools that only have permission to award degrees in psychotherapy
Taking a leave from your studies
If you have to take a leave from your studies for a specific reason during a course or programme you've already started, you can apply for an approved leave from studies with admission guarantee from the university where you're studying.
When the time is approaching for you to start your studies again after a leave, be sure to contact your university in good time.
If your leave is not approved
If your university denies your request for an approved leave, you can appeal the decision with the Higher Education Appeals Board (Överklagandenämnden). Send your appeal to the university who made the decision but address it to Överklagandenämnden.
To appeal with the Higher Education Appeals Board
If you take a longer leave from your studies
If you take a leave from your course or programme without requesting an approved leave from studies, and after a time wish to continue again, you should contact your university.
Expulsion from studies: when you may not complete your course or programme
If a student is suffering from a mental illness, is abusing alcohol or narcotics or has been convicted of a serious crime, he or she can be expelled from studies. This means that the student may not continue their course or programme. A student can be expelled if there is a real risk that the student may harm another person or university property during their study time.
It's the Higher Education Expulsions Board (Högskolans avskiljandenämnd, HAN) that is responsible for all cases involving expulsion. The decisions of HAN can be appealed to a public administrative court.
A student that has been expelled can request that HAN reevaluate their decision after 2 years.