Regulatory framework for admission and admission requirements

Lund University’s Admission Rules contain rules for application, qualification requirements and selection for both the first and second cycles as well as qualifying and higher education access courses and degree programmes. The University Board decides on the Admission Rules. The Admission Rules are based on the Higher Education Ordinance and the Swedish Council for Higher Education’s regulations. They also contain rules on deferment of studies, approved leave from studies and non-completion of studies, and information on how decisions can be appealed and reviewed.

The University Admissions Board decides on the application instructions once a year. The application instructions clarify how and when an applicant is to apply for a course or degree programme at Lund University.

Lund University’s application instructions

Before the application period opens, programme information is also produced for all first-cycle programmes, where courses within the programme for the next semester must be applied for via antagning.se/universityadmission.se.

Programme information

The general entry requirements for first-cycle studies apply to all first-cycle education and the same requirements apply to all courses and degree programmes. The general entry requirements for first-cycle studies mean that an applicant is considered to have the general knowledge and skills required to cope with higher education studies. The Higher Education Ordinance states that a person meets the general entry requirements for courses or degree programmes that begin in the first cycle if they have:

1. knowledge of Swedish and English,
2. a scholarly approach,
3. the ability to examine issues from multiple perspectives,
4. problem-solving skills,
5. the ability to draw conclusions and motivate them, and
6. other competence that is necessary to benefit from such education.

An applicant is deemed to possess the necessary competence if they have:

• been awarded a preparatory qualification for higher education from an upper secondary school programme in Sweden or the equivalent from another country (detailed information about what is required from different types of upper secondary schools in Sweden and from upper secondary education in other countries is available at antagning.se and universityadmissions.se)
• a pass grade in an assessment of qualifications such as that referred to in the Ordinance on Trials of Qualification Assessments for Admission to Higher Education (2018:1510).

Other ways to demonstrate fulfilment of the general entry requirements

In addition to being awarded a preparatory qualification for higher education from an upper secondary school programme, an applicant can show that they have the necessary competence through completion of other Swedish education or education outside of Sweden, practical experience or some other circumstance. 

Another option is the common national application of what is known as 19:3, which pertains to fulfilment of general entry requirements through prior learning. In this case, applicants must be able to prove three years of post-secondary school vocational experience and proficiency in Swedish, English, social studies and mathematics from upper secondary school.

Information on vocational experience

Common application of general entry requirements according to the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions’ (SUHF) recommendation on UHR’s website (in Swedish)

Swedish 3 and English 6 are required to meet the general entry requirements

Swedish 3 and English 6 are always required to meet the general entry requirements in the case of more recent final grades from upper secondary school, current upper secondary school certificates and new entrants with upper secondary school grades from countries outside the Nordic region.

To ensure that all applicants have proficiency equivalent to English 6, this must be included as a specific entry requirement. Applicants with older upper secondary school grades and a small number of applicants with upper secondary school grades from other Nordic countries meet the general entry requirements even if their upper secondary school grades do not include a course equivalent to English 6. In the first case, this is due to the fact that the previous Swedish regulatory framework did not require English to meet the general entry requirements. In the second case it is a consequence of the agreement concluded by the Nordic countries on admission to higher education. For studies conducted in English, it is therefore recommended to specify English 6 as a specific entry requirement.

Language requirements

Please note that the requirements for proficiency in Swedish and English are not included in the general entry requirements for second-cycle studies and must therefore be included in the specific entry requirements for second-cycle studies. Language skills are never assessed for second-cycle studies, unless it is stated in the specific entry requirements.

General entry requirements for second-cycle courses

General entry requirements for first-cycle courses and degree programmes do not apply to second-cycle courses. Consequently, the necessary entry requirements must be included in the specific entry requirements for second-cycle courses. Lund University’s Admission Rules stipulate that a minimum of 90 credits is required for entry to second-cycle courses.

General entry requirements for second-cycle degree programmes 

A person who possesses a first-cycle qualification comprising at least 180 credits or a corresponding qualification meets the general entry requirements for second-cycle degree programmes.

A person meets the general entry requirements for a degree programme leading to the award of a second-cycle professional qualification (which according to the System of Qualifications requires specific professional registration or the prior award of a specific qualification), if they have acquired the specified professional registration or possess the specified qualification.

Upper secondary school courses

The most common form of specific entry requirement is one or more specific upper secondary school courses with at least a grade of Pass, which in the current upper secondary school system is at least a grade of E.

The Swedish Council for Higher Education’s regulations on specific entry requirements specify which upper secondary courses can be used as the basis for specific entry requirements for programmes leading to a professional qualification as well as which upper secondary school courses can be used as the basis for specific entry requirements for other courses and degree programmes aimed at new entrants.

Language courses as entry requirements

The requirement for Swedish 3 and English A/6 is included in the verification of fulfilment of the general entry requirements for first-cycle studies and does not need to be specified as a specific entry requirement for first-cycle courses.

Swedish 3 and English 6 are always required to meet the general entry requirements in the case of more recent final grades from upper secondary school, current upper secondary school certificates and new entrants with upper secondary school grades from countries outside the Nordic region. Applicants with older upper secondary school grades and a small number of applicants with upper secondary school grades from other Nordic countries meet the general entry requirements even if their upper secondary school grades do not include a course equivalent to English 6. In the first case, this is due to the fact that the previous Swedish regulatory framework did not require English to meet the general entry requirements. In the second case it is a consequence of the agreement concluded by the Nordic countries on admission to higher education. 

To ensure that all applicants have proficiency equivalent to English 6, it must be included as a specific entry requirement. For studies conducted in English, it is therefore recommended to specify English 6 as a specific entry requirement.

Fulfilment of specific entry requirements through other conditions

“Other conditions” can refer to necessary entry requirements that cannot be proven through upper secondary school courses. Examples include language skills not covered by upper secondary school courses, being able to play a specific instrument, specific professional experience or knowledge that can only be determined by means of an entrance test. 

More information on professional experience

Under the Higher Education Ordinance, the Swedish Council for Higher Education must be given the opportunity to remark on a university’s proposal for "other conditions" as a basis for specific entry requirements for courses and degree programmes aimed at new entrants, before the requirements are adopted in the course or programme syllabus. Please contact the Admissions Office well in advance of the course or degree programme instance being announced if specific entry requirements comprising other conditions apply. 

The specific entry requirements for courses or degree programmes that start in the first cycle and are intended for students other than new entrants may, according to the Higher Education Ordinance, consist of knowledge acquired from upper secondary school courses, higher education courses and other conditions determined by or that are relevant to the course or degree programme. The different types of specific entry requirements can be combined in the entry requirements.

Fulfilment of specific entry requirements through one or more upper secondary school courses

A list of upper secondary school courses that can be used to meet specific entry requirements is available in the Swedish Council for Higher Education’s regulations on specific entry requirements. Upper secondary school courses are not generally used as entry requirements for level 2, with the exception of English 6, and then always in combination with higher education courses. 

Fulfilment of specific entry requirements through higher education courses

For the admission process, it is an advantage if the entry requirements are specified in the form of the courses that the student should have knowledge from, and indicated by the course title, number of credits and course code. The entry requirements can also be described in terms of the competencies the applicant needs to be able to benefit from the course. The requirement can be met through equivalent studies from another higher education institution, see the section Assessment of equivalency.

More information about Assessment of equivalency

Unless otherwise stated in the course syllabus, it is assumed that the courses included in the entry requirements must be completed with at least a passing grade. If the whole course does not need to be completed, the requirement can be stated as “Completed course”. But in this case, the part or parts of the course that must have a passing grade are to be specified.

Language requirements

Since the requirements for proficiency in Swedish and English are not included in the general entry requirements for second-cycle studies, the language requirements must be included in the specific entry requirements for second-cycle studies. Language skills are never assessed for second-cycle studies, unless it is stated in the specific entry requirements.

Requirements for previous higher education studies or other conditions

The specific entry requirements for second-cycle studies may consist of knowledge from higher education courses and other conditions relevant to the programme. 

Unless otherwise stated in the course syllabus, it is assumed that the courses included in the entry requirements must be completed with at least a passing grade. If the whole course does not need to be completed, the requirement can be stated as “Completed course”. But in this case, the part or parts of the course that must have a passing grade are to be specified.

If the entry requirement is to be a completed degree and a completed degree project is an absolute requirement, the degree project must be specified in the entry requirement (together with the number of credits that the degree project must comprise). This applies even if the requirement is to be formulated as a Degree of Bachelor.

Part of the reason a degree project must be included in the entry requirements is that it is common, especially in Bachelor’s degrees from abroad, that a major degree project is not included at all, or that it covers a smaller number of credits compared to what is standard for a Degree of Bachelor in Sweden today. Some older Swedish degrees lack a degree project as well.

An assessment of equivalency is used when an applicant is deemed to have knowledge equivalent to the qualification requirements, but which may have been acquired through other types of formal education. These skills are generally acquired through older forms of education, other upper secondary or post-secondary education, education from another country and in some cases knowledge demonstrated through tests. A list of the corresponding degree programmes/courses/tests in relation to upper secondary school courses can be found in the national Qualifications Assessment Tool.

Qualifications Assessment Tool on the UHR website (in Swedish)

The University must always assess whether previous formal education corresponds to the entry requirements specified for the course. It is not necessary to state that an assessment of equivalency will be performed, but it is recommended as it may help demonstrate to applicants the possibility of qualification through studies from other higher education institutions and not just through specified courses at Lund University. 

In addition to an applicant being qualified or unqualified for a course or degree programme, they can be conditionally qualified. If the entry requirement is academic studies, the applicant may be considered to be conditionally qualified, provided that all entry requirements are met by the start of the course or degree programme. This means that conditional qualification is not possible unless it is clear that the candidate will meet the entry requirements by the start of the course or degree programme.

Conditional qualification only applies to academic qualification requirements. Upper secondary school qualifications are never conditional. Instead, completion of requirements at upper secondary school level must be proven by the deadline for submission in the relevant admissions round.

Applicants who are currently studying in the first cycle  may be admitted to a Master's programme on the condition that the first-cycle  studies have been completed by the start of the semester. This condition is checked by the Admissions Office in the weeks prior to the start of the semester, with the help of the department. According to the Admission Rules, the first-cycle qualification must be proven no later than three weeks into the semester.

According to Chapter 7, Sections 8, 25 and 31 of the Higher Education Ordinance, only entry requirements that are essential for a student to be able to benefit from the course or degree programme are to be set in the course syllabus. 

An exemption from entry requirements means that the applicant does not have to prove that the entry requirement has been met. Lund University presumes that the department/faculty has made a correct assessment when setting the entry requirements and that the knowledge is needed to be able to benefit from the course or degree programme. In principle this means that exceptions are not made other than when the course or degree programme is offered in a language other than Swedish, in which case an exception to the general requirement of proficiency in Swedish is granted in accordance with the Admission Rules. 

For courses and degree programmes aimed at new entrants, the distinguishing criterion in the first instance is based on the results of the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test and in the second instance on the drawing of lots. For other courses and degree programmes, the drawing of lots is used in the case of equal merit rating. If a course has been announced both as a freestanding course and as a course within a degree programme, places are to be allocated both to those who applied to the freestanding course and to the course within a degree programme.

More information about selection criteria and allocation of places is available under the heading 9.2 Selection, in the Handbook for writing programme syllabi (opens in LU Box, new tab, in Swedish)

To a certain extent, it is possible to decide on selection criteria and allocation of places other than those stated in the Admission Rules. The selection criteria are to be qualifications that are desirable and indicate that the student will successfully complete their studies. They must be objective and relevant to the programme. 

Other selection criteria for first-cycle studies intended for new entrants

For degree programmes intended for new entrants and that lead to a degree in the fine or performing arts, all places are to be allocated on the basis of special entry tests.

For other courses and degree programmes, the Education Board may, after a proposal from the relevant faculty board, decide on selection criteria other than those specified in the Admission Rules. If more than one third of the places is to be based on the alternative selection criteria, the UHR must also authorise this. 

Other selection criteria for first-cycle courses intended for those other than new entrants, as well as second-cycle courses

The University Admissions Board may adopt selection criteria other than those stated in the Admission Rules after a proposal from the relevant faculty board/equivalent. 

See Request for alternative selection, which is examined by the University Admissions Board

Anyone who during their pre-university education has suffered an event (e.g. illness, diagnosis, accident, etc.) that has prevented them from fully competing on an equal footing in terms of their grades and qualifications, but who can be considered to have a particular ability or possibility to benefit from a specific course or degree programme can apply to the course or degree programme under Selection with consideration for special reasons at Lund University. The application is to be completed by the applicant and submitted to the Admissions Office by the application deadline.

Selection with consideration for special reasons on lu.se (in Swedish)

The Admissions Office has produced a template that can be used to apply for a deferment of studies. This form is available in Swedish and English. The template provides all the important information needed for the matter to be processed. The form lists the most common reasons, reference to the relevant regulatory framework, instructions on how to appeal in case the application is denied and the procedure for how the student is to resume their studies.

Request for deferment of studies (PDF 108 kB, new tab)
Blankett för ansökan om anstånd med studiestart (PDF 110 kB, ny flik)

After the faculty/department has granted a deferment of studies, the absence must be entered on the NyA website. An official note from the department must also be added, stating the reason and the registration number of the deferment. After that, an applicant on the waiting list can be called. In cases where there is a registration in Ladok within the programme, the administrator is to remove the registration on any courses and email support [at] ladok [dot] lu [dot] se (support[at]ladok[dot]lu[dot]se), which will remove information about the student starting the degree programme and instead indicate a withdrawal. 

The NyA admissions system and the NyA website

Information about Ladok

When the applicant is to commence their studies again according to the deferment decision, they apply again through antagning.se and upload their decision no later than the registration deadline as supplementary information. They are then directly admitted during the regular selection process. Direct admission is processed by the University Admissions Support Centre at the Swedish Council for Higher Education and the Admissions Office at Lund University, at the latest before selection begins.

If Lund University decides not to grant a deferment of studies, instructions on how to appeal must be attached to the decision. The student is to submit their appeal to the Higher Education Appeals Board and send it to the Admissions Office. If the faculty/department receives an appeal, it is to be forwarded to the Admissions Office.