ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Swedish government funded seats & Student finance for transition and retraining
Quick links
On this page we are covering two different things:
Eligibility for Swedish government funded seats:
Find out if you qualify for a Swedish government funded seat or if you should apply as a fee-paying student. To be considered and qualified for a YH Swedish government funded education, you must fulfill some criteria.
Eligibility for CSN (Centrala Studiestödsnämnden):
CSN is the Swedish government agency providing financial aid to higher education students. This includes grants and loans for tuition, living expenses, and other educational costs. CSN supports full-time students in accredited programs at universities, colleges, and vocational schools.
General entry requirements for government-funded seats are met if you:
- Have received a school leaving certificate from a full national upper-secondary school programme (gymnasieexamen), or a school leaving certificate from adult education at upper-secondary level (komvux, folkhögskola, etc).
- Hold Swedish or foreign qualifications equivalent to the requirements stated above.
- Are a resident of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Norway and there fulfil the entry requirements for study programmes equivalent to the Swedish (yrkeshögskolan) programmes.
- Hold Swedish or foreign qualifications, or if you have through practical experience or other circumstance obtained the prerequisites needed in order to fulfil the programme requirements.
Studying your last year at high school?
If you have not graduated from high school yet but are on track to graduate in Spring 2025, you can still apply to Hyper Island.
Please ask your school to provide a certificate with your predicted grades and submit that document as your education backup. You will need to send your final grades to us as soon as you receive them.
To be considered a student who qualifies for a Swedish government funded YH education (Yrkeshögskolan) you must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
- Be a citizen of Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland or any of the related territories.
- Have permanent right of residence in one of the countries mentioned above
- Have temporary right of residence in Sweden for the full duration of the program. This permit can’t be study or work dependent. You may be asked to upload proof of your right of residence before the program starts.
By program or course start, you must hold a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer) or coordination number (samordningsnummer). This also applies to residents of the Nordic countries mentioned above. Your residency in Sweden must not be dependent on your studies at Hyper Island. Please note that Hyper Island is unable to provide immigration support or sponsorship of any kind to students applying for a Swedish government funded seat.
To be eligible for a Government funded seat, you are required to have basic knowledge of the Swedish language, or any of the other Scandinavian languages (danish, faroese, icelandic or norwegian)*
You will be asked to upload proof that you meet the language requirements.
Proof can include, but is not limited to:- Grades from Swedish high school course 1, 2 or 3, alternatively Swedish as a second language 1, 2 or 3, or equivalent course from other Scandinavian countries.
- Proof of completion of SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) course corresponding to a minimum of GERS A1 level, higher levels accepted, or an equivalent course from another Scandinavian country, is required. If the course has not yet been completed, proof of enrollment must be provided at the time of application. Please note that proof of course completion must be submitted before an applicant can be offered a seat in a program or course.
- Reference Letter from your employer that states your employers contact details and your Swedish (or other Scandinavian language) proficiency in writing, reading and speaking with clear examples of how you use this proficiency at work.
*Sufficient knowledge in a Scandinavian language is needed in order for Hyper Island to help and support students find a successful industry placement (internship= LIA) in Sweden. The industry placement is a required part of the YH program.
- University certificates of completion
- Secondary School Diploma (Gymnasieexamen)
- High school or Komvux Completion Certificates (Slutbetyg från gymnasieskolan eller Komvux)
- High school or Komvux Graduation Certificates (Avgångsbetyg från gymnasieskola eller Komvux)
- Interim-Year Diplomas (Mellanårsbetyg)
- Waldorf School Certificates (Waldorfskola)
- Eligibility Certificates from Folk High Schools (Behörighetsintyg från folkhögskola)
- Assessment of Foreign Education
- Applicants with foreign qualifications are considered eligible if their education is equivalent to Swedish secondary school standards. In cases where the equivalency is unclear, applicants may need to demonstrate their competencies through tests, interviews, or additional documentation.
- Nordic Applicants
- Applicants residing in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, or Norway qualify if they meet eligibility standards for equivalent education in their home country.”
Discover more
Student Finance for Transition and Retraining:
Financial support for individuals transitioning to a new career or retraining for a different job, often due to labor market changes. Support can come from government programs, employer-sponsored training, or vocational rehabilitation services.
CSN (Centrala Studiestödsnämnden):
CSN is the Swedish government agency providing financial aid to higher education students. This includes grants and loans for tuition, living expenses, and other educational costs. CSN supports full-time students in accredited programs at universities, colleges, and vocational schools.
Swedish residents may qualify for financial support (from CSN) while studying. Eligible candidates can apply for the newly introduced financial support “Omställningsstudiestöd”. For those applying from Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and the Faroe Islands, you should contact your local education support provider.
Enhancing skills for better employability
Student finance for transition and retraining is a new kind of student finance aimed at adults who have already entered the labour market.
Student finance for transition and retraining allows you to study and broaden your skills to improve your employability, either by further developing your expertise within your chosen field, or by starting down a new path.
Please visit CSN website for more information.
What is student finance for transition and retraining?
Student finance for transition and retraining is a new kind of student finance aimed at adults who have already entered the labour market. Student finance for transition and retraining allows you to study and broaden your skills to improve your employability, either by further developing your expertise within your chosen field, or by starting down a new path.
Student finance for transition and retraining consists of a grant of up 80% of your salary, up to a maximum amount, and a loan that you can use to top up your income, if you are looking to do so.
CSN is responsible for the new student finance for transition and retraining.
Student finance for transition and retraining is part of a larger package intended for those who are about to take the next step in their professional lives. The package includes transition and retraining and skills support from a transition organisation.
The support offered by the transition organisation can vary depending on the nature of its agreement. As an example, it may include survey interviews, educational and career guidance, or help validating your knowledge. When you apply for student finance, the transition organisation can inform CSN if the studies will strengthen your position in the labour market. In some circumstances, students may be eligible for an additional collectively agreed study grant.
Who is eligible for the finance for transition?
- You must be between 27 and 62 years of age
- You must have worked for a total of 96 months (8 years) over the past 14 years
- The courses or programmes you intend to attend must make you eligible for student finance for transition and retraining
- Your studies must strengthen your position in the labour market
- The studies must include at least 1 week of full-time studies, or the equivalent for part-time studies
- The minimum allowed study rate is 20 percent
- You may not receive student finance for transition and retraining for more than 44 weeks of full-time studies, or the or the equivalent amount of time for part-time studies
- Additional terms and conditions for foreign nationals
Checklist for applying
- Plan your studies and contact your transition organisation
- Plan ahead before submitting your application for student finance for transition and retraining
- Apply through Mina sidor at csn.se
- Wait for CSN to make a decision regarding your application
- Read through the decision
- Submit a study assurance to CSN and ensure that your account is linked to Swedbank’s account register
For more information about the student finance and transition training (Omställningsstudiestöd), please check here or contact CSN directly.
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