CIEE Arts + Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden

My semester in Sweden was not only an incredible experience, but also has continued to affect my life (for the better). I've since come back to Sweden to do research on a Fulbright Scholarship, have viewed Sweden as my second home and shared Swedish language and culture with my friends and family.

The university is world-renowned--a lot of students will choose not to, but if you want, there is definitely the opportunity to challenge yourself academically (and still have fun!). The program director was very supportive of my decision to take upper level science courses and actually negotiated to let me do so, and I was able to experience lab techniques that weren't even offered at my home university.

Student life is amazing, with thirteen student nations that host balls, formal dinners with Swedish drinking songs, club nights, restaurants etc. They are a great chance to meet other students and work/learn to bartend, and are a unique part of Uppsala. The housing also facilitates this--although you have your own room and bathroom, there are eleven other people in your hallway that can easily become some of your closest friends.

The program itself is exceptional, planning excursions and events to expose you to different parts of Swedish culture. You might go to the Arctic Circle or a Swedish resort island, explore Stockholm or Viking graves, and not have to worry about planning any of it. The program director, Felicitas, has a wonderful course in cross-cultural communication, and is always there for support. It was all very smoothly run and helped me get the most out of my experience.

All in all, CIEE Uppsala was the best semester of my college career. Its study abroad opportunities stand out in the cultural immersion that is offered, with the chance to become a part of student life and learn the Swedish language and culture. I loved every second of it and am so lucky to be back!

My semester abroad in uppsala was one of the best experiences of my life. The program is incredibly well organized and I was so thankful for all of the support CIEE offered to help make my abroad experience the best it could be. The director is closely in touch with the university which helps greatly with course selection and any other issues that might arise. Additionally, one of the best parts of studying in uppsala is the opportunity to meet swedes and international students. Unlike many of my friends in other programs, I was able to immerse myself in the local culture through living and studying with other Swedish and international students. Uppsala is a university town so it's the perfect place to be a student, with tons of things to do, amazing cafes, and a lively social scene international students can easily get involved in. Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

CIEE's program was the highlight of my undergraduate career. Unlike a lot of study abroad programs, this one allowed me (and fervently encouraged me!) to branch out and make friends with Swedes instead of just people in the program (though I got both!). Uppsala is a great student town--safe, fun, and filled with young people. I met my boyfriend during this program (and we've been together since) and I've visited Uppsala/Stockholm several times since the program ended because of how much I fell in love with the country. Academically, Uppsala can accommodate many types of students--science-oriented, law/justice, humanities, engineering. The Swedish class was a surprising highlight. I was in a class with exchange students from all over the world, and the language is relatively easy to learn. What I also loved is that you live in apartment buildings with other university students--the majority of whom are Swedish. I don't know of many other study abroad programs, other than home-stays, where you got so much access to natives.

Uppsala is the perfect place to study abroad, if you don't mind the cold. The fact that it's a university town makes it perfect for abroad students, and CIEE makes everything so much easier by figuring out your housing, introducing you to the city, and being able to provide support and answer questions. The student nations are a lot of fun and one huge benefit of this program is the ease of meeting other international students, and not just Americans. Overall, amazing experience here with the city and the CIEE staff.

Uppsala:
The student life at Uppsala University is the best in the world. The Nation System, organized around thirteen student nations that correspond to the traditional Swedish regions offers a fantastic combination of extra curricular activities such as cultural events and sports teams, as well as a plethora of special events. These events include pub crawls, nightly clubs, and traditional formal dinners. In addition to the student nations, there are also many professional and social organizations that are associated with different areas of study. Best among these is Uppbalaekonomerna, the economics and business students' association, which organizes an amazing seven week introduction program
The town itself is picturesque and extremely conducive to a comfortable student life. It is easy to bike everywhere and there are many old landmarks and a beautiful river that runs through the city center.

The University:
Uppsala University is an excellent university, with outstanding researchers in many fields. Classes for exchange students can be varied in difficulty, but in my experience the work load is not intense as compared with top american universities, while the majority of the classes are highly interesting.

The Program:
CIEE Uppsala provides an excellent balance of support and freedom. For students who wish to take advantage of it, the engaged program staff provide thorough and comprehensive support. On the other hand the program also allows students who wish to be more independent and embedded in Swedish student life the freedom to do so.

Things To Know:
To get the most out of the program a willingness to engage with local students and student organizations is a must. Uppsala is hands down the the best program for anyone who is interested in Swedish or Sweden. I have studied at universities in three countries and I would say that Uppsala offers such an amazing experience that extensive travel outside of Sweden is a waste of time. This is a program for those who want to get to know Sweden or truly engross themselves in a fantastic and unique university's student life. That said, travel from Uppsala is easy as Arlanda airport, Sweden's largest, is only 20-30 minutes away. Finally, some knowledge of Swedish or at least a thorough willingness to learn is a completely unnecessary but very beneficial plus.

It is hard to organize all of my thoughts into one review but here is a bulleted list of the highlights
- The program is small enough that you personally get to know the staff, and the other students.
- Uppsala is a very safe town, so you can walk or bike (and boy are there a lot of bike paths!) at all hours.
- The student housing, while not the fanciest, is a great way to meet Swedes and other international students. Every night at 10 pm, all the students scream out the window as loud as possible to relieve stress.
- Uppsala University's social scene is organized into student nations. Each nation hosts formal balls (called gasques), has cheap restaurants and pubs where you can eat or volunteer, and organizes numerous other social activities. I particularly liked the gasques at Kalmar Nation, which is probably one of the more 'hippy' nations, and salsa dancing classes at Varmlands Nation.
- I ended up taking MS courses as an undergrad, and they were challenging. The professors were not as hands-on as in the US, and there was a lot less busywork, which was nice. The bad part about the MS program was that the course schedule made it hard to travel much. The good part was that I was with a very small group of international students for the entire semester and I made a lot of great friends!

Studying abroad in Uppsala was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I would recommend it to everyone. Through studying abroad in Uppsala, I made lifelong friends, met the woman that I have been dating for nearly 3 years, and learned about an entirely new culture.

The CIEE staff went above and beyond to make my experience unforgettable, and I will always be grateful for everything that they did to enhance my experience.

I think about the five months I spent in Uppsala, Sweden nearly every day and I'm so grateful to have been part of such a wonderful program. You are able to direct enroll in a historic university and become a member of a student nation which is amazing. Do your research on student nations- they're incredible and as a member you are able to attend the gasques (balls), have Fika and lunch there and participate in so many wonderful activities. Not to mention a different club every night of the week! What the housing quarters lack in glamour they make up for in fun and diversity. You will have your own fairly large room and your own bathroom, you share a kitchen with others on your floor. Flogsta has a great mix of Swedes and other study abroad students and there's always something going on or someone to talk to. Uppsala is also incredibly safe, I never had any issue walking anywhere by myself ever. Also with the flexibility of Uppsala Univeristy's courses you have a lot of downtime to explore the city and go on and travel elsewhere around Europe. The realitive smallness of the group allows you to become really close with the people who are abroa with you, I met four of my best friends from our group and we still talk every day! I think the true testament to Sweden and the program itself is how many individuals (myself included) who are trying to move back there. I can't recommend it highly enough.