Application Process FAQs
How much does it cost to apply?
The application fee is 200 SEK. Instructions for payment can be found on our application website. The money is used for the administration of the selection (coffee, rent, etc.). If you find it difficult to pay the application fee, there is no problem. Everyone should be able to apply to the UWC. Contact us at ansokan@se.uwc.org to be exempted from the fee.
In addition to the application fee, there are travel costs to the interview locations. Unfortunately, UWC Sverige cannot cover these costs and we do not apply any exceptions. However, in very rare cases, we can offer to conduct the interview via Zoom if your home town is far away and your family has difficulty paying the travel costs.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be in their first or second year of upper secondary school (gymnasium) and not older than 17 in the year of application. However, you must have turned 16 by September 1st, the year you start at UWC. In special circumstances, we accept older applicants. Read more about who can apply here.
How do I apply?
Read more about how to apply here.
What grades do I need to have?
Your grades should ideally be an average of C in theoretical subjects, so that we know you can handle the IB. Good academic achievement makes life at the school easier. Most important, however, is the applicant's personality: enthusiasm, motivation, activity, outreach, outlook on life, etc.
Can you choose to go for just one year?
No. UWC is a two-year committment.
Why do I have to attend the first or second year of secondary school when applying?
In Sweden we have a school law that requires at least three years of high school, which UWC Sweden has chosen to follow. However, the IB program is only two years long and therefore Swedish scholars must have completed at least one year of high school (or equivalent) at home before starting at UWC.
Scholarship holders who were in their second year of high school when they applied spend a total of 4 years in high school (2 at home + 2 at UWC). For many of our applicants, it is worth going an extra year if you can do so at a UWC. We do not apply a quota or preference on applicants' year, but historically about half of the scholarship recipients each year have applied in their second year of high school.
How difficult is it to get in?
When you apply to UWC you apply for a scholarship from us, we then make the selections and choose between 5-10 scholarship holders per year who get to go. Last year there were about 50 applicants, which gives an acceptance rate of about 10-20%.
Applicants who were not accepted the first time they applied are encouraged to apply again next year, provided they still meet our formal requirements. Often, second-time applicants benefit from having an extra year to mature and learn from their first selection process. Of course, it is also possible to apply during the second year of secondary school, even if it is the first time you apply, but then you may only apply once.
Who is allowed to go? What do you assess? What specific characteristics do you look for in applicants?
A UWC-student should be:
- curious and positive
- adapt easily in a new environment with many different types of people
- be academically talented and motivated
- have interests outside of school
- be willing to commit to the goals and ideals of UWC schools.
For more details about the guidelines we work with, please refer to the page about our selection criteria.
Do you have to have completed the pre-IB to apply to UWC?
It doesn't matter whether you have taken pre-IB or not. All applicants who attend a pre-university secondary school program are treated equally.
How important is English proficiency when selecting scholarship holders?
Good English skills will help you succeed at UWC. However, your skills do not have to be near-perfect. It is the sum of your application and interview that determines whether you become a scholarship recipient.
Can I choose which school to study at?
Between the first and second interview, we will send you a form where you can give your opinion on where you want to go, but in the end we will decide. When allocating the scholarships, your rankings of schools are taken into account along with many other factors. However, there are only a limited number of scholarships for each school. Also, we do not send students to all schools every year. Where we send students depends on which schools we are offered places at, our financial situation and where we want to send students.
More questions?
We are happy to answer them! You can find our contact details here.