Prior learning

A broader view of prior knowledge

Prior learning is an alternative way of demonstrating that you have the knowledge and skills required for university studies. If you do not have the formal qualifications to meet the entry requirements, SLU can assess your knowledge and experience. The aim is to determine whether your overall competence will enable you to succeed on the course or study programme for which you are applying. An assessment of prior learning can be carried out for both general entry requirements and specific entry requirements.

How is your competence assessed?

In an assessment of prior learning, SLU considers, for example, knowledge and experience from your working life, organisational activities, longer periods abroad, a review of your personal education and/or other course activities. You should also include education within the formal education system, such as studies at upper secondary school or adult education at upper-secondary level, which perhaps do not fulfil the entry requirements alone. SLU makes an overall assessment of all the competence you have.

What to do next

1. Submit your application at universityadmissions.se.
2. Support your application with certificates, grades and/or assessments from people who know you well, such as a teacher or employer.
3. Write a personal statement where you describe in as much detail as possible the knowledge you think you have, how you acquired this and how you believe this knowledge will help you to succeed on the course or programme for which you are applying.
4. Send your certificates and personal statement to:
   University Admissions in Sweden, FE 20102, 839 87 Östersund,
   SWEDEN, or upload them to universityadmissions.se.
   
5. More documents you might have to send in:
   -If you have received advance notification, you should send a copy of this with your application.
   -If you have previously had prior learning approved, you should submit a copy of the Notification of Selection Results.
   -If the decision relates to a course or programme which does not correspond to the one you are applying for, you must submit a new application with all the relevant documents.
6. All documentation must have been received by the University Admissions in Östersund, Sweden no later than the deadline for applications. If your application arrives after the deadline for applications, SLU cannot guarantee that we will be able to process it.

What happens then?

SLU makes an overall assessment of your qualifications in the documents you have submitted and decides whether you can be considered to fulfil the entry requirements or not. You will be notified as to whether or not you have been considered to fulfil the entry requirements in your Notification of Selection Results.

You may need to undergo the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Only available in Swedish.

Fulfilling the entry requirements is often only the first step to being admitted on a course or study programme. You will normally also have to compete for a place on the course or programme. Prior learning does not provide a tariff and does not have its own selection group. We therefore recommend that if you are applying for a first-cycle course or programme and you do not have final school grades from an upper secondary school, you undergo the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test in order to be able to compete for a place on a course or study programme.