FAQ incoming students

The University remains open, but is following the Government's and Public Health Authority’s recommendations regarding measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Mid Sweden University is practicising so called Corona adapted campus based teaching. This means that lectures, tutorials and labs will be adjusted to adhere to the current Covid-19 restrictions. For example, seminars will be scheduled in smaller groups to enable social distancing and some lectures may be taught online.

Mid Sweden University has formed a crisis management group that is meeting regularly in order to manage overall issues connected with the virus outbreak. They are monitoring other public authorities’ updates and following other higher education institutions’ handling of the matter. The university monitors the development closely and acts in accordance with the responsible authorities. It is of utmost importance that both staff members and students stay updated through the public authorities’ websites as they are updated regularly. 

We encourage you to select rebookable/refundable tickets. 

The residence permit for studies is only valid for students who are present in Sweden during the time of their studies. It is not possible to register late.

As in all places where you are surrounded by other people, we recommend social distancing for as long as the virus continues to spread. 

Always follow the general guidelines on how to protect yourself and others, even when you are travelling. When travelling, you should wash your hands frequently and carefully. Hand sanitizer (or equivalent) can be an alternative when you are unable to wash with soap and water.

Public Health Agency of Sweden: Guidelines on how to protect yourself and others from being infected with COVID-19

If the recommendations for testing and self-isolation apply to you after arriving in Sweden, you should stay at home and avoid close contact with others for at least seven days.

Ask a friend to do the shopping for you and leave it outside your door. Limit the number of interactions with other people. Make sure that you have a credit card open to international payments that can be used for online purchases of groceries and ready meals.

The Introduction Days will take place via Zoom on the 26th – 27th August, so that you can join them even if you are in self-isolation. If you have a course on campus during this time, make sure to inform your teacher about this.

The Public Health Agency of Sweden: Recommendations to people entering Sweden from abroad

In recent weeks, the spread of COVID-19 has increased again across Europe. In order to avoid the same development in Sweden, the Public Health Authority has decided on certain restrictions and recommendations. This means that you should test yourself for COVID-19 if you have symptoms, even if you are vaccinated.

It is also important that those who have symptoms of respiratory infection remain at home from work or studies even in the event of a negative test response for COVID-19. This applies to both children and adults, even if the symptoms are mild, and this also applies to vaccinated, according to the Swedish Public Health Agency.

For public indoor events gathering more than 100 people, participants may need to present a vaccination certificate. However, it only concerns people over the age of 18. Please also note that vaccination certificates will not be required for teaching and exams.

It may not be possible to book appointments for Covid 19 PCR testing due to the increased infection rates in the area of Jämtland Härjedalen. If you have symptoms, stay at home at least for 7 days and reduce your social contacts during this time. Visit HealthCare Guide 1177 for more information. 

If you have symptoms that may indicate COVID-19 and need to get tested, you should contact Region Västernorrland Sundsvall or Region Jämtland Härjedalen Östersund healthcare services. Taking the test is free of charge, if ordered through a Public Healthcare Centre. If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number or Bank ID (electronic identification system in Sweden), you must call a healthcare center to make the booking for you. 

If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number:
Contact your nearest healthcare centre to get tested, usually by phone. It is not possible to book a Covid-19 test on 1177, unless you have a Swedish personal indentity number. Your healthcare centre can help you to book a test. Find your nearest healthcare centre below:

Region Västernorrland, Sundsvall 

Region Jämtland Härjedalen, Östersund.

If you need help in finding a Public Health Centre or if you need medical advice, you can call the Healthcare Guide 1177 to be referred to your closest Health Centre in Sundsvall/Östersund.

Healthcare Guide 1177

If you have a Swedish personal identity number:
Please find out how to take the test through Region Västernorrland, Sundsvall or Region Jämtland Härjedalen, Östersund depending on where you live.

Please note! It is possible to order a self-test with the interim personal number you have through the university (includes the letter T in the last four digits) but it is important to note that using that number, your result will not be kept in any journal. This means that you are not able to require a copy of your result if you need it for any certificates. Self-test kits are not free of charge.

Depending on your test results, find out more under "What do I do if I have a positive COVID-19 test?" and "My COVID-19 test results were negative, can I go back to the university although I have symptoms?" below.

Please note that you must stay at home and limit your social contacts if you have symptoms indicating disease. This applies even if the symptoms are only mild. When you have taken a test, it is crucial that you stay at home and limit your contacts until your test results have arrived.

If you have taken a COVID-19 test and received a positive test result indicating that you have COVID-19, you must stay at home for seven days after falling ill or positive test results. Base your calculations on the date that occurred last. You must also have been symptom-free for two days. During this period, you must keep your distance to others and stay at home.

According to the Communicable Diseases Act, you are obliged to follow the advice you receive from doctors / healthcare regarding self-isolation, sick leave and contact tracing.

You are not required to notify your course or programme director if you have tested positive for covid-19, but it is highly recommended. If you have visited campus during the previous two weeks, the people you met there will be included in the contact tracing. If your course or programme director is aware of your positive test result, he or she can handle any concerns among fellow students in a better way. If you have not visited campus in the last two weeks, it can still be a good idea to notify your course or programme director so that you can get the support you need.

Advice from the Healthcare Guide if you have tested positive for Covid-19. 

If your test results indicate that you do not carry COVID-19, you can return to university premises as soon as you are free of symptoms and feel healthy.

There is a slight risk that your test was falsely negative, which means that you could still carry COVID-19. Therefore, it is still important that you do not return to the university before you are completely healthy. Please continue to follow the advice from the Swedish authorities.

If you, as a registered student at Mid Sweden University, become acutely ill with the COVID-19 virus and require medical attention, your treatment will be covered by the University Insurance up to 90 days. There is no expense limit in cases of acute sickness.

For full terms and conditions, please see Student IN insurance (exchange students and non-fee paying programme students) or FAS+  insurance (fee paying students).

Student IN insurance 
FAS + Insurance 

You can always contact Student Health Centre if you need help and support. Our chaplain is available to you regardless of what you need to talk about: studies, general worry or concerns about the Corona virus. You can contact them via phone and email to make an appointment.

Please note that Student Centre cannot test you for corona virus nor provide any other medical interventions.

Student Health Centre

You do not have to be a Swedish citizen to be offered vaccination against COVID-19 in Sweden. Anyone who lives in Sweden will be offered vaccination. You do not have to pay for vaccination against COVID-19. Please note that when vaccination is offered for your age group, you must book a time to receive your first dose of the vaccination yourself.

If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number
If you do not have a personal identity number or a BankID (electronic identification system in Sweden) you need to book your vaccination by phoning a local Health Centre (Hälsocentral). You cannot book a time by phoning 1177.

Learn more about vaccination against COVID-19 and how to book an appointment
Region Västernorrland, Sundsvall
Call to make an appointment: +46 (0)611-804 00

Region Jämtland Härjedalen, Östersund
Call to make an appointment: +46 (0)63-14 22 50

Contact the authorities in the country you are in or are planning on travelling to to get more information about the opportunities to get vaccinated abroad. This applies both if you are planning to take only one or both doses of vaccine abroad.

All international students at Mid Sweden University are covered by an insurance provided by the Swedish Government. Depending on if you are a programme or exchange student, different regulations apply.

Health and Insurance 

No, Covid-19 related issues such as those mentioned above are not accepted as grounds for deferment.

Medical circumstances, such as being infected with Covid-19, may be accepted as grounds for deferment. Please note that we cannot answer in advance if you can be granted deferment. More information is found on the application form. Please note that the reasons you claim must be motivated and proof of this must be enclosed with the application (e.g. doctor’s report).

Currently we have no information that changes will be made to the key dates and deadlines. However, because of all the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, the situation might change. Please check University Admissions regularly for updates.

University Admissions 

If you are conditionally admitted for a master´s programme, you must present your bachelor´s degree certificate by the start of the programme at the latest. Currently we have no information that exemptions will be made from this requirement because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation. However, because of all the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, the situation might change.

No. However, if your applied programme is open for late applications by the time you receive your upper secondary school certificate you can reapply as a late applicant. Follow the instructions for reapplication at University Admissions "reapplying to courses and programmes".

University Admissions 

No. However, if you are able to take a test later and your applied programme is open for late applications you can reapply as a late applicant. Follow the instructions for reapplication at University Admissions, "reapplying to courses and programmes".

University Admissions 

No, if you do not pay your tuition fee by the deadline stated on the invoice,  you will lose your place on the program and have to reapply.

You can apply for refund of tuition fees by filling in the reimbursement request form. For students who are prevented from starting their programme due to COVID19 no deduction for administrative costs will be made from the reimbursement.

No, no additional scholarships will be available.

The tuition fee has to be paid in full as stated on the invoice and cannot be paid in instalments.  

1. Contact your home university to make any necessary arrangements.
2. Contact the teachers of the course you are registered in and let them know that you will not finish the course.
3. Decline any courses you are admitted to, but have not yet started, in Ladok and Moodle. In addition, contact the responsible teacher for the course to let them know you will not attend.
4. Notify the International Relations Office by email.
5. Contact your housing provider to make the proper arrangements (rent, keys etc) before you leave.
    

Some countries require incoming travellers to show a negative test result upon entry into the country, and the test results need to be recent.

If you are a student travelling home after studies at Mid Sweden University and your home country requests a certificate of a negative COVID test for entry into the country, you should turn to a private care provider who issues travel certificates. E.g. Vaccina, Svea Vaccin Sundsvall, Arlanda Airport

Plan your travels well

It is important that you plan your travels well if the test is to be less than 72 hours old, or sometimes 48 hours, when entering your destination. This means that it is appropriate to take the test at the beginning of the week and then plan travels within three days. Please bear in mind that it takes approximately 48 hours for your test results to arrive. Avoid planning travels on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday as you will find it difficult to show a sufficiently fresh test result since tests are usually not analysed during weekends.

Travel safely

You are obliged to follow the Public Health Agency of Sweden's guidelines when travelling and avoid unnecessary travelling.

Public Health Agency of Sweden: If you are planning to travel

Public Health Agency of Sweden
Recommendations for people entering Sweden from abroad

Public Health Agency of Sweden
FAQ about COVID-19

Krisinformation.se (Emergency Information from Swedish Authorities)
Official information on the Covid-19 pandemic 

Swedish Council for Higher Education 
Information related to the coronavirus outbreak 

The total number of individuals who have tested positive for Corona virus in Sweden is being tracked at the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s website, which is updated daily. Numbers change every day, as testing proceeds and new cases are reported.

Visit the Swedish Public Health Agency’s website for information about the spread of the Corona virus.

Swedish authorities are closely monitoring the spread of the Corona virus and are working continuously to keep Sweden and its residents safe. The best way to follow the developments regarding Corona virus is to refer to the WHO website and ECDC website.

In response to the European Council and Commission’s recommendation, the Swedish Government has decided to temporarily stop unnecessary trips to Sweden from countries outside Europe from 19th March. This is to mitigate the effects on coronavirus outbreak and to reduce the spread of the Covid-19. 

Update 3rd July 2020: From the 4th July 2020 "people who travel for the purpose of studying" are exempt from the entry ban. 

Travellers from outside the Nordic countries must present a negative Covid-19 test in order to enter Sweden. Moreover, travellers are recommended to self-isolate and avoid close contact with other for seven days as well as get themselves tested for Covid-19 as soon as they enter Sweden:

Recommendations for people entering Sweden from abroad

Please also stay updated by checking emergency information from Swedish authorities.,

Emergency information from Swedish authorities

The Swedish Police Authority

No there's no  general requirement. There may be situations in which masks are of value, for example where it is difficult to avoid crowds and close contact for long periods. When you are traveling, there may be requirements for masks, for example at airports and onboard aircraft.

The Public Health Agency ("Folkhälsomyndigheten") states that masks must always be viewed as a complement to, and not a replacement of, the other measures to reduce the risk of infection:

Stay at home if you have symptoms.
Maintain good hand hygiene.
Maintain a physical distance from others both outdoors and indoors.
 

More information about the use of facemasks: