Five Reasons Why I Chose to Study at LiU

Since the application period already started and I am sure a lot of you are out there searching for the right place to do your masters. I wanted to tell you the reasons that made me chose Linköping.

Easy Application System

First, I started by doing a lot of research. I was open to study anywhere in Europe, but Sweden caught my particular interest when I found out that it’s possible to apply nationally from one platform. It is possible to apply to five programs all over Sweden, but you have to prioritise them wisely. In the end you can only be accepted to one. The best thing about that is you only have to upload your documents once. You can find an overview of the application process here.

Master Program

Through university admission I discovered the rich offer of master programs at LiU and I found the perfect master for myself. I am studying International and European Relations, which is a rare combination of International and European politics. This field of study makes it especially interesting to go abroad, and I wasn’t disappointed since my class is now from all over the world making the debates way more interesting and diverse. I am sure every International Program benefits from the many different backgrounds every student brings with them.

Way of studying

The next thing that convinced me of Swedish universities in general, was their way of studying. Here, you only take one course at a time and every course lasts about five weeks. At first that confused me since I am used to take four courses at a time. This system is however not less work, but it keeps the pressure off one long exam period in the end of every semester. Instead, you finish course by course and can truly dive deeper into the topics, without being distracted. Furthermore, the way of teaching involves a lot of group work which I was already used to from my bachelors but not many students are. I love working in groups or discussing in seminars since it makes you see topics from various perspectives instead of only your own.

University life

While I was figuring out where I want to go to study my masters, it was important for me to be able to have a fun social life besides my studies. That made me scared to go to a rather small city like Linköping, but I was wrong. Linköping has a lot to offer when it comes to your free time. Besides bars and cafes in the city centre, I was happy to discover the rich university life of LiU. I found a way to play tennis through one of LiU’s many student associations and furthermore associations such as ESN, ISA or UPF offer fun activities the whole semester. That does not only include parties but also game or movie nights, so there is something for everyone here.

5. Sweden & Linköping

The last reason that made me chose Sweden and Linköping as my new home is Swedish nature. To be able to visit beautiful nature reserves around Linköping in day trips or even afternoons makes me really happy. Exploring and hiking always helps me to free my mind when I am stuck with a study or personal problem.