If you are a newly admitted student, you might wonder about all the necessary steps before the start of your program. Particularly, one date has probably been mentioned a lot, and you might wonder what it is and why it is so important: your roll call. Before the start of my studies, I was wondering what a roll call is and why it is so important, so in the following, I am sharing a bit of information with you about this mysterious mandatory attendance date that marks the start of your studies.
What is a roll call?
A roll call is basically an introductory lecture about your program. During this lecture, your attendance will be checked to ensure that you are physically present in Sweden. Thus, attending your roll call in person is the final mandatory step to confirm that you are going to take your spot in the master’s program you applied for. Unfortunately, if you cannot attend your roll call, you will lose your place in the study program. Regarding an exemption from the roll call, I just wanted to remind you that there are very few cases in which it might be applicable, with issues with your residence permits not being a possible exemption.
Is a roll call already my first lecture?
No, a roll call is a first introductory meeting and one or two days after your roll call your lectures are going to start. Therefore, the roll call is done to confirm that you as a student can be on Campus for the upcoming lectures. This might come as a surprise as most roll calls are already at the end of August, so be aware that with the roll call you are also directly embarking on your study experience.
Regarding the structure of the roll call, back at my roll call we first got greeted by the program director and then had to pick up our name to confirm that we were present. We then received a short presentation regarding the structure of the study program and our upcoming schedule. Finally, the student representatives from the cohort above us introduced themselves. In total, my roll call was only about 45 minutes and less formal than I expected but it was also a great opportunity to meet my future classmates in an informal setting.
I hope this information has helped to shed a bit more light on what the purpose of a roll call is. Now it is just important to remember the date, time and place of yours and to ensure your attendance. For more information, do not forget to check: https://liu.se/en/article/rollcalls
Stay tuned for more information on what to expect during the start of your studies!
Love, Barbara
