We can all agree that the world today has become a small village where one can easily study in the Nordics. In fact, its possible to study in Norway, take a study exchange program in Romania, travel for an internship in Germany, do research in Africa and then graduate virtually from the comfort of a first job office in the US. In a nutshell, the world keeps opening up to ambitious people. So, getting a chance to study in the Nordics should not appear as being out of this world. To say the least, every year universities in the Nordic countries welcome students from across the world. In a fast moving world, studying abroad to sharpen knowledge and hone new skills is great. Be it in engineering, IT, political science, economics, business…name it, you have a chance in the Nordic universities.
Many study opportunities exist in the Nordics but not so many people actually make it. Its another thing to win the scholarships, study and set themselves on the highway of opportunities there. The key missing link on studying in the Nordics is applicants not doing the correct thing. So many dreams of studying in the Nordics hit a dead end because despite getting a study opportunity and winning a scholarship, one could be lacking a critical travel document or maybe filed an unverifiable document. The masterstroke about traveling to study in the Nordics is collecting all the documents needed in advance, reading through the checklist over and over again. It is even better to file more documents than miss out. So let’s see what documents one would normally need to gather in place when gearing up for studies in the Nordics.
Nordic Geography, Language and culture for international students
Before venturing into other details, the first thing would be to paint a general picture of the Nordics. Someone who makes an application to a university in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden can be sure that these are within the Nordic region. A lot of interactions and exchange programs happen across the borders of these countries each day. In fact, we can say that the countries in the Nordics are sovereign but with no restrictive boundaries.
Another thing that an aspiring student needs to know about the Nordics is that the countries have their own languages. This is a must know because learning the language alongside studies gives one an upper hand when it comes to job searching post studies. The Nordic countries are really proud of their culture and won’t easily let go of their language identity. Yes they speak English and there quite a number of masters courses use English but a significant number of transactions happen in the local languages. It’s just that serious to learn the local languages if life has to be any easier for you.
For increased mobility within the Nordics and if time allows, one can decide to learn multiple Nordic languages of Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish. But rarely does this become possible. Language and culture aside, being a student in the Nordics opens one to the great historical realities, modernity, technology, a world class and diverse community and more. It’s more than just an opportunity to study but one that allows a holistic change and self growth.
Making sense of the pull to study in the Nordics
For someone to make a decision of coming out of their comfortable homes and traveling to study abroad, the ambition must be a bigger one. While already the reputation of Nordic university flies high up there, one has to be convinced at a personal level that the decision about to be made is worth the time, resources, emotions and any other investments that comes with studying in a foreign land. So let’s dissect why people need not think twice about an opportunity to study in Nordic universities.
An aspiring student in the Nordics may also be interested to learn a thing about Why the Nordic Nations are Happy.
Nordic universities are not your ordinary type. Education and research have been fully supported with top notch faculty members, leading researchers, latest technology, proper allocation for research and development and above all, an intractable partnership with the industries. In short, a graduate from a Nordic university, given dedication and personal effort should be ready on day one of graduating to take up high level jobs and be in charge of success. A bachelor’s degree graduate from a Nordic university who really focussed on honing fresh skills will be able to lead a blue chip company and perform extraordinarily alongside veteran industry leaders. It’s just that mundane and clear. Coupled with general peace and social safety, The Nordic learning environment is one safe and secure one.
Aside from the actual education in the Nordics, an ambitious student gets to balance time shuttling between part time work, faculty and other social events. On a normal day, your schedule is always flexible in some way but also packed. The standards of living are good enough to support learning and summers are warm. Although winters can be piercingly cold, warm clothing and indoor heating systems dull it. Moreover, the people in the Nordics are friendly and accommodative, almost coming out as meek. The pervasive sprint of Jante really keeps the Nordic people humble despite their great individual success. You wouldn’t have to worry as an expat on how best to relate./
Checklist of Documentations to study in the Nordics
In any case, it’s the type, nature and condition of documents that one files which will eventually determine their acceptance to study or travel to the Nordic universities. At the tail end there will always be a visa interview or informational session with the embassy representatives but first, the documents must be the right ones to propel you to the embassy point. A wrong document will always bring you closer to a sad rejection which we all dread.
For any foreigner moving into another country for studies, having the proper documentation is mandatory. Moving into the Nordic countries is no exception with each having more or less the same recommendations. Below you can see the documentations required for a person pursuing studies in the Nordics just in case you miss on one.
Academic documents
Whatever level of education you wish to start from in the Nordics, the institutions will need to first confirm that you qualify for it. This means one has to submit certified and verifiable documents, if any. The common documents in this case include;
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Secondary school certificate
An applicant should present the original copy of the secondary school certificate. The certificate must clearly indicate the qualification and title of examinations administered. This mostly goes to those applying for a first degree or tertiary learning in the Nordics.
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University Degree certificate (s), diploma (s)
For the people applying for higher education, be it a masters, PhD or Postdoctoral in the Nordics. Sometimes, universities insist that the documents must be certified. in case not written in English, they must be accompanied by a translation by a certified agency. Please pay attention to these seemingly nagging and idle requirements because they will play a significant role in influencing whether you qualify or not for admission to a university in the Nordics.
There isn’t anything like assuming and ignoring requirements when it comes to getting admission in the Nordic university. The end goal remains to perform a thorough screening of academic credentials to ensure that only students who will match the expected rigor of students get enrolled.
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Academic Transcripts
In the academic realm, transcripts act as the attestations of the actual course which one has studied. They highlight scores in each of them and comments from supervisors if any. The transcripts should always accompany the certificate because it adds further details which will help the evaluation bench to make informed decisions on your application.
Ordinarily, a transcript should bear every helpful detail about your study. You will also find in it specific speciality, comments and any subsidiary attestations of academic milestones. Always check to ensure that no gaps exist in your transcript or else your summary degree will be put to question and that’s not so amusing.
Documents for processing visa and immigration
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University acceptance letter
Acceptance letter to the university must always be handy. It informs the immigration authorities that actually your travel is for academic purposes. Like you may have noticed, the processing of immigration is one through one and nobody will take any chances. you have to prove everything and leave no questions, not even one.
Your destination university in the Nordics will most of the time start you off in the process of immigration processing. They will draft an acceptance letter and share it with you. This letter should clearly indicate the name of the university, contact person(s), course admitted and the length of study among other things. This letter will in most cases act as the proper link between your visa application and your university. Don’t break this chain as everything is designed to flow in this manner.
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A copy of valid Passport
The passport is your immigration document that links your host country in the Nordics to your mother country. It’s on the passport that a visa would ordinarily get affirmed. The passport must be valid at the time of application. In fact, they indicate it must not be less than 3 months to expiry.
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Notice of admissions
The notice of admission comes as a document issued by the program’s coordinator. It gets issued once you have been accepted to the master’s degree or graduate diploma.
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Health insurance documents
This requirement may be waived for most universities in the Nordics. But, it’s still okay to check out if they need it. The documents show that an individual has a valid insurance plan. The insurance plan has name of the current member ID number, certificate of coverage and the explanation of the benefits.
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Bank Account statement
Just like the health insurance proof, the bank statement requirement when coming to study in the Nordics have been waived in so many countries. In Denmark for instance, payment of first semester tuition fees counts as enough proof of financial ability. Those on scholarships do not even need to worry about this because the funding is adequate confirmation of financial ability.
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Travel Visa to the Nordics
If there is one document that enchants every applicant for an immigration to the Nordics then it’s the Schengen visa. This visa in itself gives one a free pass for movement across the 26 countries and territories in Europe. In this case, this visa works as an initial pass to destination country. So the visa serves to allow you first travel to the Nordic country where your university is domiciled. A week or so after arrival, the authorities process and deliver the residence card to your registered address.
In case you fall in the fortunate group of being a student from within the EU/EEA, there isn’t any need to apply for a visa. Such students only get a permit within 3 months of stay.
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Student residence permit in the Nordics
A student residence permit allows you to live in the Nordic countries while you pursue your studies. The host authorities will do their bit to issue the permit which mostly remains valid for the period of study. For master students, the validity period lasts for one to two years.
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Proof of language proficiency
Education in the Nordics apply local languages but a number of courses have a blend with English or purely English. These English courses always accept international students admitted. An admission to a program using English as the primary language require a valid proof of English proficiency. Ordinarily, scores in TOEFL or IELTS should be sufficient. Other English proficiency tests acceptable in the Nordics include the CAE and the CPE.
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