About student exchange

As a student at the Department of Political Science, you have many opportunities to go on exchange studies at universities abroad.

To study one or two terms abroad is a great way to gain experience, practice language skills and make contacts. Your student exchange can be credited towards your degree and need not mean that your study-period is extended.

But there are many things to be arranged before you leave. If you are interested in exchange studies, please begin planning for it well in advance.

About Studying Abroad

Going abroad as an exchange student through the Department of Political Science at Lund University presents a great number of advantages compared to making your own arrangements for a stay at a university in another country:

• No tuition fees
• Quick credit transfer
• Usually, help with finding accommodation
• Well-organised welcome weeks with cultural events, language courses and social activities

All the higher education institutions within the department’s exchange programme are approved by the Swedish Agency for Higher Education, i.e. their courses and programmes are academically recognised which means credits can be transferred.

However you may not graduate from a host university abroad. Credits from exchange studies are automatically transferred as optional credits within the framework of your degree, or as additional qualifications outside your degree.

Availability of Slots

A common misconception is that it is very difficult to qualify to study abroad – it is not. Even if you do not have the highest grades, you may still have the opportunity to study abroad.

Where can you go?

Lund University has exchange agreements with some 670 partner universities in about 75 countries around the world. This gives you a unique opportunity to study abroad. This can be either short-term, such as a summer course, or longer-term, such as a one or two-semester exchange. We send around 1 200 to 1 300 students on exchange each year. Maybe you could be one of them!  Another option is to do a traineeship or fieldwork abroad while you study here.

The Department of Political Science has a number of Erasmus agreements that allow for students to study at European universities. In addition, the Faculty of Social Sciences has a large number of agreements that apply to universities outside of Europe. You can also apply for an exchange through the University Wide Agreements (University of California).

Where to go and detailed instructions for applying can be found on the Faculty of Social Sciences' website