The Karolinska Institute (KI), also known as the Royal Caroline Institute in English, is a research-led Swedish medical university, situated within the Stockholm urban area in Solna.
It is among the leading medical colleges in the world. The Institute aspires to develop knowledge about life and work hard to improve the future for everyone. KI has significantly contributed to Sweden’s medical sector and offers Sweden’s best and most comprehensive education in health and medical sciences.
As one of the foremost medical colleges in the world, it is a popular option among international students. Another perk of KI is that it offers its students medical placements that train them in real-world clinical education and practice.
In this article, we will look into the admissions procedure along with other important details on getting into Karolinska Institute.
Admissions Process at Karolinska Institute
Preparing for your university application is no easy task. There is a lot of effort and work involved in the procedure of submitting a successful application. While most universities require similar basic documents, you must look for specific entry criteria or unique documents for some universities.
For anyone interested in applying at the Karolinska Institute, we have summarised their admissions procedure here for you, along with several tips to further increase your chances of enrollment. Hopefully, this will make your admissions process at Karolinska Institute a little bit easier.
Step 1. Create a User Account
To start your application process at Karolinska Institute, you would first have to create a user account in the central online application portal, which is Sweden’s higher education application portal. Check out this link for directions on creating an account.
You may apply to multiple courses at different Swedish universities using this account. The user account would hold any documents you provide and can be used for future admissions purposes. The user account allows you access to your personal data and admissions application.
Step 2. Search Courses and Programs
Sweden has a huge selection of courses and programs to choose from. In this case, as you have already decided on Karolinska Institute, you can directly look up the Karolinska Institute, to browse the available courses and programs. You may also use this link to check out the programs available at KI on the university website.
Step 3. Rank your Selections
Karolinska Institute then encourages applicants to prioritize or rank their selected programs. You are allowed to apply to up to 4 programs. After selecting the desired programs you are to rank them in your order of preference.
The order of your ranking is important, as you will first receive offers for programs you have given higher rankings to as long as there is availability and the entry requirements are met. Meaning your application would be evaluated based on your first choice before moving on to the rest of them.
Step 4. Provide Application Documents
After submitting your electronic application, you will then have to provide other additional documents to complete your application for admission into Karolinska Institute, such as documentation for proof of previous studies like transcripts of upper secondary school studies, and degree transcripts (if applicable). The documents are to be submitted to University Admissions in Sweden.
You must look up the specific entry requirements under the program description, for any additional required documents.
Applicants must meet English language requirements by either demonstrating abilities based on previous studies or via standard test results.
Also please go through country-specific requirements to determine whether you are to submit translated versions of your transcripts of records or to submit directly from the university to University Admissions in Sweden.
Step 5: Pay your Application Fee (non-EU/EEA)
For applicants who are not from an EU/EEA country (or Switzerland), you must settle the application fee of 900 SEK before the fee deadline, for the application to be processed.
On the occasion that the application fee is made after the deadline, the status of your application will be changed to ‘late.’ Late applications would be processed by the respective universities, depending on availability.
Link for details on key dates for its application deadlines.
Step 6. Upload CV form (for Master’s applicants)
Master’s applicants are required to fill out a CV form for each program they apply to, where they would be certifying their experience as instructed on the CV form. Check out this link for further details regarding the CV forms.
Step 7. Pay the Tuition Fee
If you are admitted and wish to enroll at Karolinska Institute, your next step would be settling your tuition fee after receiving an invoice from the university. This only applies to applicants outside of the EU/EEA, as higher education is free for those in Switzerland and the EU/EEA.
Do keep in mind, that you must settle the first installment of the tuition fee for the Swedish Migration Agency to process your application for a residence permit.
Tuition fees are to be made directly to your university.
Step 8. Apply for the Residence Permit and Student Visa
Residence permit
Any student who wishes to pursue higher education in Sweden and will be residing there for more than 90 days is required to apply for a residence permit. You must receive the permit before you travel to Sweden.
Student visa
Any student from countries outside the EU/EEA who wishes to reside in Sweden for more than 3 months must apply for a Swedish student visa. It is best that you apply for confirmation of your university admission.
Tips to Get Into Karolinska Institute
We hope you have a successful application procedure and get in without much hassle. Here are 3 key tips that may help you get admitted to Karolinska Institute.
Tip 1. Read the Instructions on the Website
The Swedish University admission website provides clear and straightforward information on the application and admission procedure. It is encouraged that you look up all provided instructions and information regarding your application on the website, to ensure you have the highest possible chance of getting in and avoid any delays.
Tip 2. Application Dates
Another factor that gives international applicants a competitive edge over others depends on your admissions round. KI has 2 admissions rounds, and while international applicants can apply for both, national applicants will only be applying for the second round of admissions.
Individuals who apply in the first admissions round will only be evaluated based on their upper secondary school qualifications (grade tariff).
Individuals who apply in the second admissions round will be evaluated based on the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (Högskoleprovet) in the ratio 66% / 34%, along with their upper secondary school qualifications (grade tariff).
The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test is conducted only in Swedish, twice a year. While it is not mandatory, on the occasion you apply via the second round of admissions, you would be competing for a seat only with your upper secondary school credentials.
Tip 3. Applying After the Deadline
It is indeed recommended that you submit your application as early as possible and before the deadline. However, there are instances when for certain courses late applications may be considered. You will be able to submit a late application after the application deadline, as long as the course or program is still open for application.
Universities sometimes process late applications, however, your chances of getting in will depend on the number of students who applied on time and accepted the offer.
In the case that you do get in after submitting a late application, the university will inform you via email or contact you.
Getting into a university is no easy task. But the above process and tips should help you land that coveted admission into Karolinska Institute. It sure is an intricate process that requires much attention and effort. However, do not be discouraged, it will all be worth it once it’s over. So do your best and leave no room for regrets. Good Luck!
Hopefully, this article on the admission process and tips on how to get into Karolinska Institute was informative and helpful. You can also find more information on different European universities and scholarship opportunities on the Europe Scholarships Page!
