Study-Related Information
Answer: The autumn 2021 semester began as planned on August 30th.
Most English language programmes and courses will be taught both on campus and online. When campus classes are conducted these adhear to recommendations regarding public gatherings and social distancing.
Dalarna University is working to ensure that we provide an appropriate study environment while retaining the quality of our education for students. Please contact your programme coordinator if you have questions regarding the teaching approach.
| These programmes are planned to be taught both on campus and online during the autumn 2021 semester. | Other comments |
| Master’s Programme in Business Intelligence (60 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. Most likely the spring 2022 semester will only be taught on campus. |
| Master’s Programme in Data Science (120 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. Most likely the spring 2022 semester will only be taught on campus. |
| Master's Programme in Tourism Destination Development (60 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. A decision about the spring 2022 semester has not yet been made. |
| Master's Programme in Global Sexual Reproductive Health (60 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. It will be possible to continue to follow the courses online (if necessary) in the spring 2022 semester. |
| Bachelor's Programme in International Tourism Management (180 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. A decision about the spring 2022 semester has not yet been made. |
| Master's Programme in Solar Energy Engineering (60 credits, 120 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. A decision about the spring 2022 semester has not yet been made. |
| Master's Programme in Materials Science (60 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. A decision about the spring 2022 semester has not yet been made. |
| Master's Programme in Materials Engineering and Product Development (120 credits) | Some courses will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. A decision about the spring 2022 semester has not yet been made. |
| Swedish for International Students: Life, Work and Society (67.5 credits) | Some parts of the course will include campus-based interaction; however, some may be taught exclusively online. As soon as possible teaching will be exclusively on campus. |
| These programmes are planned to be taught online only during the autumn 2021 semester. | Other comments |
|
Master's Programme in Business Studies with an International Focus (60 credits) |
A decision about the teaching form in spring 2022 semester will be made later this year.
|
|
English for Academic Purposes Course Package (30 credits)
|
It might not be possible to get a residence permit for studying this course package. Decisions about residence permits are made by the Migration Agency. |
|
Erasmus or Exchange |
Some courses will also be available on campus. |
Answer: This depends on what you will be studying.
- Students admitted to a degree programme starting at Dalarna University in the autumn semester 2021 will be eligible to receive a full refund regardless of the reason as long as they are not registered in any courses more than three weeks after the start of the semester.
- Students admitted to non-degree studies (including "English for Academic Purposes" and "Swedish for International Students") are subject to a 5000 SEK administrative fee if they pay their tuition fee and request a refund. Refunds are not issued when a student is registered in a course after the start of the semester.
If your request for a refund is approved, you will receive a refund to the same payment source (bank account, credit card, etc.) from which the original transaction was made.
Answer: Be sure to stay in contact with your programme coordinator about your situation. Some programmes may be able to accept students arriving slightly late. In the autumn semester, most English language programmes and courses will be taught on campus while online study is also available for students who cannot come to Sweden. If you cannot arrive on time, you may be able to begin your studies online and join the class on campus at a later date.
Answer: If you have been granted a tuition fee waiver (scholarship) from Dalarna University and start your programme as planned (even if it begins online) in autumn 2021, then your scholarship will not be affected. The amount that you are awarded is automatically deducted from the tuition fee you need to pay each semester.
If you decide to defer the start of your studies, your scholarship will be cancelled, and you will need to re-apply for the scholarship in the future. Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be awarded a scholarship the next time you apply if you do choose to defer your studies.
Answer:
Dalarna University does not have a formal deadline by which you must notify us of your plans. If you are a fee-paying student, then you still need to pay the tuition fees no later August 20th in order to be able to register in your classes by the start of the semester.
If you are unsure of your study plans, you have three options:
- You can start your studies as planned in the autumn. We will do our best to provide you with the support you need during this period.
- You can apply to defer your studies. However, travel restrictions and/or the outbreak of the corona virus is not in itself a ground for deferral. There are specific guidelines in Sweden and at Dalarna University regarding grounds for granting a deferral, for example medical reasons or compulsory military service. If you are required to pay tuition fees, these must be paid or your application to defer your studies will automatically not be approved. No refund will be made if you are granted a deferment. Please note Dalarna University must approve your application to defer your studies for you to be able to retain your place in the programme to which you are admitted. You can apply online to defer your studies.
- If you do not want to study at Dalarna University, you can decline your place so that we can give it to a student on the reserve list. If you have paid your first tuition fee installment, you can apply for a refund. Please note that if you will be studying non-degree courses such as "English for Academic Purposes" and "Swedish for International Students" that refunds are subject to a 5000 SEK administrative fee.
Please visit the tuition fee webpage for more information about how to apply for a refund.
Answer: Yes, please make sure that you register with Tunabyggen and/or Kopparstaden and that you follow their process to apply and secure student accommodation prior to your arrival in Sweden. You can find more details on their websites: Tunabyggen / Kopparstaden.
As there usually is a shortage of accommodation at the beginning of the semester, we recommend all students who intend on studying on campus to book student accommodation as soon as possible after being admitted.
Answer: As with all places where there are other people, we recommend social distancing for as long as the coronavirus continues to spread. This applies both in student housing and anywhere else where people may gather. Anyone who has any symptoms, such as a cold, fever, cough or respiratory problems, should self-isolate regardless of their living arrangements.
Answer: What we often hear from our students taking our online courses is how interactive they find them. What is more, the fact is that these students, who live in all corners of the world, often “hang out” outside class time. We are preparing for ways to ensure that if you begin studying our English-taught programmes online, you will have regular interaction outside class time with your classmates so that you can still create new friendships and foster your intercultural growth.
Study online
Answer: Dalarna University (DU) has invested greatly in online education and is nationally recognised as a pioneer in delivering interactive real-time education online. Even before the current Coronavirus situation, over 60% of DU courses were taught online. The University has well-established teaching methods that ensure interaction both between students, as well as between students and teachers in an online environment. The University also provides extensive digital study tools for online education to help students study successfully online. The support team provides live support weekdays (Monday to Thursday: 08.00 – 22.00, Friday: 08.00 – 16.00 CET) using video and chat. You can also email them if you encounter issues with your online studies. You can read more about online education on the Study Online webpage.
In addition, education in Sweden is more than just about lectures. Many courses include several interactive seminars, and students are expected to participate actively in group discussions during class time. Our courses also include a significant amount of reading and self-study. Online education is still able to accommodate these.
Answer: Online education allows you to participate in studies from anywhere in the world. You choose the study environment that suits you best. Additionally, some online courses include, for example, pre-recorded lectures that you can watch multiple times, allowing you therefore to review information.
Answer: No, your tuition fee will remain the same. Swedish law prohibits a university from charging different fees for students who are enrolled in the same course. The fees must be the same for students regardless if they study online or on campus.
Answer: Swedish law requires Swedish universities to charge tuition fees that cover the full cost of education and support for fee-paying students. Although the courses will be taught online, our costs remain the same. It is our staff and not our facilities that cost the most. Currently, our staff are working hard to adapt courses so that they can be delivered online. We provide live online support during the hours courses are being taught, and all our campus support services (such as student counseling, language support and library services) are also available when studying online.
Dalarna University remains open, and if you need to use its facilities (for example, computer rooms, study rooms or the campus library facilities), you can still access these.
It is important for you to know that the quality of our education is just as high regardless of whether it is delivered on campus or online.
Answer: This will vary from programme to programme (for those programmes that have practical elements). In some cases, these can be done online as the laboratory is software-based or can be done through computer simulations. In some situations, labs will be recorded and you will receive data to analyse, often with another student. We also will have situations where you will be connected to a classmate or tutor who is on campus so that you can work together using video conferencing. Some labs may only be possible to be completed on-campus. When you arrive at Dalarna University, you will be able to familiarise yourself with the lab equipment. Specific information about how online studies will be conducted in your programme will be provided by the programme coordinator closer to the start of the autumn semester.
Answer: If you have been admitted to a programme that is “campus based” then we are not currently planning on offering the spring 2022 semester online. We will review this decision closer to the start of the spring 2022 semester.
Answer: Yes, once you are registered as a Dalarna University student, you will get access to the online/digital study tools (such as Office 365, Learn, Video Chat, Zoom and a DU user account). Note that some tools have limited usage in certain countries. For example, Zoom cannot be accessed in certain countries due to regulatory reasons (read more on the Zoom website).
As a registered student, you will also have access through our library to an extensive database of academic articles, theses and other material in digital format. Since much of our education is already conducted online, our library has a wealth of resources available to support online studies.
Healthcare and Covid-19
Answer: You can call a health centre if you do not have a Swedish personal identity number but do want to take a test. The health centre will decide if you should get tested or not.
Falun: Britsarvet Vårdcentral 023-49 16 01
Borlänge: Vårdcentral Jakobsgårdarna 0243-49 77 00
If you need to pay for the test, save the receipt and follow the instructions about insurance. If you think that you are sick and that this will affect your studies, contact the programme or course coordinator.
Answer: According to the Communicable Diseases Act, a person who has communicable disease (coronavirus) must do what is required to protect others from infection (the so called duty to protect). You need to follow your healthcare provider's instructions and recommendations to this end. This for example entails informing the people you have been in contact with that you are infected.
Answer: If a student, a group of students or a staff member is diagnosed with having covid-19, then they will receive special instructions from a doctor/healthcare services. The information will state what the individual needs to do to take sick leave, to sit in quarantine and to track infection. The University cannot and may not be involved in these matters.
Answer: It is the responsibility of us all to stay at home if it feels like we have a cold. This is according to general FHM advice. It is good that you remind fellow students of our individual responsibility.
Remember that symptoms that resemble the cold may be due to other health conditions, such as allergies.
Answer: The total number of individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Sweden is being tracked, with the information available on the website of the Public Health Agency of Sweden. This is updated on a daily basis. Numbers change every day as testing continues and new cases are reported. Due to strict patient confidentiality laws in Sweden, the exact number of confirmed cases at Dalarna University is unknown.
Answer: Everyone aged 16 or older will be offered vaccination against Covid-19. You do not have to be a Swedish citizen to get vaccinated and there are no costs for getting vaccinated. Please note, if you do not have a Swedish personal number and are in Dalarna, you can call the organization coordinating vaccinations to schedule at vaccination time. Their phone number is: +46243-211085
About Travel
Answer: Foreign nationals will need to present a negative covid-19 test result in order to travel into Sweden.
Answer: Dalarna University complies with the recommendations of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs regarding travel abroad and the Swedish Government’s decision to halt all non-essential travel to Sweden.
In April 2021 the Swedish Migration Agency published updated guidelines concerning issuing residence permits for studies that have been modified due to the ongoing pandemic.
For many students admitted to Dalarna University, these updated guidelines will not affect their study plans as most of our English taught courses* and degree programmes have previously planned to offer mixed education which would fulfill the requirements for getting a residence permit.
*The English for Academic Purposes course package will only be offered online and it may therefore be difficult to obtain a residence permit for this programme, even with the udpated guidelines. Decisions on issuing residence permit are made by the Migration Agency only.
Answer: Swedish authorities are closely following the spread of the coronavirus and are working continuously to keep Sweden and its residents safe. The best way to follow developments regarding the coronavirus is to refer to the WHO website and the ECDC website. There are currently travel restrictions in place for foreign nationals travelling to Sweden, however students are exempt from these travel restrictions. We will keep you updated regarding changes to these in the pre-arrival phase. Please also stay updated by checking emergency information from Swedish authorities.
Visit the WHO website
Visit the ECDC website
Visit krisinformation.se for official information from Swedish authorities