I’d like to go to high school or "gymnasieskola" in Sweden for one year. Do I need to go through a program by some company like AFS or ASSE or Rotary, or can I just contact a few schools in Sweden that I’d like to attend and see if they’d like an exchange student?
Also, I’d like to do this after I graduate from high school, just kind of like an enriching gap year abroad kind of experience that’ll broaden my horizons and help me prepare for college. Is that okay? Would that look okay on an application to an American University, such as University of Washington?
Swedish high school/gymnasieskola is very advanced. Its a lot more like American college than it is like American high school. Is there any way I could get credit for college or for AP courses from the classes I take while in Sweden?
I would go through a program as you get help with obtaining visa’s and you’ll find the whole process a whole lot easier. (It will come at a cost though) Don’t know about the programs you have listed, but if they sound like trusted organisations to you, then contact them and see what they say.
EF Foundation mentioned by someone else is well-know in Sweden, so that may be an advantage.
You can sometimes get college credit from Swedish gymnasie-studies. It takes awhile to get your transcripts translated though. I graduated from gymnasium in June and didn’t get it translated in time for when the fall semester started in the US. So try and get it all sent in sooner than later.
I have your same question, but I want to go to Germany, lol. I wish I could tell you. Try talking to your foreign language teachers at school or your councilors.
References :
Contact EF Foundation for Foreign Study, 180044SHARE or effoundation.org. they send thousand of students abroad each year.
References :
I currently host exchange students and am a coordinator for students in my area.
I would go through a program as you get help with obtaining visa’s and you’ll find the whole process a whole lot easier. (It will come at a cost though) Don’t know about the programs you have listed, but if they sound like trusted organisations to you, then contact them and see what they say.
EF Foundation mentioned by someone else is well-know in Sweden, so that may be an advantage.
You can sometimes get college credit from Swedish gymnasie-studies. It takes awhile to get your transcripts translated though. I graduated from gymnasium in June and didn’t get it translated in time for when the fall semester started in the US. So try and get it all sent in sooner than later.
References :
Swedish
Definitely go through an exchange organization, as many countries will only permit student visas to those coming through approved organizations. And many schools will only enroll these students, as well.
I would definitely look at EF, as the others mentioned. EF’s biggest concentration is bringing students IN to the country, but we do send a small number abroad every year. As we are a Swedish company, Sweden is a good country to go to with EF!
We have an Outbound coordinator who handles all requests for Americans to go abroad, to whom I could forward you, if you private message me either your phone number or your email. You can call 1-800-447-4273, but the Outbound coordinator is often busy and may not be able to speak to you at that time.
It will definitely look good on your college applications! My one recommendation before you go is that you take all your qualifying exams — SATs, SAT IIs, ACTs, etc. BEFORE you go. You may find your English skills degrading as you immerse yourself in a foreign language, and this might effect your score. You might want to contact the University of Washington admissions office and ask their advice on anything special you should do (some schools let you apply now, get accepted and then defer for a year so you can go abroad).
References :
was a high school exchange student
work for EF Foundation for Foreign Study