The Student Room Group

I was planning on doing a free MA in Sweden but...Brexit?

So my plan was to start a masters degree in Sweden, either January or August 2017 (more likely August). These are free for EU citizens, but now we are due to leave the EU I have no idea where this leaves me.

Does anyone have any idea how this might be affected? At the moment I find myself guessing, and I know that's all it will be for other people but any insight that I might be missing is appreciated.

I am thinking I couldn't be kicked off a course I started, surely? But whether or not I will be eligible to start in August 2017 is beyond me. I am not 100% sure how the Libson Treaty works, but are we not EU citizens until the entire process is finalised?

I hate the uncertainty of it all.

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You can't get government funding for a course in Sweden but if you can fund yourself for the accommodation then you are good to go.

When article 50 is triggered then there will be a 2 year period of negotiations but gaining a student visa for Sweden shouldn't be affected by the recent political volatility and will be the same process as before.

Contact the Swedish embassy in the UK for a visa application and enquiry.

http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/London/Visit-Sweden/Applying-for-a-visa-to-Sweden-T/Visit-for-longer-than-90-days--documents/
Reply 2
Man, I feel with you. You are between a rock and hard place. Unaffordable home tuition at UK unis, free education in Scandinavia jeopardized by BREXIT.

From the moment article 50 is triggered, there is a two year period of transition. During this two year period, the UK will remain a full member of EU and you will be eligible for free education in Sweden. We don't know when article 50 is triggered. Cameron prefered after his departure in September '16. So if this is the starting point, the UK will remain until Sep 2018 a full member of the EU. You may have the first year covered under EU membership. If no provision are made, then you may be liable for international tuition fee. Some unis may reserve scholarships to help internationals. Normally these goes to US and Asian students.

Your option of affordable postgrad education in Europe is severely limited by Brexit.
Original post by Airfairy
So my plan was to start a masters degree in Sweden, either January or August 2017 (more likely August). These are free for EU citizens, but now we are due to leave the EU I have no idea where this leaves me.

Does anyone have any idea how this might be affected? At the moment I find myself guessing, and I know that's all it will be for other people but any insight that I might be missing is appreciated.

I am thinking I couldn't be kicked off a course I started, surely? But whether or not I will be eligible to start in August 2017 is beyond me. I am not 100% sure how the Libson Treaty works, but are we not EU citizens until the entire process is finalised?

I hate the uncertainty of it all.


When we trigger article 50 we leave after 2 years or before that if a settlement is reached. Given that is won't be triggered until we have a new PM and the sheer scale of the negotiation it'll likely take most if not all of that 2 years.

I'd apply for the January intake just to be on the safe side.
Why are people acting like the UK left the EU immediately? NO, only in 2 years time, there will be changes so, i don't think the UK leaving the EU should affect you going to Sweden in 2017.

@Airfairy
Reply 5
Original post by post-grad-u-ate

When article 50 is triggered then there will be a 2 year period of negotiations but gaining a student visa for Sweden shouldn't be affected by the recent political volatility and will be the same process as before.

Contact the Swedish embassy in the UK for a visa application and enquiry.


You don't need a student visa as a EU citizen (which you are until the end of the 2 year period) - that's the whole point of the free movement within the EU. So only if the course the OP is looking at is going over two years and they trigger article 50 very soon (unlikely), s/he might need a visa at the end of the course
Reply 6
Original post by post-grad-u-ate
You can't get government funding for a course in Sweden but if you can fund yourself for the accommodation then you are good to go.

When article 50 is triggered then there will be a 2 year period of negotiations but gaining a student visa for Sweden shouldn't be affected by the recent political volatility and will be the same process as before.

Contact the Swedish embassy in the UK for a visa application and enquiry.

http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/London/Visit-Sweden/Applying-for-a-visa-to-Sweden-T/Visit-for-longer-than-90-days--documents/


Original post by Tcannon
Man, I feel with you. You are between a rock and hard place. Unaffordable home tuition at UK unis, free education in Scandinavia jeopardized by BREXIT.

From the moment article 50 is triggered, there is a two year period of transition. During this two year period, the UK will remain a full member of EU and you will be eligible for free education in Sweden. We don't know when article 50 is triggered. Cameron prefered after his departure in September '16. So if this is the starting point, the UK will remain until Sep 2018 a full member of the EU. You may have the first year covered under EU membership. If no provision are made, then you may be liable for international tuition fee. Some unis may reserve scholarships to help internationals. Normally these goes to US and Asian students.

Your option of affordable postgrad education in Europe is severely limited by Brexit.


Original post by JamesN88
When we trigger article 50 we leave after 2 years or before that if a settlement is reached. Given that is won't be triggered until we have a new PM and the sheer scale of the negotiation it'll likely take most if not all of that 2 years.

I'd apply for the January intake just to be on the safe side.


Original post by Blackstarr
Why are people acting like the UK left the EU immediately? NO, only in 2 years time, there will be changes so, i don't think the UK leaving the EU should affect you going to Sweden in 2017.

@Airfairy


Original post by tj23
You don't need a student visa as a EU citizen (which you are until the end of the 2 year period) - that's the whole point of the free movement within the EU. So only if the course the OP is looking at is going over two years and they trigger article 50 very soon (unlikely), s/he might need a visa at the end of the course


Thanks for all your valuable insight. This is what I was thinking in my head...that we can't be discriminated against until we have actually left 100%, which would be after all the negotiations once article 50 is actually triggered. So if I started my course in August 2017, worst case scenario would be that the latter end of the course would need to be paid for and I'd need a visa.

I mean, I'd like to think that once an EU citizen was on the course, the entire course would be free. Student Finance England have said something similar for those students from the EU wanting to come here and study under our current fees...the entire course will be under the same fees for them if they start now, regardless of how long it is.

I have applied for January entry, but it's kind of hard to explain, the January course is like two standalone MA modules that would add on to the whole MA. Won't get into it, but basically August would be better, and I'd probs have to stay on longer anyway. So I'm more concerned with August 2017.

And yeah, there's no point trying to convince me that Brexit has been bad for me. I'm well aware! Hence why I voted remain.
Reply 7
on another note. Maybe it is now a good time to explore possible Irish heritage in your ancestry. An Irish passport would solve your problem.

Worst case scenario: first year free as EU student, maybe fee in 2nd year.
More likely: As you started course as EU student, you can appeal to mitigating circumstances and the two year course is free.

In Germany, all master's courses are free. Even for non EU students.
Reply 8
Original post by Tcannon
on another note. Maybe it is now a good time to explore possible Irish heritage in your ancestry. An Irish passport would solve your problem.

Worst case scenario: first year free as EU student, maybe fee in 2nd year.
More likely: As you started course as EU student, you can appeal to mitigating circumstances and the two year course is free.

In Germany, all master's courses are free. Even for non EU students.


I sadly don't have any Irish ancestry hahah.

Thanks for letting me know about Germany. I have reasons for choosing Sweden...but I'd rather study for free in Germany than pay in Sweden, so I'll definitely remember that, thanks.
Original post by Airfairy
I sadly don't have any Irish ancestry hahah.

Thanks for letting me know about Germany. I have reasons for choosing Sweden...but I'd rather study for free in Germany than pay in Sweden, so I'll definitely remember that, thanks.


How long is the course?

What we know is that Article 50 is not likely to be triggered before the start of October, when a new Conservative leader is elected. Even if they do trigger it immdiately (far from guarenteed), the period is then almost certainly 2 years exactly - any more or less would have to be unanimously agreed by all member states. So the earliest likely time for Britain to leave is at the start of October 2018. If your course is finished by then, you're good to go!

If it lasts longer than that, there are two questions. The first is whether the UK joins the EFTA, which would mean retaining freedom of movement with EU states - if that happened, there would be no change from the present situation for you. If not, it will be down to the Swedish authorities - I'd advice contacting the university to ask what arrangements they expect to be in place, but it may be that they have no idea until we know what the UK will actually do and so you will have to make a difficult choice between just going for the course anyway and hoping for the best (you will likely be fine, but their are no guarentees) or delaying your plans until more is known and risking that you can then never do it when you'd might have been okay had you just started :frown: Sorry not to be more help, but that's just the way the situation is right now.
Original post by Tcannon


In Germany, all master's courses are free. Even for non EU students.


adding in some administration fees of around 500 euros per study year, but yes tuition free.

As I said before you can't get government funding to study a complete course in another country.
I'd reconsider going to Sweden as a female.
Original post by tj23
You don't need a student visa as a EU citizen (which you are until the end of the 2 year period) - that's the whole point of the free movement within the EU. So only if the course the OP is looking at is going over two years and they trigger article 50 very soon (unlikely), s/he might need a visa at the end of the course


I get the feeling that if you are there for over 90 days then the visa is to officiate what you are doing in the country so that the government have record of it and you have evidence of granted permission to do so.
Original post by Airfairy
So my plan was to start a masters degree in Sweden, either January or August 2017 (more likely August). These are free for EU citizens, but now we are due to leave the EU I have no idea where this leaves me.

Does anyone have any idea how this might be affected? At the moment I find myself guessing, and I know that's all it will be for other people but any insight that I might be missing is appreciated.

I am thinking I couldn't be kicked off a course I started, surely? But whether or not I will be eligible to start in August 2017 is beyond me. I am not 100% sure how the Libson Treaty works, but are we not EU citizens until the entire process is finalised?

I hate the uncertainty of it all.


Simple solution, while freedom of movement still applies, emigrate to Sweden and claim citizenship :smile:
Original post by Manchester_123
Simple solution, while freedom of movement still applies, emigrate to Sweden and claim citizenship :smile:


That would take several years... there isn't the time for it before we leave the EU.
Reply 16
Original post by physicsphysics91
I'd reconsider going to Sweden as a female.

Why?
Original post by post-grad-u-ate
adding in some administration fees of around 500 euros per study year, but yes tuition free.

As I said before you can't get government funding to study a complete course in another country.


I don't want government funding?
Original post by Saoirse:3
That would take several years... there isn't the time for it before we leave the EU.


They give citizenship to random people crossing the med in weeks so I'm sure she can claim it fast
Original post by Manchester_123
They give citizenship to random people crossing the med in weeks so I'm sure she can claim it fast


The UK may be in a crappy situation, but we don't count as refugees just yet.
Original post by Saoirse:3
The UK may be in a crappy situation, but we don't count as refugees just yet.


Why not? I feel like I am living in 1939 Nazi Germany, it feels exactly like that. I do not see a difference between the brexit regime and Nazi regime. So we are effectively refugees

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