Education planning and administration handbook - Chapter 3

Last changed: 03 September 2025

Students and student support

3.1 Starting points
3.2 Learning environments
3.3 Equal opportunities
3.4 Study and career guidance
3.5 Studying with a disability
3.6 Student copyright
3.7 Student insurance
3.8 Student costs and reimbursements
3.9 Tuition fees
3.10 Tuition fee refunds
3.11 Student debt
3.12 Scholarships
3.13 Approved leave from studies and non-completion
3.14 Student influence
3.15 Complaint procedures
3.16 Appealing a decision

Shortcuts to other parts of the handbook

3.1 Starting points

National regulations

'... in this ordinance the term ‘student’ refers to a person who has been admitted to and is undertaking higher education' (Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) Chapter 1)

SLU rules

Only admitted and registered students are eligible to participate in a course or programme.
A person admitted to a programme is not automatically admitted to all courses within the programme. All students must meet the specific entry requirements that apply for each course. Entry requirements are listed in the course syllabuses.
An incoming exchange student at SLU (at first-cycle or second-cycle level) counts as a degree programme student. Incoming students have access to programme courses during their exchange period.

Links

Student web

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3.2 Learning environments

Important concepts

A learning environment is a physical or virtual space for learning. It can be indoors, outdoors or online.

Formal (physical) learning environments are auditoriums, classrooms, laboratories and group rooms (etc.). All can be booked for teacher-led learning.

Informal (physical) learning environments are public spaces (often in connection to formal learning environments) used by students for individual work or group assignments.

Learning management systems are part of the virtual learning environment.

Policy

SLU’s learning environments should

be available to everyone;
offer teachers and students a good working environment;
promote different forms of student learning;
meet social and intellectual needs;
facilitate dialogue between teachers and students;
support dialogue and cooperation between students;
be flexible in the short and long term.

SLU management of learning environments should be characterised by the following:

teaching-oriented visions;
long-term and multiannual planning;
uniform management, regardless of faculty or campus;
controllable and transparent finances;d
a rational support organisation.

SLU rules

Teaching, exams or other activities relating to education may not be disturbed.
Normally, students may not bring children or pets to learning activities. The teacher (for individual classes) or the course coordinator (for an entire course) decides what applies in each case.
Safety regulations apply to certain premises and activities related to education, e.g. laboratories, libraries, stables, clinics, excursions, study visits and exams. See Chapter 8. Assessment (exams) and compulsory components.

Who is responsible for what?

The Division of Educational Affairs, the Division of Real Estate Management and the Division of IT, all part of the university administration, coordinate issues related to learning environments.

Links

Division of Real Estate Management, Facilities and Projects Unit

Division of Learning and Digitalisation

Division of IT

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3.3 Equal opportunities

Important concepts

Harassment is conduct that violates a person’s dignity and is associated with one of the seven grounds of discrimination. It may take the form of comments, gestures or freezing someone out.

Harassment can also be of a sexual nature. In addition to comments and words, it can take the form of groping or intrusive looks. Unwelcome compliments, invitations and innuendos also count as sexual harassment.

Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly or violated. In order to be considered discrimination, the unfair treatment or violation must be linked to one of the seven grounds of discrimination (see below).

Policy

The purpose of gender equality and equal opportunities work at SLU is to provide equal opportunities and equal rights for staff and students.

National regulations

SLU’s equal opportunities work for staff and students is based on the Discrimination Act. The purpose of this act is to combat discrimination and harassment and in other ways promote equal rights and opportunities regardless of

sex
transgender identity or expression
ethnicity
religion or other belief
disability
sexual orientation
or age.

An education provider may not discriminate against any child, pupil or student participating in or applying for activities.

Gender equality and equal opportunities work also includes measures for increased accessibility.

Who is responsible for what?

SLU’s responsibility

The university must use active measures to counteract discrimination and promote equal rights and opportunities for students and staff. To support this wis work, SLU has an organisation for an inclusive work environment. The university is also obligated to investigate and take measures against harassment.

Staff and student responsibility

Both staff and students at SLU must play their part in achieving a healthy working and study environment from an equal opportunities perspective.

Instructions

The SLU web has instructions on who to turn to for students who have been the victim of sexual harassment, other forms of harassment or victimisation. There is also advice for students subjected to harassament and information on the procedure to follow when reporting harassment.

Links

Harassment and equal treatment

Gender equality and equal opportunities at SLU

Guidelines for cases of suspected harassment of a student

Organisation of SLU's work on an inclusive working environment (only in Swedish)

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3.4 Study and career guidance

Policy

Study and career guidance at SLU should help to ensure that students and prospective students:

can make their study and career choices based on their own preferences and conditions, free from any restrictive norms.
can recognise their own resources and opportunities in relation to studies and career paths, and inform them of the rules that apply to higher education;
have access to sufficient information to make informed decisions about study and career choices;

National regulations

Student support

'Students must be provided with study and career guidance. Higher education institutions must ensure that anyone intending to begin a course or study programme can access the necessary information.'

'Higher education institutions must also be responsible for other student welfare activities that support students in their studies or help them transition to the labour market, as well as otherwise providing students with a good environment in which to study.'

(Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100))

Secrecy

Among other things, secrecy applies to higher education institutions’ activities relating to information connected to a psychological examination or treatment, and information regarding an individual’s personal relationships with a psychologist, study and career counsellor, unless it is clear that the information can be disclosed without harming the individual or their next of kin'. (Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400))

Exception

Counsellors may need to breach confidentiality in cases where someone's life or health is at risk, or in cases of discrimination or harassment (see https://student.slu.se/en/study-support/study-support/study-and-career-advice/).

SLU rules

All guidance and counselling functions at SLU must maintain secrecy regarding the individual student’s personal conditions.

Who is responsible for what?

Study and career guidance for SLU students is provided by study and career counsellors and programme directors of studies.

Study and career counsellors

Study and career counsellors at SLU offer professional guidance. The focus is on the individual and group learning process linked to educational and career choices. The aim of counselling is to strengthen the individual's self-awareness and awareness of opportunities in their environment in order to make their own informed choices.

Programme director of studies

Programme directors of studies can support individual students on programme-specific issues and study planning within the programme.

Students

Students are responsible for making decisions about their own study and career choices.

Links

Study and career guidance

Contact information for the programme directors of studies can be found at the respective programme pages on the student web.

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3.5 Studying with a disability

Important concepts

Long-term disabilities that can limit studies include the following:

reading and writing difficulties/dyslexia;
psychological disabilities such as prolonged depression or bipolar disease;
neuropsychiatric disorders (NPD), such as ADHD/ADD or autism spectrum disorders;
visual or hearing impairment;
physical disability;
chronic illness such as rheumatism;
lingering complications following illness or injury, such as whiplash.

Long-term disabilities are conditions that limit studies for longer than 6 months.

Policy

The same learning outcomes apply to all students regardless of any disability. Through support for students with disabilities and adaptations, SLU endeavours to ensure equal opportunities. The aim of the support is to help students overcome obstacles to their studies caused by permanent disabilities. Study support for students with disabilities does not compensate for other difficulties that students may have and does not remove a student's own responsibility for their studies.

National regulations

The course and programme provider must follow the Discrimination Act, which aims to counteract discrimination and in other ways promote equal rights and opportunities regardless of, among other things, disabilities.

SLU rules

Students with a long-term disability which limit their studies can be granted study support. This support should be individually designed based on the student’s disability and study situation.

Who is responsible for what?

SLU’s responsibility

A coordinator at the Division of Educational Affairs advises on how to apply for study support, decides on the support to be granted and recommends adaptations.
The course coordinator decides which of the recommended adaptations are possible taking into account the course syllabus, as well as what is practically possible.
The examiner decides which of the recommended adaptations are possible for exams, taking into account the course syllabus and grading criteria as well as what is practically possible.

Student responsibility

Students are always responsible for their own studies and results.

In order to access study support, students must apply online and enclose a certificate of disability. They must also contact a study support coordinator at SLU. A successful application will result in a Nais notification, listing what support and/or recommended adjustments the student can expect. The processing time can be up to three weeks.

It is the responsibility of a student with a Nais notification to raise their need for support and adaptations in different situations. This includes liaising with course coordinators and others concerned to inform them of any needs.

A student with a Nais notification who wishes to have an adapted assessment must apply for this in good time. This should be done at the start of the course, but no later than fifteen (15) working days before the exam. For on-campus written examinations, the need for adaptations must be reported when registering for the actual exam.

Instructions

Contact information for coordinators can be found on the SLU web. There are also instructions for ahow to apply for study support, information on the support and adaptaions available and on adapted exams.

Links

Studying with a disability
Study support for students with disabilities – information for teaching staff

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3.6 Student copyright

Important concepts

Intellectual property rights are rights that have been or can be protected as intellectual property in accordance with legislation, e.g. patents, copyright, trademark, design protection and plant variety rights.

Policy

According to SLU’s intellectual property rights policy, the starting point is that intellectual property rights created in relation to education and research at SLU are the property of the originator. Both students and staff at SLU can be originators (i.e. have copyright) of literary and artistic works. Everyone is treated equally in this sense. SLU has no right to any inventions or similar that are created as part of works, regardless of whether they are patentable or not.

National regulations

Reproducing other people’s texts, tables, images and other illustrations can be a violation of copyright. This applies even if the source is given for a quote and it is clearly marked.

SLU rules

For student work published at SLU, permission from the copyright holder must be obtained for the use of:

tables and figures (images, diagrams, etc.);
longer text quotes (> 250 words) from the same source.

Teaching

Audio/video recordings or photography relating to teaching are only allowed if this is stated in the course syllabus, or following agreement with the teacher in question. This applies to all types of teaching, including excursions, study visits, etc. It is not allowed to publish or spread photos, film or audio relating to teaching through e.g. social media without the teacher’s approval. Students are also not allowed to publish or spread teaching material without the teacher’s permission.

Students with disabilities may receive study support which can include, for example, audio or video recordings relating to teaching. See Section 3.5 Studying with a disability. The recordings are only meant for personal use and they too require the teacher’s permission.

Data collected by students

Data that a student has compiled is, as a rule, not copyrighted material. During ongoing studies, all collected data must always be available for review by the supervisor and examiner.

If the student chooses to write an independent project (degree project) as part of an ongoing research project, the project manager of the research project is responsible for storing necessary collected data.

Moreover, the student is generally not obligated to submit their personal data to the department when the course has finished.

Student copyright

The student owns the copyright to their independent project and equivalent work. The supervisor’s participation does not lead to joint copyright.

However, information about the supervisor must be listed when depositing and publishing an independent project. See Chapter 9. Independent projects (degree projects). In the event that the results from the degree project are used for publication in another context, that publication must either refer to the degree project or the student and supervisor must be listed as co-authors.

Links

Intellectual property rights policy

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3.7 Student insurance

Important concepts

VFU = placement/clinical training

The Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency is responsible for insurance at all public authorities. Public authorities are only allowed take out insurance with this agency.

Policy

It is important that students have access to relevant information onm insurance.

National regulations

Students at Swedish higher education institutions are insured through the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency’s personal injury insurance for students. According to its regulations, insurance applies in Sweden when students are on university premises or travelling directly between their home and campus.

Insurance does not apply during their leisure time.

Complete insurance conditions can be found on the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency’s website.

Förordning (1982:1077) om ersättning av allmänna medel för skador orsakade av studerande vid statliga högskoleenheter under praktik på icke- statliga arbetsplatser (ordinance for reimbursement of public funds for injuries caused by students from public higher education institutions during placement at non-governmental workplaces – only in Swedish) regulates personal injury or damage to property caused by students during placements. However, the placement must be part of the course syllabus, and the student must be registered to the course in Ladok.

SLU rules

To be covered by the personal injury insurance for students, students must be registered on a course in Ladok. Students do not need to re-register in Ladok to resit an exam, but they must register for the exam as usual.

Special rules apply for students who travel abroad for a course or degree project. Incoming students must also follow special rules – see below.

Any injuries to animals or equipment caused by a student during placement or clinical training is considered damage to property.

SLU’s operational insurance covers SLU operations. This can include damages caused by a student working with the animal ambulatory service or at the University Animal Hospital. The course-coordinating department is responsible.

Who is responsible for what?

Insurance for incoming students

The Division of Educational Affairs administers insurance for students who travel to Sweden on one of the exchange agreements the division is responsible for. The Division of Educational Affairs also administers insurance for students who pay tuition fees.
Foreign exchange students who do not pay tuition fees are covered by insurance for foreign visitors as well as personal injury insurance.
Foreign visitors who are not SLU students but who have a placement at SLU for a shorter period than a year are covered by insurance for foreign visitors.

Insurance for outgoing students

There are two ways to manage insurance for students who travel abroad as part of a course or programme:

The Division of Educational Affairs administers insurance for students who travel from Sweden on one of the exchange agreements that the division is responsible for. The Division of Educational Affairs issues insurance certificates to all students travelling through such agreements.
The responsible department must insure other students who travel abroad through a course, including placements and degree projects (independent projects). This can occur in two different ways – both ways imply that the department has approved that the student can study abroad within the framework of a course. See instructions on the staff web.

Links

Student insurance and notifications of damage

Questions and answers on insurance policies

Operational insurance

Procedures for and information on external placement courses and placements

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3.8 Student costs and reimbursements

Policy

It is important to provide early and clear information to students regarding who pays for what. SLU must strive, as far as possible, to minimise students’ educational costs.

Students normally pay for their personal material. This also applies to students who do not pay tuition fees.

When travelling within a course or programme, public transport should, if possible, be prioritised.

National regulations

In general, the following applies:

SLU is allowed to charge a standard amount for literature, materials, equipment, food and accommodations for study trips, but it is important that the connection between the cost and what the student actually receives is clear.
The basic principle is that SLU may never charge more than the prime cost.
The student should always be free to obtain the equivalent product or service elsewhere.
In certain cases, SLU can reimburse the student for expenses that cover (some)
student costs. It is allowed to use a standard amount, but it is important that the connection between the reimbursement and the cost is clear.

SLU rules

Literature, copying

Students must pay for their course literature (including compendiums and larger amounts of copied material).
The student must pay for copies, print-outs and memory cards (or equivalent). Academic papers and degree projects (independent projects), e.g. print-outs of self-produced material, are considered study material which the student must pay for. Students that participate in seminars must pay for their copies, i.e. print-outs of other students’ material.
When a certain amount of copies of a student’s academic works and degree projects must be available for archiving reasons, the responsible department must provide the amount of copies in question.
Students with a disability may have the right to free copying, for example if there is a need for enlarged copies.
The responsible department may charge a fee (cost price) to make a copy of a public document. However, the first nine A4 pages are free of charge to the student. For example, this applies to questions and the student’s answers to written examinations.

Material, equipment

The student must pay for certain study materials, for example, consumables (such as textile materials, clay, paints, etc.), if they are to have disposition of the result.
Consumables in laboratory premises are paid for by SLU.
The responsible department or faculty must provide protective equipment necessary to protect against illness and accidents at no cost or through a deposit fee. If the faculty assesses that personal protective equipment is preferable, the faculty must reimburse the student for the costs of such equipment. However, the student must pay for their clothes and other personal equipment.
Deposit fees for keys and/or cards for access to libraries, computer rooms and similar may be charged. The first card is free for the student.

Study trips in the immediate area

In general, the student must pay for travel costs within the site and its immediate area. Here, immediate area refers to an area that can be reached with local transport within a reasonable amount of time.

Study trips with personal cars

Students may be reimbursed for personal car expenses paid in connection with a study trip, excursion or equivalent. In those cases, SLU applies the Swedish Tax Office’s standard for tax-exempt car reimbursement per every ten kilometres. The responsible department decides if any reimbursement will be paid, and must provide this information before the trip.

Compulsory study trips

If a course includes costs for study trips, this must be stated in the course information on the course page at least four weeks before the course starts.

For study trips outside the site area, the responsible department must reimburse the student with at least 50 per cent of the student’s costs for travel and accommodation. The student must normally pay for other costs.

If the department cannot pay at least 50 percent of the student’s costs for travel and accommodation, they must provide a cost-free alternative to the study trip.

Non-compulsory study trips

If a course is expected to include great costs for the student (e.g. for international study trips), this must be stated in the course syllabus under additional information. If travel costs are lower (e.g. for domestic study trips) this must be stated in the course information on the course page at least four weeks before the course starts.

Placement

The student must normally pay for all additional costs for education that consists of, or includes, workplace-based placement or clinical training. However, SLU may reimburse the student for increased living expenses. The responsible programme board funds such reimbursements.

Students taking courses or programmes with required placements must be given clear information early on. Course or programme presentations must include such information prior to application.

Instructions

In order to assess necessary protective equipment for students, the same working conditions that apply to employees also apply to students. Examples of protective equipment are protective eyewear, hearing protectors, breathing protectors, protective gloves and protective shoes. Protective coats (“lab coats”) can also be viewed as protective equipment in work with animal material, chemicals and microorganisms.

Links

The car expenses and payment form can be found under 2. Payments. See Blanketter för ekonomihantering (only in Swedish).

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3.9 Tuition fees

National regulations

Higher education institutions must charge tuition fees of students deemed liable to pay a tuition fee in accordance with Förordning (2010:543) om anmälningsavgift och studieavgift vid universitet och högskolor. Tuition fees are not charged to nationals of an EEA country or Switzerland (third-country citizens). Tuition fees are to be calculated in such a way as to achieve full cost recovery for the tuition fee-funded activities as a whole.

SLU rules

SLU follows the SUHF recommendations for managing study fees.

General information about tuition fees

Tuition fees are comprised of three components:

1. A basic fee that depends on the type of course or programme, see below.
2. A study administrative fee intended to cover reception and service costs, scholarship and fee management, accommodation administration and marketing for fee-paying students.
3. A central appropriation fee intended to cover jointly funded teaching premises.

The central appropriation fee and the study administrative fee are removed before the remaining part of the tuition fee is distributed to the departments concerned via the faculties, in the same way as direct funding.
The tuition fee amount can be found on the SLU web and is listed per course, programme semester and complete degree programme.
Tuition fees are calculated annually based on reimbursement levels per field of study, and are set by the head of the Division of Educational Affairs. Every three years, a review and possible adjustment of the study administration fee is carried out to ensure full cost recovery. (UN decision 30 October 2018, SLU.ua.2018.1.1.1-3954).

The handling of tuition fees between SLU and other higher education institutions is regulated in agreements and under separate arrangements.

Tuition fees for degree programmes

The basic fee for individual courses is based on a programme's disciplinary domains (see Section 2.2 Financial aspects) and the reimbursement levels for the disciplinary domain used for the allocation of funds to the faculties at the time tuition fees were established. This means that the same fee applies to all programmes in a category.
The total fee for a degree programme is communicated on admission to the programme.
A programme student pays the tuition fee for the programme they have been admitted to. Fees are based on the programme's pace of study and is paid in advance each semester until the programme fee is paid in full. The first payment always covers at least 30 credits.
A programme student can take other courses, up to and including 30 credits, in addition to the programme courses the student has been admitted to, at SLU or one of SLU's partner universities with an exchange agreement, without this affecting the tuition fee. If the student wants to take more than 30 credits outside the programme they have been admitted to, and the course fee exceeds the corresponding tuition fee for the programme, the student pays the difference.
Programme students on exchange programmes arranged by SLU must still pay their tuition fees to SLU during their exchange studies.
A programme student who wishes to take more than 30 credits during a semester will, in addition to the tuition fee for the programme, pay the regular tuition fee for the freestanding course(s) they are taking. If the additional courses are only programme courses, the student will pay, in addition to the regular semester tuition fee, a percentage of this fee corresponding to the number of credits in excess of 30.
If the student receives credits for studies outside SLU that contribute to the student being able to obtain a degree from SLU, the tuition fee may be reduced accordingly at the student's request. If the student has taken courses that can be included in the degree at other Swedish higher education institutions, no decision on credit transfer is needed to reduce the tuition fee. The fee is deducted at the end of the degree programme. This does not apply to courses completed through exchange studies at one of SLU's partner universities with an exchange agreement.

Tuition fees for courses

The basic fee for individual courses is based on the reimbursement levels for each disciplinary domain used for the allocation of fund to the facultiesapplied to the faculties’ allocations of funds at the time tuition fees were established.
The basic fee for individual courses is based on a programme's disciplinary domains (see Section 2.2 Financial aspects) and the reimbursement levels for the disciplinary domain used for the allocation of funds to the faculties at the time tuition fees were established. This means that the same fee applies to all programmes in a category.
Classifying courses into disciplinary domains is based on each course’s subject classification in Ladok. If a course is classified in two subjects, the subject listed first (the one determining the course code) is used for calculating the tuition fee. How subjects are linked to disciplinary domains is explained in Annex 3a: First-cycle and second-cycle subjects at SLU.
A student taking a freestanding course must pay a tuition fee based on the number of credits they have been admitted to.

When must tuition fees be paid?

Students on degree programmes must pay their tuition fees before the start of each semester until the programme fee is paid in full, with the exception of deferments of study or approved leave from studies. SLU decides on the exact time for payment as per SUHF recommendations. For a student to take up studies, they must have paid the tuition fee in full to SLU in advance.

A student who has applied for a freestanding course and has been admitted late or from the waiting list must pay the tuition fee within 10 days of receiving the admission decision.

The tuition fee for newly admitted programme students includes an offer of accommodation, but not rent or other costs connected to admission or studies at SLU, see 3.8 Student costs and reimbursements.

In accordance with Section 8.4 Compulsory components and 8.9 Resits, students who have not completed their courses may do so at a later date without being charged extra tuition fees. Provided there are places, a student may re-register for a course without paying fees again. Renewed registration is managed the same way as for students funded by grants. Please note that the tuition fee must still be paid every semester until it has been paid in full.

If the tuition fee is not paid within the stipulated time, SLU must remind the student to pay the fee within a stated time limit. If the fee in its entirety is not paid within the time limit given in the reminder, SLU will suspend the student from studies until the fee has been paid. However, there are limits as to how late a student can join a course in progress. The student must be informed of this in the reminder. Decisions on suspension are taken by the head of the Division of Educational Affairs. Such decisions can be appealed, for instructions see Section 3.16.

Links

FAQ on the suspension of students (student web)

Tuition fees

Who is responsible for what?

General information

The SLU Board decides on the basic fee, which in turn is based on the reimbursement levels per disciplinary domain used in the allocation of funds to the faculties.
The chief operating officer decides on the administrative fee and the central appropriation fee.
The Division of Educational Affairs calculates and updates, as needed, the fee levels annually.

Individual students

The Division of Educational Affairs decides how much a student must pay for the coming semester.
The Division of Educational Affairs takes all decisions on tuition fees for individual students.

Links

FAQ about the suspension of students (student web)

Tuition fees (staff web)

Tuition fees (external web)

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3.10 Tuition fee refunds

Pursuant to Section 12 of the ordinance (2010:543) on application fees and tuition fees at higher education institutions, the university may repay tuition fees, either in part or in their entirety, if a student, for special reasons, is prevented from taking up studies. At SLU, a refund may be paid in the following cases:

Reason	Refund
The student is not granted a residence permit in Sweden.	The admissions process is cancelled and the tuition fee is refunded.
The student's residence permit is revoked or not extended.	The tuition fee is refunded.
The student has been conditionally accepted to a programme, but still does not fulfil the requirement three weeks after the start of the semester and therefore is not allowed to take up studies.	The admissions process is cancelled and the tuition fee is refunded.
The student’s fee status changes, for example through citizenship.	The tuition fee is refunded as of the day the residence permit for reasons other than study starts to apply.
The student is granted deferment of studies. (Being denied a residence permit is not a reason for deferment.)	No refunding of tuition fees if deferment is approved. SLU will retain the tuition fee until the student takes up studies again.
The student is suspended by the SLU disciplinary board, or expelled from studies by the Higher Education Expulsions Board.	Tuition fee is not refunded.

The tuition fee may also be refunded if there are other special reasons why the student is prevented from taking up studies. Official documentation must be provided as support. The tuition fee for courses the student has been registered on will not be refunded.

Refunded amounts are not subject to interest, and refunds will only be paid to the same account the payment was made from. A student who has received a refund for a particular course, or the first semester of a programme, will lose their place on that course or programme.

To cover additional costs incurred in connection with refunds and the costs related to admission and other processing prior to registration, refunds granted are charged at a cost of SEK 5000 (Division of Educational Affairs, SLU.ua.2025.3.1.2-1782). This will apply as of the 2026 autumn semester admission round.

In the case of a refund, any bank charges will be paid by the student by deducting the charges from the refunded tuition fee. The request for reimbursement must be submitted within one year of the date on which the student was due to start the programme.

Who is responsible for what?

To request a refund, the student must personally provide evidence in support of the reason they give. The student must send their refund request to the Division of Educational Affairs.

The head of the Division of Educational Affairs decides whether to refund prepaid tuition fees.

Section 3.11 Student debt describes what happens if the tuition fees are not paid.

3.11 Student debt

This section contains information about debt caused by unpaid tuition fees as well as other types of debt where the student owes SLU money.

National regulations

A student who is liable to pay tuition fees and who fails to pay by the due date, and has received a reminder from the university, will be excluded from the programme or course until the fee has been paid. A decision to exclude the student from studies means that the student may not participate in teaching, examination or any other activity pertaining to study at the university. In special cases, the university may also decide that degree or course certificates will not be issued until the fees have been paid.

Students exempted from paying tuition fees

Any debt conditions between a student exempt from paying tuition fees and the responsible department do not affect the student’s right to teaching, examination, reporting of study results or the right to obtain a course or degree certificate.

Students liable to pay tuition fees

Tuition fees must be paid for one semester in advance. If a student still has not paid their tuition fees in full for a degree programme or course that they have been registered to, they must pay the remaining amount before a course or degree certificate can be issued.

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3.12 Scholarships

Important concepts

SLU may, to the extent that funds are available, award scholarships to students liable to pay tuition fees. These scholarships can consist of the whole or parts of the tuition fee and should be given to specially qualified students liable to pay tuition fees.

Rules

The following applies to the awarding of such scholarships at SLU:

The scholarship amount is not paid directly to the student. Instead, the scholarship holder’s tuition fee is paid for every semester that the student studies a programme during its regular length, which is normally 4 semesters (120 credits) for a Master’s programme.
In order to keep their scholarship, the student must have received at least 20 credits per semester during previous semesters within the programme. The student must also carry out their Master’s programme studies during regular programme length, i.e. 4 semesters (120 credits). If the pace of study is a minimum of 20 credits one semester, it is presupposed that they pace is higher than 30 credits during another semester(s).
A scholarship offer only applies for the number of years and the programme listed in the scholarship decision. If the student is granted deferment of studies until the next academic year, the decision to award a scholarship may be re-evaluated.
The decision to award a scholarship may also change if the student changes course or programme.
If the decision to award a scholarship only includes part of the tuition fee, the student must pay the remaining amount before a given date.

There are specific provisions for scholarships awarded by foundations and endowment foundations managed by SLU.

Who is responsible for what?

At SLU, the Division of Educational Affairs manages scholarships for students liable to pay tuition fees. The head of the Division of Educational Affairs decides on specific principles and criteria for awarding SLU scholarships funded by UHR. Following proposals from the head of the Division of Educational Affairs, the vice-chancellor decides which students will receive scholarships.

3.13 Approved leave from studies and non-completion

Important concepts

Deferment of studies – the student keeps their place, but is allowed to postpone the start of their study period.

Approved leave under specific circumstances – the student takes leave from their studies and is guaranteed a place within the course or programme when their leave is over.

Approved leave without specific reasons – the student takes leave from their studies without submitting an application or without giving specific reasons.

Definitive non-completion of a programme – the student drops out of a programme and ceases to be a programme student.

Non-completion of a course – the student drops out of a course.

National regulations

“If special grounds exist, a higher education institution may decide that students admitted to first or second-cycle studies at the institution:

may defer commencement of their studies, or
may continue their studies after an approved leave of absence.”

Deferment of studies

Specific reasons for deferring studies may be social, medical or other circumstances such as care of a child, military or civilian service, student union assignments, military basic training in accordance with Förordningen (2015:613) om militär grundutbildning (ordinance for military basic training) or postponed holiday in accordance with the Employee’s Right to Educational Leave Act (1974:981).

Specific reasons can also be a fixed-term employment with a probationary period in accordance with Section 12 of Lagen (2012:332) om vissa försvarsmaktsanställningar eller tjänstgöring i Försvarsmakten (act on specific appointments or duties in the Swedish Armed Forces). This applies to employees who work part-time as gruppbefäl, soldat or sjöman in accordance with this act.

Unless there are particular reasons to extend the deferment, the maximum allowed time to take a leave of studies is 18 months.

Approved leave from studies

Specific reasons for a student to continue their studies following an approved leave from studies may be social, medical or other circumstances such as care of a child, military or civilian service, military basic training in accordance with Förordningen (2015:613) om militär grundutbildning (ordinance for military basic training) or student union assignments.

Students who can cite specific reasons using a certificate may be granted approved leave from studies and a guaranteed right to resume their course or programme during a specific semester.

SLU rules

Approved leave from studies

The right to resume their studies applies if this is done within the granted period.
Only leave granted by SLU gives students the right to resume their studies at the university.
The student is allowed to take examinations during their leave from studies.
If there are places available, it is possible that the student may resume their studies following leave without specific reasons. However, they must be aware that the degree programme may have been altered in regard to the range of courses offered. See Section 13.6 Changes to the courses offered within a programme.
Exchange studies carried out with SLU partners count as programme studies. A programme student who wishes to carry out exchange studies does not need to apply for approved leave from studies.

Non-completion of studies

Definitive non-completion of a programme requires the student to submit a written document confirming this. They then cease being a programme student. Students can complete courses they have started, even if they do not intend to complete the programme.
If a student wants to resume programme studies, they need a new admission decision. It is possible to be admitted to the latter part of a programme. When a student resumes studies, the programme syllabus at the time of their return applies.
In order to properly drop out of a course, the student must submit a written document stating that they will not be completing the course, see Section 7.6 Non-completion of a course.

Who is responsible for what?

Where appropriate, the student must do the following:

apply for deferment of studies;
apply for approved leave from studies for specific reasons;
submit a document confirming that they will not be completing their studies – it is recommended that they contact the programme director of studies or study counsellor before deciding on this;
see Instructions and Links below;
also see Section 7.6 Non-completion of a course.

The Division of Educational Affairs manages deferments, approved leave from programme studies and non-completion of a programme. Approved leave from studies is documented in the study documentation system Ladok, and decisions regarding leave from studies are always sent to the student.

The Division of Educational Affairs is responsible to ensure that applications concerning deferment, leave from studies and non-completion of a programme are archived together with the decisions relating to these matters.

The responsible department manages non-completion of a course. See Section 7.6 Non-completion of a course.

Instructions

The following can be found on the SLU web:

information on how to apply for deferment of studies. However, it is important to first accept the offered place at www.universityadmissions.se;
form used to apply for approved leave from studies for specific reasons;
form used for definitive non-completion of a programme.

Students who wish to appeal their requests for deferment of studies or refusal of their application to take leave from studies can turn to the Higher Education Appeals Board. See Section 3.16 Appealing a decision.

3.14 Student influence

It is the opinion of SLU that all activities concerning education and its support operations must be based on mutual trust and responsibility between students and teachers. This approach is in both the students’ and university’s best interest since it is a prerequisite to achieve education of the highest possible quality.

Current legislation requires SLU to work to ensure that students play an active part in course and programme development. It is strong wording which comprise all things related to education.

The purpose of this section is to clarify how reciprocity and responsibility might look, to help assess if legal requirements are met as well as to act as a basis for discussion and a joint starting point for student influence issues at SLU. How this is implemented at SLU must vary since prerequisites vary between course and programmes as well as sites.

National regulations

“Students shall be entitled to exert influence over the courses and study programmes at higher education institutions. Higher education institutions shall endeavour to enable students to play an active role in the continued development of courses and study programmes.”
“The students are entitled to representation when decisions or preparations are made that have bearing on their courses or programmes or the situation of students.”
“If decisions or preparations are to be made by one single individual, information is to be provided and consultation take place with a student representative in ample time before the decision is made or preparations concluded.”
“If a decision is to be made by a group of individuals [...] the students are entitled to representation by at least three members. The number of student representatives in such a group may however be fewer if there are special grounds in view of the total number of members in the group.”
“The students are entitled to be represented by three members of the board of governors.”
“The students at the higher education institution shall be entitled to representation on the [disciplinary] board by two members.”
“The Government or the agency nominated by the Government issues regulations on who is to appoint representatives of the students.”
The student union(s) appoint and dismiss students from higher education institution bodies.

Formal influence through representation on SLU bodies

SLU students have the right to be represented on all decision-making and preparatory bodies which operations are important to education and student situations.

Student influence is based on the students’ unions, which represent themselves. They are in turn regulated by Studentkårsförordningen (SFS 2009:769) (the student union ordinance). Among other things, it states that the students’ unions are responsible to represent all students – even those who choose not to be a part of the union.

Students have the right to be heard, and their opinions must be the base for many decisions relating to education. Courses and programmes are meant for students, and not just the students currently taking them. The university is also responsible to ensure that the students of tomorrow receive education of the highest quality, and it must consider conflicting expectations and requests. If the university makes decisions that do not correspond to student opinion, this should not be viewed as a sign that there is not student influence.

The university must make it easier for student representatives to complete assignments related to student monitoring. Representatives can do this in parallel with their studies or through approved leave from studies for more extensive assignments.

The starting point is to process and prepare matters in good time. That way, students have plenty have time to get involved before a decision must be made. Normally, the student representatives in question should have access to relevant supporting documents and opinions five days before a decision is to be made. Complex matters require even more long-term planning than simpler and routine matters.

However, planning may have to be shorter for pressing issues. Normally, decision-making bodies consisting of student members do not meet during the summer semester.

Consultation relating to preparation and decision by a single SLU official

Legislation considerably requires students to be consulted in other matters which affect them, both in regard to course and programme content as well as the student situation in general. This includes decisions within the administration, often made by a single official. For example, these decisions can concern accessibility, equal opportunities, IT support and the library.

In addition, working groups and other preparatory bodies which must submit supporting documents on issues regarding education and the student situation must also consult the students. The obligation to consult students also applies when a single official makes a decision. The starting point is to process and prepare matters in good time. That way, students have plenty have time to get involved. Normally, the student representatives in question should have access to relevant supporting documents and opinions five days before a decision is to be made.

The right to student influence does not include decisions which affect a single student. However, student representatives can affect the principles for such decisions and follow up on how they are applied.

Who is responsible for what?

SLU

The whole of SLU, not just teachers, must aim to engage students with activities that concern education. This means that heads of department, those responsible for courses and programmes and managers at all levels must ensure that the university meets this requirement. The programme directors of studies are explicitly responsible to ensure that their programmes include student influence.

Most importantly, it is the vice-chancellor’s responsibility to ensure that there are procedures for student influence on preparatory bodies and for decisions made by a single official. The boards, programme directors of studies and managers together with student representatives must ensure that student influence is accomplished in detail within daily university work.

Students

At SLU, the Joint Committee of Student Unions at SLU, Sluss, appoints students to university-wide bodies as well as to faculty and programme boards. It stands to reason that students appoint their own representatives without the university getting involved, both in regard to the division of members as well as questions concerning personality.

Cooperation and information

In order to facilitate student influence, SLU must continually keep the Joint Committee of Student Unions at SLU (Sluss) informed of the decision-making bodies that exist at the university, and student representatives are to be offered a place on all preparatory and decision-making bodies involved in education. It can be difficult to decide which bodies are involved in education, but the starting point is that the students decide if they wish to be represented, not the university.

It is incumbent on SLU to provide collective registers on the current preparatory and decision-making bodies and their purposes, but the students’ unions prioritise which bodies they want to be part of. The students’ unions are responsible to report which bodies they will be part of and the persons they have appointed. SLU is responsible to remind students about which bodies lack representation as well as to inform the students when new bodies/working groups are established. This responsibility lies with the persons who made the decision to establish a new body or working group.

At SLU, students have not traditionally been represented on e.g. decision-making bodies relating to environmental monitoring and assessment or research issue committees. There are a few bodies that do not allow student representatives – such as the staff disciplinary board – because it manages disciplinary matters relating to employees. Each delegation of authority states the number of established bodies and their student representatives. See Section 2.3 Organisational aspects.

Instructions

SLU’s delegations of authority state which bodies include students and how many members Sluss must appoint.

Student members are given a sessional allowance (SLU's rules for assignment allowances, fees and remuneration). According to the vice-chancellor's decision of 4 October 2022 Remuneration for students not employed by SLU for board, committee or working group assignments (SLU.ua.2022.1.1.1-3111), students who are not employed at SLU will be paid SEK 700 per meeting for participation in a faculty board, a faculty board's preparatory working committee, the academic appointments board, a programme board and the equal opportunities and gender equality committee. The student must attend the entire meeting for the fee to be paid, unless there are special reasons. Examples of special reasons may include compulsory programme components that the student must attend, or the overlapping of such meetings. The fee will be paid after each meeting and not on an annual basis. If requested, compensation for loss of earnings is also provided. The fee normally includes preparatory and follow-up work. Deputies are entitled to remuneration when they replace a full member.

Deputies have the right to be reimbursed when they replace a regular member. Student representatives should contact the respective body’s secretary for practical management of their reimbursement.

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3.15 Complaint procedures

Important concepts

If a course or programme does not follow this handbook, a course syllabus or programme syllabus, the student must be able to submit complaints, ask questions and give opinions and proposals regarding their education. Complains can also include that SLU does not follow laws or other statutes.

Instructions

A student (or group of students) dissatisfied about anything should primarily contact the person responsible in order to find a solution to the problem. The simplest way to influence education is to participate in course and programme evaluations.

Students who feel that SLU have broken a law or regulation within the higher education institution field can report this to the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ).

If there are complaints regarding education at course level, the following actions are recommended:

	Courses	Programmes	Processing of an educational matter	Decision on an educational matter
Firstly	Contact the teacher, course coordinator or examiner in question.	Contact the programme director of studies in question.	Contact the administrative officer responsible for the matter in question.	Contact the decision-maker if the reason for the decision needs to be clarified.
Secondly	Contact the department director of studies (or equivalent) or the head of department at the department responsible for the course	Contact the faculty programme director at the respective faculty office; they can confirm which body you should turn to.	Contact the manager at the administrative officer’s division.	Certain decisions can be appealed. See below.
Contact information	Department directors of studies and heads of department are listed on the SLU web.	Programme director of studies and faculty programme directors are listed on the SLU web.	Managers within the university administration are listed on the SLU web.	See below.

Here, educational matters concern admission, credit transfer, issuing qualifications and similar decisions relating to a single student. Grades cannot be appealed.

Students can also turn to their student union, which can provide moderate support.

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3.16 Appealing a decision

National regulations

The following are examples of what can be appealed at the Higher Education Appeals Board:

a decision that an applicant does not meet the general entry requirements for admission to first or second-cycle higher education courses and study programmes and a decision not to grant an exemption from the general entry requirements [− − −];
a decision on the transfer of credits for courses and study programmes or professional or vocational activities;
rejection of a student’s application for exemption from a compulsory component of a course or study programme;
rejection of a student’s request to be issued with a degree certificate or a course certificate;
a decision not to allow those admitted to first or second-cycle courses and study programmes to defer commencement of their studies or to continue their studies after an approved period of leave;
a decision to suspend a student who has not paid their tuition fees on time.

Instructions

How to appeal against a decision that concerns you

If you believe a decision is wrong, you can appeal against it.

The appeal must be done in writing and be addressed to the Higher Education Appeals Board. It should, however, be sent to Registrator SLU, Box 7070, 750 07 Uppsala. It should not be sent directly to the Higher Education Appeals Board.

You must ensure that SLU receives your appeal no later than three weeks after notification of the decision against which you are appealing.

Contents of the appeal

In your appeal, state the decision you want to appeal against and how you believe it should be changed. Enclose the actual decision document as this will facilitate the handling of your appeal. If you have documents that support your point of view, enclose them as well.

Sign the appeal and also add your name in block letters. Make sure to include your postal address, email address and phone number.

When you have appealed

Provided your appeal reaches SLU before the deadline, the university will investigate whether the decision should be changed. If the decision is changed, you will be notified. Your appeal will then be seen as concerning the new decision. SLU will send the new decision to the Higher Education Appeals Board together with the previous decision to ensure that the board gets an overview of the case.

If SLU does not change the decision, your appeal will be sent to the Higher Education Appeals Board together with the decision, all documents relating to it and a statement of opinion from SLU.

A decision must appealed in writing. In the appeal, the student must state which decision is being appealed and what change they request. The appeal must address the Higher Education Appeals Board, but submitted to SLU, Box 7070, 750 07 Uppsala. The appeal must have been submitted to SLU within three weeks from the day the student was made aware of the decision.

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Contact

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