Alumni Ambassadors

My time with The Swedish Program was a highlight of both my personal life and academic career.

From the start, the students in the program formed a close-knit community, united by a shared excitement to explore Stockholm together. Beyond the program, the kindness and openness of the people I met – from other SSE students to my contact family – gave me a deeper, more personal understanding of Swedish culture. My favorite memory is cooking dinner and making chocolate balls with my contact family while exchanging silly English and Swedish sayings and watching “På spåret.”

Academically, the program exceeded my expectations. Many classes were experiential, taking learning beyond the classroom and into the city through study visits and trips to different museums and neighborhoods. Engaging with local businesses and startups, as well as interning at a local high school, exposed me to new approaches to innovation and education that broadened my perspective.

My advice to prospective students is that the best way to approach this program is to be curious. Be prepared to embrace the unknown, whether it’s new foods, people, or the cold!, and fully immerse yourself in everything Stockholm and The Swedish Program have to offer.

Ask me about:
»  Having an internship (Norra Real Gymnasium)
»  Practicing religion abroad
»  Connecting with your contact family
»  First time abroad

I will forever cherish the memories I made in Stockholm; my time abroad gave me the opportunity to explore my independence and branch out of my comfort zone. The Swedish Program staff are very lovely, and their resources for students are amazing. I am really grateful for my experiences abroad, and I hope to return to Stockholm again in the future!!!

Ask me about:
»  Having an internship (The Research Institute of Industrial Economics)
»  Navigating the residence permit process
»  Managing health issues abroad
»  Packing for a semester abroad

My semester abroad in Stockholm exceeded all my expectations, and I often find myself looking through my camera roll and wishing I could relive all these moments that were made possible thanks to the Swedish Program. Eating dinner with my contact family, watching local soccer and hockey games, having friends and family sleep over and showing them around the city… the list of memories I have is endless. I’d love to tell you more about my experience and answer any questions you may have, so please reach out! I also want to leave you with 3 tips that I lived by during my semester:

1. Actually explore Stockholm: It’s so easy to land in Europe and want to explore every other country and city, but please take the time to visit Stockholm and everything the surrounding area has to offer.
2. Take time for yourself: Studying abroad is fun, but it can also be quickly overwhelming. You’re in a new city that speaks a new language surrounded by new people, and you’ll probably feel like you’re not doing enough (I felt this way as well). Odds are, you will be doing plenty, so please remember to take time to breathe and focus on yourself (I would do this by walking around Fotografiska, a photography museum, alone, it was calm and great).
3. 20 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes: The secret to heating up the frozen Swedish meatballs from the supermarket (and that saved my life and honestly made up 1/3 of my diet during my semester abroad).

Ask me about:
»  Having an internship (American Chamber of Commerce in Sweden)
»  Culture shock & homesickness
»  Cooking & meal prep
»  Documenting your study abroad experience

Studying abroad in Stockholm was a pivotal moment in my college schooling – it gave me immense independence and a great perspective into international business & economics. The Swedish Program provides a white-glove service for all the students in the cohort. They make the transition to living abroad easier than that of moving into college. The program provides support without being overbearing, letting you figure things out about the city and yourself throughout the semester. I could not recommend this program more, as it has allowed me to take economics courses at an accredited international institution whilst meeting people from all over the world.

Ask me about:
»  Navigating the residence permit process
»  Packing for a semester abroad
»  Taking an SSE direct enrollment course
»  Cultural immersion & tips for meeting locals
»  First time abroad

My time with The Swedish Program was easily one of the most meaningful chapters of my college experience. From the very first orientation trip—where we stood in awe under the Northern Lights—it felt like something out of a dream. But what made it truly unforgettable were the people. I met friends I now consider family, and we shared everything from late-night conversations about life to spontaneous weekend trips across Europe. Stockholm itself became a second home, and living there taught me how to slow down, reflect, and be present. If you’re even slightly considering this program—go. You’ll leave with memories that stay with you, and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Ask me about:
»  Navigating the residence permit process
»  Financial aid and budgeting abroad
»  Connecting with your contact family
»  Maintaining relationships at home while abroad

The best advice I can provide to prospective TSP students is to utilize the resources the Program provides you… they’re there for a reason and make a huge difference in amplifying your experience!

For example, with your SL transit card, you can effectively travel throughout the entire Stockholm region by metro, subway, light rail, bus, and also by ferry (a great opportunity to explore the beautiful archipelago). In addition to that, the Program subsidizes other amenities meant for students to take full advantage of, including city activities (ex: group sporting outings or museum tours), a gym membership, group excursions, as well as other resources and support stemming from the lovely and wonderful Swedish Program administrators.

This program isn’t meant to copy and paste a normal academic semester into a foreign city nor simply serve as a vacation — it’s designed to provide a top-notch holistic experience for students in a charming, vivid city. Whether it was a trip to a Djurgårdens IF Futbol match, weekly restaurant or market recommendations, or routine Fika breaks between classes, the Swedish program crew did a fantastic job bonding with us, and it was clear that their priority was to create a special semester for everyone in the cohort!

Lastly, the program blessed me with a group of diverse-minded students from schools just like mine and helped me form lifelong connections and memories that I’ll cherish forever.

Ask me about:
»  Financial aid and budgeting abroad
»  Traveling in Stockholm and the region
»  Culture shock & homesickness
»  Maintaining relationships at home while abroad

Participating in the Swedish Program has been one of the highlights of my time in college. I learned so much about Swedish culture, explored beautiful areas of the country, and met people I’ll be friends with for years to come. If you have the opportunity to study with the Swedish Program, you should take it!

Ask me about:
»  Having an internship (SS&C Advent)
»  Cultural immersion and tips for meeting locals
»  Connecting with your contact family

My favorite memory from the Swedish Program was our trip to Gotland! Traveling with the program and participating in activities together was the highlight of my abroad experience. We ate great food, biked around the island, and came together as a group!

Ask me about:
»  Selecting a study abroad program
»  Packing for a semester abroad
»  First time abroad
»  Managing health issues abroad

My favorite memories in Stockholm were the “family dinners” back at the apartments in Spånga. About once a week, we would all come together in the kitchen and while some of us were cooking dinner, everyone else was around the table planning a new weekend trip or laughing about whatever adventures went on that day in the city. It became a tradition for the group to vote on what we’d have for dinner (anything!) to keep it exciting. Since none of our recipes from home were in the metrics system nor did we buy measuring cups, it became a bit of a game for us to put our heads together and guesstimate from start to finish. We made everything from butter chicken to fresh bread and home made pasta with meatballs over the semester. After dinner, we’d stay there until the kitchens closed playing our best card games of hearts and prez just enjoying being together. Every now and then the dish towels were flying to clear the smoke (oops!) and sometimes we’d be a little too generous with the measurements, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Truly couldn’t have asked for a better semester!

Ask me about:
»  Selecting a study abroad program
»  Cooking & meal prep
»  Traveling in Stockholm and the region
»  Documenting your study abroad experience
»  Training for your team sport while abroad