Södra Vätterbygdens Folkhögskola (SVF) College Line
The international college program at Södra Vätterbygdens Folhögskola (SVF), including a student exchange with North Park University, started in 1976. Now celebrating more than three decades of continuous exchange, SVF College Line is one of the oldest program of its kind between Sweden and the United States.
College Line is a one-year program in which your fall semester takes place at SVF in Jönköping, Sweden, and your spring semester at North Park University in Chicago. During the fall semester, a group of approximately 15 North Park students study at SVF together with a cohort of about 15 SVF students. For the spring semester, everyone moves to Chicago to continue with the second semester of the program.
The fall semester centers on language studies—Swedish for the North Park students and English for the SVF students. Both groups study international relations, the Mediterranean world, and religion. A course for SVF students is taught by a North Park guest professor in residence in their field of expertise (such as American history or humanities). All students also take a course in politics, government, and history.
Spring Semester at North Park
In order to spend the spring semester in Chicago at North Park University, SVF students must complete the following:
- Complete North Park’s online application as an international exchange student
- Provide a copy of your passport photo
- Provide a copy of your CSN letter
- Provide official TOEFL score/results
SVF students register for spring classes at North Park during the fall semester, and a list of available courses (most of which are four credits each) will be presented by the North Park professor at SVF in October. Not all courses are available to SVF College Line students.
To maintain J-1 visa status, students must register for a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 17 hours (three to four courses each semester).
Students may change courses up until the start of classes, provided the course is available to SVF students and there is available space.
English Testing and Proficiency
During North Park’s international student orientation, which takes place a few days before the start of the spring semester, SVF students will take an English-proficiency test evaluating their ability to speak, write, and read English. If the test reveals you need improvement, you will be required to register for an appropriate English as a Second Language (ESL) or writing course. Two courses in the ESL program fulfill North Park’s foreign language requirement for graduation.
Earn a Degree at North Park
Some SVF students decide to continue their studies in Chicago to earn a bachelor’s degree from North Park. The courses taken at SVF can be transferred to credits (poäng) at North Park University. Students who use the College Line semester at North Park wisely may find they can continue studies at North Park and earn a degree in as little as two additional years. (Swedish students who come to North Park directly from high school normally require three years.) The SVF College Line is one of the most economical way for Swedish students to obtain a bachelor’s degree in the United States.
To continue your studies at North Park University you will need to apply for full admission to North Park University as a degree-seeking international student during the spring semester of College Line. You can set up an appointment with the international recruiter for more information.
Most Swedish Students who study at North Park use the loans and grants that are available through CSN. North Park University’s Scandinavian Grant reduces the cost to Scandinavian students to a total that is within the funds available through CSN.