School Immersion in Sweden – 16 -18 years old – 2 months to 1 academic year

Our high school programme in Sweden is aimed at all students aged 16 to 18 who are motivated to study for 2 months to 1 academic year in this unique and fascinating country, and enjoy an unforgettable experience!

You will attend a Swedish high school and share the daily life and lifestyle of your host family. This programme offers a real linguistic and cultural immersion in Swedish life.

No previous knowledge of Swedish is necessary (beginners accepted), but a good level of English is required.

Sweden is the ideal destination for lovers of nature and outdoor activities, and for all those who want to experience something out of the ordinary and off the beaten track!

Why study in Sweden?

  • An excellent education system, encouragingcritical thinking and individual reflection
  • A high quality of life – A clean and safe environment
  • Diversity andequality are fundamental values of Swedish society
  • Environmental protection and sustainable development are an integral part of the Swedish way of life
  • Swedes are friendly, respectful, dynamic and cultured people who have a very close relationship with nature. They enjoy spending time outdoors in all seasons
  • Everyone speaks English

About Sweden

  • population: 10.1 million
  • Capital: Stockholm
  • 70% of the country is forested, with nature everywhere, even in the biggest cities
  • Economic dynamism – internationally renowned companies: IKEA, H&M, Spotify, Tetra Pak…
  • Cultural characteristic: the famous “Fika” break or “the art of the social coffee cup”
  • Spectacular scenery, northern lights
  • Excellent public transport network

Placements can take place anywhere in Sweden, although the majority are in the south of the country. Students can be placed in a large city or in a more rural area.

All Swedes speak English, but High School classes will be taught in Swedish. It is therefore strongly recommended that you prepare for your stay by taking online Swedish courses before you leave.

You attend a “gymnasiet“, which corresponds to the last 3 years of secondary school (1st, 2nd and 3rd or 1:an, 2:an and 3:an in Swedish). The choice of school depends on where your host family lives.

You will be placed in 1st or 2nd according to your age, level and availability (no placement in 3rd, which is an exam year). The choice of class is determined by the school headmaster. You will be taught in a class of 20 to 30 students, allocated for the year. This will give you the chance to make friends with your classmates, whom you will see every day.

The school year is divided into 2 semesters: generally August to December and January to June. Classes run from 8.00/9.00 to 14.00/15.00. All courses are taught in Swedish, with the exception of language courses.

Students generally take 9 subjects (the same subjects throughout the year). Some subjects are compulsory, such as maths, English and physical education. The others are chosen according to your language level, academic orientation, school results and availability.

The choice of subjects is varied: foreign languages, Swedish, history, social sciences, economics, business, technology, natural sciences, etc.

The foreign languages most commonly taught, apart from English, are Spanish and French. Latin and Chinese are less common.

Sports generally played in Scandinavian countries: football, hockey, handball, floorball, skiing, etc

Swedish courses

It is strongly recommended that you start taking Swedish lessons before you leave and continue on arrival to help you integrate more easily. Your host family and your local correspondent will be able to advise you on the best options.

In Sweden, schooling is compulsory from the age of 6 to 16. From 16 to 20, young people attend a gymnasiet (the equivalent of the lycée in France or the last 3 years of secondary school in Belgium). The gymnasiet prepares students for university. It offers several courses of study:

  1. ekonomiprogrammet, where students acquire economic and legal knowledge
  2. estetiska programmet, which leads to artistic training
  3. humanistiska programmet, a literary programme
  4. naturvetenskapsprogrammet, the science programme
  5. samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet, economic and social studies
  6. teknikprogrammet, technical studies

Foreign students most often take courses in literature or economics.

The Swedish education system is renowned for its excellence and encourages critical thinking and individual reflection. It also gives students a great deal of freedom. Teachers are generally very open and relaxed, and the relationship between teachers and students, which is much more informal than in Sweden, is based on mutual respect and trust. On the other hand, this freedom implies greater responsibility on the part of the students, who have to discipline themselves to hand in their homework on time, without strict supervision.

Extra-curricular activities and hobbies are not practised within the schools, but in sports clubs, organisations or independent associations. We recommend that students take part in at least one activity outside the classroom and their host family. This is a good way of meeting people and gaining a better understanding of Swedish society.

The school holidays take place according to the following schedule: 1 week in October/November, 2 weeks at Christmas/New Year, 1 week in February, 1 week in April.

Host families are undoubtedly the most important element of the programme. That’s why we attach the utmost importance to their selection.

Swedish host families choose to welcome students because they want you to discover and share their way of life and culture, and because they want to find out more about the young people they welcome and their country.

The family will choose you on the basis of the description you give in your application and if they think you will fit in well with their way of life. You will be considered a full member of the family. Families often have children, and it’s not uncommon for one of their teenagers to be studying abroad at the same time.

The typical Swedish family is usually very busy during the day (work, school and various activities). They usually get together for dinner and enjoy sharing their free time. Parents give their teenagers a great deal of freedom. Education encourages independence from an early age and the parent/child relationship is based on trust.

Daily chores are shared equally between all family members. As a fully-fledged member of a Swedish family, you will also be responsible for certain tasks (such as helping in the kitchen, cleaning, doing the laundry, etc.) and you will have to tidy and clean your room.

There’s no such thing as a typical family. Each one is unique and reflects the society and way of life of the country you have chosen. Your host family may or may not have children; it may be a blended family or a single-parent family, a single person whose children no longer live at home, retired people or younger people. It’s not the composition of the family that’s important, but their willingness and motivation to share their culture with you.

The local correspondent is an experienced person who selects the host families and stays in regular contact with the students. As they are able to act quickly in the event of a problem, they are your key contact during your stay.

He or she will be on hand to answer any questions you may have once you arrive and to help you with any formalities. Regular communication will be established with your host family and the school to ensure that your experience goes as smoothly as possible.

Finally, you will be given an emergency number so that you can contact someone if you have an urgent problem.

To ensure that your stay goes as smoothly as possible and that you are informed about the different elements of the programme, you will be able to attend an orientation meeting organised by Langues Vivantes in Brussels, at the end of May / beginning of June or online at the end of November / beginning of December, depending on your departure date. This is an opportunity for Langues Vivantes students to meet and exchange questions and experiences with each other and with the Langues Vivantes team. It is also at this meeting that the final administrative formalities are launched.

If you don’t live in Belgium, we can organise an online connection to attend the meeting live.

A 4-day/3-night soft landing camp is offered at the beginning of your stay (in August only).

This course gives you the opportunity to prepare for life and culture in Scandinavia and to meet the other foreign students taking part in the programme. Visits are also included in the programme!

The camp generally takes place in Stockholm.

Accommodation is in a youth hostel in a shared room.

The course price includes

  • 3 nights’ accommodation in a youth hostel
  • 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners
  • Guided walking tour of Stockholm
  • Admission to Tivoli Park (but not to the rides)
  • Airport/youth hostel transfers
  • Pre-stay preparation sessions

Does not include

  • Lunch
  • Transport from Stockholm to the arrival airport in Sweden
  • Personal expenses

If you are not taking part in the camp in Stockholm, your local coordinator will organise an orientation meeting on your arrival.

  • You must be aged between 16 and 18 at the start of your stay

If you leave in August: you must be at least 16 during the course of the year, i.e. before 31/12, and no older than 18 (so you cannot celebrate your 19th birthday during the year of departure).

If you leave in January: you must be at least 17 during the year and no more than 19.

  • Have a communicative level of English, if no knowledge of Swedish (students must obtain a minimum score of 215 in the ELTiS test)
  • Have obtained good academic results over the last 2 years
  • Demonstrate the motivation, maturity, adaptability and open-mindedness that are the keys to a successful stay

Do you meet the conditions for participation?

  1. Fill in the pre-registration form as soon as possible
  2. When we receive it, we’ll send you a provisional confirmation, including the total cost of the stay, a request for payment of €100 (for the language test and motivation interview), and the full application form for the chosen programme. We will also ask you to send us a copy of your school reports for the last 2 years.
  3. We then invite you to come and take the language test and interview at our offices in Brussels or Paris. This costs €100 and is payable on receipt of the pre-confirmation. This amount is non-refundable, but can be deducted from the balance of your stay if you are definitively enrolled and accepted on the programme. Part 1 of the application form must be completed and brought with you to the interview.
  4. We will confirm the result no later than 8 days after our interview
  5. If the interview is positive, we ask you to pay a deposit of 25% of the total cost of your stay (with a minimum of €1,800) and to complete all the elements of your application, including letters of recommendation from your teachers and other information needed for us to study your application on site. As soon as your application is complete and we have received payment of the deposit, we will forward it to our partner.
  6. Final acceptance to the programme is given by our partner
  7. Once your application has been accepted, our partner begins the search for and selection of a host family and school

The deadlines for submitting complete applications to our partner are :

  • 1/04 for an August departure
  • 1/10 for a January departure

Please note: late registrations will be accepted subject to availability, but a supplement will be applied.

The online booking form must be received at least 3 weeks before the application deadline.

Medical assistance/accident/repatriation/individual civil liability insurance is compulsory. Langues Vivantes offers you a complete insurance, all information here.

We will inform you of your arrival airport once we have received the details of your host family.

Participants are met on arrival at the airport closest to the family’s place of residence.

For participants in the orientation course: plan an outward flight to Stockholm (Arlanda Airport), then a flight from Stockholm to the arrival airport in Sweden.

Dates 2025-2026

Orientation course dates: to be confirmed

  • School year: mid-August – mid-June
  • Term 1: end of October – end of January
  • Semester 1: mid-August – end of December
  • Term 2: mid-January – end of March
  • Semester 2 : mid-January – mid-June
  • 2-month programme: end November – end January

Prices 2025-2026

WPCS 42.0.3
Tuition, homestay & full board included
DurationPrice
2 months€ 5.750
3 months€ 7.795
1st semester€ 8.795
2nd semester€ 9.795
1 academic year€ 11.895
Supplements
Soft landing camp in Stockholm (optional) - Only in August€ 550
Late registration€ 400

The above rates include:

  • Pre-application interview
  • School registration fees
  • Accommodation with a host family, half board during the week and full board at weekends and during school holidays
  • Assistance, support and follow-up from the local correspondent throughout the stay
  • Monthly contact and evaluation reports
  • Official certificate of participation
  • Reception on arrival and transfer from the airport nearest to the family’s place of residence to their home

They do not include

  • Return journey to the airport closest to the family’s place of residence
  • Local transport
  • Lunch in the school canteen (300€ to 500€ per semester)
  • Pocket money: approximately 250/300€ per month
  • School books (it is often possible to borrow them)
  • School supplies and other school expenses such as locker fees
  • Extra-curricular activities
  • Optional orientation course in Stockholm
  • Return transfer (often paid for by the family)