Uppsala International Summer Session - Uppsala

Lydia S.

The program offers well-structured classes of all levels with skilled teachers and excellent staff, and the social scene is really fun too. You get a comprehensive balance of language and culture, including field trips and social evenings. The add-on longer field trips are amazing too—the trip to Lapland was unforgettable.
I signed up for one three-week session but ended up loving the group and wishing I had done the full nine weeks. It’s like an educational summer camp for adults and I highly recommend it for all ages and backgrounds! You will learn a lot and make great friends.

Florida G.

I agree with the negative reviews of the Uppsala Summer Session—I would give it zero stars if I could. I attended the summer session in 1986, and I can honestly say it was a complete waste of money.

To begin with, one of the program administrators, Nelleke, was a curt, rude, unfriendly "human being". I have never hit a woman before, but she came very close. I lost a significant portion of my deposit because, apparently, other students failed to keep their rooms in order and made long-distance phone calls to their respective countries. Withholding my deposit for this would have been a criminal offense in my country, potentially landing her in prison.

The food they served us at lunch—if you can even call it food—was absolute tasteless trash. The overall attitude of the program was parochial and condescending toward participants. News flash: I was paying to be there, not the other way around.

Many years later, I stumbled across a website for the summer session and saw that Nelleke had posted pictures of her ugly face on it. I wrote her a letter suggesting that she remove her photos from the site, as this might help attract more victims—or should I say participants. I also noticed that her husband, Jan, was no longer associated with the summer session. I wondered if he had finally divorced her but apparently, he had passed away. I couldn’t help but wonder if he engineered this to get away from her.

In response, I received an exceptionally angry email from Nelleke, in which she called me every name in the book. I wasn’t surprised—people who can dish it out usually can’t take it. In fact, she even wrote me another message after the first, listing additional insults she had forgotten to include. This told me one thing: I had hit a nerve. She was just as much of a miserable excuse of a "human being" as I had always thought.

If you want to go to Sweden to mingle with the people and study there, I strongly suggest doing so through an accredited university with an exchange program. The Uppsala Summer Session was a second- or perhaps third-rate option for people who didn’t have a university to participate through. When I think about how hard I worked to save the money I wasted on this program, it makes me sick.

My final piece of advice: Do not go.

Marcelo R.

I could write a book about absolutely wonderful this program is. Everything, from the language lessons in the morning to the activity lessons in the afternoon, everything is perfectly organized. There are also numerous activities in some of the evenings and trips on Fridays. The goodbye dinner at the end of the program is just spectacular, sitting in a table surrounded by your new found friends and enjoying the shows that we all prepared, makes it also very emotional. All the Swedish songs that we learned still play in my head. I have so many wonderful memories of great experiences and the amazing people that I met. It made me feel young again, as I was back in my university times. I absolutely loved it and definitely want to go back and do it again.

Chiara B.

I think the best part of this program is the atmosphere. The teachers and staff were great at creating an environment where everyone was comfortable expressing themselves and all of the students embraced the group spirit fully. It was beautiful to see students of all ages and from so many different countries share stories, laughs, and adventures, in addition to their experiences of learning Swedish.

Christine M.

This is the best school ever! It is absolutely worth every penny and every minute of your time. The teachers are excellent and keep you challenged while you also have fun with all of the additional events and trips that the school organizes. The location could not be better and the living quarters are right next to them both in the center of beautiful, fun Uppsala! I will definitely go back next year and I recommend you do, too!

Giovanni S.

This program is perfect for anybody looking to improve their Swedish, regardless of their initial level as there are classes for suitable for any need. You will be surrounded by kind and fun people all the time, with plenty of opportunity to share beautiful memories exploring Sweden and Swedish culture surrounded by students of all ages. Perfect choice for both a more adventurous summer and/or an intensive learning experience, not to forget the personal growth that comes with it. Really recommended!

Simone B.

I've had the best three weeks with UISS and I can only recommend this school to anyone who wants to improve their Swedish and at the same time make new friends from around the world. I'm definitely planning on going back to Uppsala.

Nils S.

I definitely can recommend UISS to everybody wishing to improve their Swedish and learn more about politics and culture in Sweden. The provided student accommodation is hotel grade and centrally located. Leisure time activities allow you to socialize and network.