GUIDE
For international students at Chalmers
2016/2017
WELCOME TO CHALMERS
In this booklet you will find the outline of student life at Chalmers University of Technology, within your academic efforts as well as in your leisure
time.
Your first weeks here are most important for the success of your studies
and for your social contacts with fellow students. We know that coming to
Gothenburg and Chalmers will mean a whole new life for you, many new
practical things to deal with, a strange language and a different culture.
But you are not alone and there are many people at Chalmers who are
dedicated to assist you, most of whom you will find in this booklet and
particularly on the university web.
We are proud that you have chosen Chalmers and we will make every
effort to make your stay both pleasant and worthwhile.
Contents
Chalmers and Gothenburg ..................................4
Enrollment and registration.................................7
Accommodation...................................................8
Student portal.......................................................9
Residence permit.................................................11
Personal identity number.....................................11
Medical care and insurance.................................12
Work during studies.............................................13
Nice to know........................................................13
Administrative information.................................14
Examinations - rules and information.................16
Student services...................................................19
Library.................................................................21
Student Union......................................................21
Swedish language classes....................................22
A-Z Things worth knowing.................................23
Campus map........................................................27
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Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers is a multifaceted academic and
postgraduate university that conducts research
and education across a wide front within the
areas of technology, natural science and architecture. Our driving force is inspired by the
joy of discovery and the desire for learning.
Behind all that Chalmers accomplishes, the
hope persists for participating in sustainable
development – both nationally and globally.
Every day around 13500 people work and
study on Chalmers’ campuses. Approximately
40 percent of Sweden’s graduate engineers
and architects are educated at Chalmers.
Excellent engineering skills in a diverse and
fun environment
At Chalmers students learn to think independently, and to meet future challenges with
the help of modern engineering methods. All
in order to prepare you for the global career
demands of an engineer or architect.
Chalmers is ranked number 37 in the world
on QS Electrical Engineering list and placed
within the 51– 100 brackets on QS Mechanical Engineering and Physics & Astronomy
list. We are placed within the 52-75 brackets
on Shanghai Jiao Tong’s Academic Ranking
of World Universities Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences list, the highest
rank of all Swedish universities.
Chalmers has a large number of students and
researchers who come from countries other
than Sweden. With teachers and students from
different cultures, the whole experience is designed to broaden your horizons and provide
access to a greater network. Chalmers has a
number of departments conducting teaching
and research within the following fields of
study:
- Architecture
- Civil engineering
- Bio technology
- Chemical engineering
- Computer science and engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Engineering for sustainable development
- Engineering physics
- Mathematics
- Management of innovation and technology
- Mechanical engineering
- Automations engineering
- Industrial Design Engineering
Areas of Advance
By focusing their strengths, Chalmers researchers can take on larger challenges than before
and reach further and further. We call it our
Areas of Advance. Most Areas of Advance are
already in the scientific forefront, and some
are almost there. The areas are firmly rooted in
the basic and applied sciences, the prerequisite
for scientific understanding and driven by innovation and entrepreneurship. All students at
Chalmers are a part of it.
4
The Areas of Advance are:
atmosphere and within easy reach of outdoor
activities in the rest of West Sweden. Half of
Scandinavia’s industries can be reached within a 300 km radius. The city has a friendly
atmosphere with plenty of cafés, restaurants
and pubs, wide avenues and beautiful parks
and gardens.
- Built environment
- Energy
- Information and communication
technology
- Life science engineering
- Nano science and nano technology
- Materials science
- Productions
- Transport
Studies at Chalmers – a wise choice
Chalmers has highly qualified professors and
teachers with long academic and commercial backgrounds. Students have easy access
to academic staff and research. Almost all
courses at master level are taught in English,
which facilitates the international ambitions of
Chalmers. Project based assignments provide
hands-on experience of working with others
in teams. Independent problem solving is a
frequent challenge and students are encouraged to explore their ideas and take them to
fruition, ensuring Chalmers is a creative and
dynamic place to be.
The education and research are deeply rooted
in the needs of the industry. At Chalmers,
we maintain close and fruitful cooperative
relationships with the business sector and
with society in general. There are a number
of internationally renowned companies in
the region including Astra Zeneca, Ericsson,
ESAB, SKF and Volvo. Through these efforts,
we strengthen our own development, and, at
the same time, we contribute to the growth of
society.
Gothenburg: A friendly city by the sea
Gothenburg is a safe, welcoming and beautiful city and strong student traditions give you
many possibilities to a social student life.
Everything within walking distance
Gothenburg has a compact city centre, so
many of the main sights are within easy walking distance. The main thoroughfare, The
Avenue (Avenyn), links the harbour with the
cultural attractions at Götaplatsen, with a host
of shops and entertainment venues along the
way. Liseberg, Scandinavia’s biggest amusement park, is also centrally located, along
with the trade fair and exhibition centres.
Gothenburg is also a popular venue for international events and it has a strong cultural
tradition.
Chalmers was founded in 1829 as the result of
a donation from William Chalmers. His forwardly optimistic motto, which remains ours
today, is: “Avancez!”
Chalmers University of Technology is located
in the centre of Gothenburg – and Gothenburg
lies right in the centre of Scandinavia, equidistant from Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen.
It’s an attractive major city with a maritime
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Student life in Gothenburg
With almost 60 000 students in Gothenburg,
you can easily understand that there are
many things to do here for young people. For
a cosy afternoon or evening you might want
to go to a café or a bar.
There are many nice cafés, bars and night
clubs along Vasagatan, Avenyn, and at Linnégatan. There are also the student union’s
parties and pubs and the Student Union
building at campus Johanneberg is constantly boiling with activities.
The buzzing Students’ Union life at Chalmers
has something for every taste: there are clubs
and societies for choir singers, extreme sports,
computer freaks, balloonists – pretty much
everything imaginable!
At Chalmers more than half the students are
active within the union at some point. There are
many ways of getting involved, and the union
can list an impressive range of more than 50
different societies and committees. Pyrotechnics, photography and share trading are just a
few examples of what is on offer as well as all
kinds of sports.
www.goteborg.com and www.sweden.se
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Enrollment and registration
Enrollment for degree seeking Master’s
students will take place on Monday 29th of
August 2016
Enrollment for exchange students will take
place on Friday 26th of August 2016
All exchange students, including Erasmus,
Nordtek/Nordplus, Unitech and bilateral exchange students, are expected to be present on
Friday the 26th of August.
All admitted degree seeking master’s students
are expected to attend the mandatory enrollment at Chalmers on Monday the 29th of
August More details will be announced on
Chalmers website
Students with names beginning with A-J
should enroll at 9 a.m. and students with
names beginning with K-Z should enroll at
10 a.m.
The exact time and location for your enrollment depends on which programme you
are admitted to.
Location: Betonghallen, Betonggården 4,
“V-huset” (Civil Engineering building)
campus Johanneberg
On the day of enrollment you have to attend
the mandatory registration in person. Please
be prepared to present a valid passport or a
recognized ID card for identification purposes,
without which you cannot be registered. No
other documents than your ID is required at
the registration.
All exchange students are welcome to make
an appointment with their coordinator at
Chalmers regarding the selection and registration of appropriate and available courses for
the upcoming semester.
Academic documentation
Degree seeking international students have to
bring the hard copies of their academic documentation of your eligibility to Sweden. These
should include your transcripts and diplomas
in translation. You must be prepared to present these documents upon request at any time
during your studies at Chalmers.
In order to be registered and enrolled, all
students must be present in person and bring a
valid identity document.
When you apply for your degree diploma, the
Office of Degrees will request the hard copy
of your completed Bachelor’s degree. Unless
the Office of Degrees is provided with the
right documents, a diploma cannot be issued.
During this week there will be a reception
day with a formal welcome as well as useful
practical information on Tuesday the 23rd of
August. It is recommended to be present at
both the enrollment and the welcome day.
Orientation week
There will be a welcome week 22-26th of
August for all new international students.
For information about the times and places
of different activities in the first week, please
refer to Chalmers’ student portal for updated
information
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Accommodation
Student housing agencies:
The city of Gothenburg is a popular place to
study which means that there is a very high
demand for rooms and apartments. This has
led to a situation where it can sometimes be
difficult to find accommodation and it may
take a few weeks of searching for a suitable
room. For the same reason, it can be difficult
to find affordable housing in the most central
parts of the city. Public transportation works
well in Gothenburg and Chalmers’ both campuses can be reached easily by tram or by bus
from most parts of the Gothenburg area and
suburbs.
Chalmers Studentbostäder:
www.chalmersstudentbostader.se/en
SGS Studentbostäder:
www.sgsstudentbostader.se/en
Boplats Göteborg: www.boplats.se
Housing Anywhere:
www.housinganywhere.com
Description of accommodation
The accommodations you can expect are
mostly single room studio apartments, sometimes with en-suite facilities. Rents vary
between SEK 3500–5500 per month, including electricity, heating and water. The student
rooms are usually furnished but students need
to arrange with some items themselves such
as bedding and kitchen utensils.
Chalmers does not have an accommodation
office but we cooperate with the city of Gothenburg’s official housing agency, Boplats
Göteborg. www.boplats.se Chalmers cannot
guarantee accommodation for students
Rent and Payments
Rents should be paid in advance on a monthly
basis. Once the student has arrived, he or
she will receive the bills for the subsequent
months directly in the post. Tenants should
announce their departure from the accommodation at least three calendar months in advance. This applies equally to those who leave
Chalmers altogether and those who change
accommodation within Gothenburg. Please
make sure there is no misunderstanding about
when you intend to leave. Failure to comply
with these procedures will lead to claims. The
tenant is responsible for cleaning the room
carefully before returning the keys.
International students are advised to search for
private rooms and sublet apartments through
Boplats. During the summer, extra personnel
at Boplats will help guiding students on the
search for housing. Location: Rosenlundplatsen 1, Gothenburg.
Chalmers also has an agreement with the
student housing agency, SGS, for a very limited number of student rooms and apartments
which are subject to availability for international students. Chalmers gives priority to
international master students who pay tuition
fees. Students who are eligible for this priority get instructions from Chalmers on how to
apply for rooms.
New students may have to spend some time in
youth hostels or hotels before getting a rental
contract for a room.
Students can also try to arrange accommodation through various websites, private contacts
etc. One should always be cautious if accommodation is arranged through ads or private
landlords and never transfer payments before
getting the keys to the room.
Cost of living:
Gothenburg is an expensive city to live in and
you should budget for approximately SEK
8500-9000 per month for the duration of your
studies.
All administration, i.e. contracts, keys, payments etc, are handled directly by the housing
agencies or landlords.
8
Chalmers Student Portal
www.studentportal.chalmers.se
In the student portal you will find the entrance
to digital student services as well as links to
useful web pages, current news regarding
your studies, education and schedules. Most
internet services demands that you are signed
in. Use the Chalmers ID account (CID) that
you received at the enrolment to sign in and to
access personalized information. If you have
problems with your account, please contact
the IT-helpdesk at the Student Centre in the
library building.
Individual information
These pages show information about yourself
stored in Ladok, the Swedish national student
admission and documentation system. The
information contains your obtained credits,
course registrations, your address, etc. This is
also where you sign up for the examinations.
Examination sign-up Examination sign-up is mandatory for all
written examinations. The sign-up function
is found under “Individual information”. The
sign-up opens six weeks before the start of the
examination days. You must usually sign up
at least two weeks before the first day of the
examination period. The exact dates for examination sign up can be found in the student
portal.
Examinations that are arranged by the department (marked “dept”) should not be signed
up for.
9
Course selection
In the second year, degree seeking master
students may be asked to select courses in
the student portal. This is done in the Course
selection function.
Exchange students have to contact their coordinator for course selections and changes of
the study plan.
You find all available courses in the student
portal. Please make sure the course is taught
in English, that you have the right prerequisites and that the course fits with your schedule.
Course registration
In order to get results and credits reported in
Chalmers’ systems, courses must be registered. Registrations for the first semester are
entered by Chalmers’ staff but the following
semesters all degree seeking students shall
register themselves under “Studies” – “Course
selection”.
Exchange students have all their registrations
made by the international coordinators. You
can make changes during the first week of
each study period.
You can see your current registrations in the
student portal.
10
Residence permits
Non-EU/EEA citizens who intend to study
in Sweden, you must apply for a visiting student’s permit before coming to Sweden.
Apply for your permit of residence online at
the Swedish Migration Agency. To be granted
a permit, you must intend to study and:
- Be admitted to full time studies that require
full attendance
- Have comprehensvie health insurance that
covers the whole period you are in Sweden
- Proof that you are able to support yourself
during your stay. You need a sum of at least
SEK7974 per month at your disposal throughout your stay.
- Have a valid passport.
More information at:
The Migration Agency
www.migrationsverket.se
Tel: +46 (0)771-23 52 35
Visiting adress:Vestagatan 2a
Interim personal identity number
In Sweden, every citizen has a personal identity number, a “personnummer”. This number
is used in nearly all official transactions, at
banks, hospitals, pharmacies etc. Only students who stay at Chalmers more than 13
months are eligible for a personnummer.
A residence permit is issued for one year at
the time at most. Extension of the residence
permit must be done before the existing permit expires. When applying for a residence
permit you will be requested to pay a fee of
SEK 1,000.
All new international students at Chalmers are
given a temporary personal identity number
which is recognized at Chalmers only. The
number consists of nine digits and a letter:
year, month and day of birth, plus a letter and
three extra digits. For example, if you were
born on May 25, 1985 your number could
look as follows: 850525-C045. This number
is used as a student number to identify you in
Chalmers’ systems.
For citizens of the Nordic or EU/EEA
countries
Students from the EU/EEA countries are
exempt from the above procedure and do not
need to apply for for a residence permit.
International degree seeking students or
exchange students who extend their stay at
Chalmers to two academic years (a whole
master’s programme) may apply for a personal identity number at the Tax Agency
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(Skatteverket).
can be found in Chalmers Student portal.
All students with a national personnummer
must contact the Tax Agency again before
leaving Sweden. More information is available at the Tax Agency: Skatteverket
www.skatteverket.se
Visiting address: Östra Hamngatan 16
Medical advice over the phone: Dial 1177
Very serious emergencies (SOS): Dial 112
Medical care
As an incoming international degree student at
Chalmers, you are covered by personal injury
insurance during university hours and when
travelling directly between your local place of
residence (in Sweden) and the location where
university hours are spent. The insurance,
which applies in Sweden only, covers primarily accidents during school hours or while
travelling to and from the university.portant
Swedish medical benefits can be extended to
international students as follows:
Students from an EU/EEA country are entitled
to use the public medical services on the same
basis as Swedish citizens for medical care that
is immediately necessary. In order to be eligible you must be registered at a social insurance office in your home country and have a
European health insurance card, which can
be issued upon request.
European students can turn to any medical
centre, vårdcentral, if they need medical care.
The fee for public medical care for EU/EEA
citizens is SEK100-300
Students from outside of EU/EEA need to
be insured in their home country and need to
bring proof of the medical insurance. Please
make sure that your insurance company is
informed about your stay in Sweden. As the
policies (regarding accident, medical or property insurance) vary, you are advised to find
out what applies in your case and what additions you may need.
The cost for a visit to a medical centre for
non-Europeans is at least SEK1825. Please
save all receipts and bring to your coordinator
at Chalmers to claim a refund from the insurance company.
International students from non-EU/EEA
countries are advised to primarily turn to the
Student health centre, Akademihälsan, for
medical care free of charge. More information
on how to seek medical care in Gothenburg
Chalmers student insurance
All students who are admitted and registered
at Chalmers are covered by insurance.
Exchange students’/ Non-degree students’
personal insurance
As an incoming foreign exchange student, you
are also covered by Kammarkollegiet’s “Student IN” insurance. This insurance includes
limited accident coverage twenty-four hours a
day, the right to compensation for emergency
medical and dental care or for emergency
dental care in connection with illness or accidents, travel insurance when returning home,
liability coverage, and legal expense coverage.
Please find out more on Kammarkollegiet’s
website:
www.kammarkollegiet.se
Swedish bank account
Having access to a Swedish bank account can
be a convenient way to handle your money
while in Sweden.
You can contact any bank but the Swedish
bank SEB is especially willing to accept international students as customers.
www.seb.se
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English Work during studies
International students, both degree seeking
students and exchange students, are allowed
to work during their period of study. No additional work permit is needed. Unfortunately
it is difficult to find part-time jobs in Sweden
if you do not speak Swedish. Chalmers is not
able to help students to find jobs.
Hello How are you? I am fine
Good bye
See you later Thank you Thank you very much
Good morning Good evening Yes No Maybe Sure My name is … Excuse me Sorry
Do you speak English?
I don’t understand I would like One Two Three Four
Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Nice to know
- “Hej” is the most common greeting in Swe-
den. You can use it anytime to anyone.
- You can adress anyone with their first name,
you never use titles in daily conversations in
Sweden. The university environment is very
informal.
- Punctuality is important - eight o’ clock
means eight o’ clock.
- Always take your shoes off if you visit
someone’s home, even if it is dry outside.
Swedes walk around in their socks while at
home.
- Smokers have to go outside as smoking is
prohibited in all public buildings.
Swedish
Pronunciation of å, ä, ö, and sj.
“å” as in “more”,
“ä” as in “hair”,
“ö” as in “girl”
“sj” as in “sure”.
- At banks, pharmacies and in many other
places there are organized queing systems
where you take a ticket with a number. In the
absence of such a system, Swedish people
will form a queue anyway.
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Hej
Hur mår du?
Jag mår bra
Hej då
Vi ses
Tack
Tack så mycket
God morgon
God kväll
Ja
Nej
Kanske
Visst
Jag heter …
Ursäkta mig
Förlåt
Talar du engelska?
Jag förstår inte
Jag skulle vilja ha.
Ett
Två
Tre
Fyra
Fem
Sex
Sju
Åtta
Nio
Tio
Semester registrations for degree
seeking students
All degree seeking master students who are
enrolled in a master programme should have
semester registrations as well as course registrations.
At the beginning of each semester all students
enrolled to a programme should log in to the
student portal and register themselves. When
the registration is made, a default selection
of courses from the programme curriculum
will normally appear. Sometimes you have to
make an active selection of courses. It is not
necessary to register yourself for your first
semester at Chalmers.
Exchange students do not have this type of
registration.
Add/drop courses
Exchange students can make changes in the
study plan during the first two weeks of each
study period. Contact your coordinator for
help and always check the prerequisites and
schedule carefully.
Degree students can contact the Student
Centre if they need help to modify the course
selection.
Students are not allowed to be registered on
courses which they do not intend to attend. If
you want to unregister from a course, please
contact the Student Centre or your coordinator.
Credits and grades
One Higher Education Credit at Chalmers
corresponds to one ECTS credit. ECTS means
European Credit Transfer System and it is a
widely used credit system in Europe.
Full time studies corresponds to 30 credits per
semester.
The grading system whihc is used at Chalmers
is U, 3, 4 or 5 where 5 is the highest grade. U
means fail. In some courses the only grades
given are G (pass) or U (fail).
ECTS grades are not used at Chalmers and
the old system with the ECTS grading scale
has been replaced by the ECTS grading table.
It means that every higher education institution in the European Union provides a standard distribution scale over the local grades.
The Office of Degrees can provide a grading
table upon request.
Certificates and transcripts
If you want a transcript of records or registration certificate in English, you can use the
electronic transcript service in the student
portal. Just log in to the student portal, click
services and then choose “create transcript of
records”
You can also get it from student service desk
at the Student Centre.
Final Transcripts for exchange
students
When you have completed your studies at
Chalmers, a final transcript will be issued and
sent to your home university. The transcript
with the results from the autumn semester will
be sent in mid-February. The transcript with
the results from the spring semester will be
sent in mid-July.
If you have studied a whole year at Chalmers,
the transcript sent in July will contain all your
courses. If you have any questions about your
results, please contact your exchange coordinator or the department.
After you have finished your studies
Usually students have completed their studies
before leaving Chalmers. When this is not the
case, it is important to discuss with the teachers responsible for the course, programme or
project to establish what remains and how to
complete the studies.
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How to apply for a degree diploma
After completing your master studies and all
your credits from the two years of study, you
may apply for your degree diploma. The application form should be submitted online in
the student portal. All courses, including the
master’s thesis, required for your degree must
be reported with a final mark. If any credits
are missing or there are any other errors, you
should contact the responsible department.
The processing of your application starts
when the all the necessary documents are
submitted and the application is complete. An
incomplete application will delay the process.
The degree diploma is issued in both Swedish
and English and will be sent to the address
given in your application. Letters outside the
Nordic Region are sent by registered mail.
Only students who are enrolled to a full programme at Chalmers are entitled to diplomas,
exchange students will be given a transcript
of records.
Contact:
Office of Degrees (Examensenheten)
E-mail: examen.aos@chalmers.se
15
Examinations – rules and information
Make sure you know the location of the room
in which the examination will be held and
how to get there. On the Lindholmen campus,
the examination rooms are posted on the bulletin board of the ground floor of the Saga
Building about an hour before the exam starts.
On the Johanneberg campus, the exam rooms
are posted at the main entrance of the Mechanical Engineering (“M-building”), at the
upper end of the buildings along Hörsalsvägen, and at the bottom of the Western (“VV”)
and Eastern (“VÖ”) stairs of the Civil and
Environmental Engineering Building
(“V –building”) on the same day the examinations are held.
Do not forget to bring your own pencils, erasers and other aids allowed. As a candidate,
you must by necessity closely follow the
instructions of the examination supervisor in
terms of your place in the examination room,
as well as the placement of bags, briefcases,
top coats, jackets and other personal belongings. You must also closely follow the rules
for taking breaks to go to the bathroom.
Anonymous examinations
All examinations at Chalmers are conducted
on an anonymous basis. This means that a
candidate’s personal information may not be
revealed on the answer sheets submitted by
the student.
Aids permitted
In plenty of time prior to the exam, your
teacher will notify you of the specific aids you
are allowed to bring to the examination, such
as, for example, calculators, tables of various
kinds or dictionaries.
You are personally responsible for making
sure that the aids you are allowed to bring do
not contain personal notes or loose sheets and
that the type of calculator you plan to use is
permitted.
Calculators that are on the approved list
at Chalmers include Casio FX82…, Texas
TI30…,Sharp ELW531… (the first part of the
type designation).
During the course of the exam, it is the role
of the examination supervisor to check that
the aids you are using do not contain personal
notes, loose sheets or pages, etc. You are, in
turn, responsible for showing the supervisor
any papers and other aids when requested.
Be sure to arrive on time!
Examinations always start at the precise time
indicated. The starting time is 8:30 a.m. in the
morning and 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Please
be on location on a timely basis before the
start of the examination. Be considerate of
other students whose attention spans will be
interrupted if you arrive late for the exam.
Should you arrive more than 30 minutes after
the exam has started, the supervisor will be
prohibited from admitting you into the examination room.
During the course of the examination
Be prepared to show a valid photo identification card (e.g. your passport, driver’s license
or Bank ID card), as well as your membership
card in the Student Union or alternatively,
a receipt as proof that you have paid your
Student Union dues) each time you sit for an
exam. The teacher responsible for the examination will be present to answer any questions
you may have. Do not hesitate to inquire if
you find any part of the exam confusing.
You are not allowed to speak to another candidate during the course of the examination.
Further, you are not permitted to borrow any
writing materials or other aids from another
examinee. No other writing paper may be
used for examination purposes than the paper
provided by the supervisor. Only write on the
checkered side of the paper and begin every
new answer on a new sheet or page. Red
pencils and writing in red ink are prohibited.
All writing materials must be returned to the
supervisor at the end of the examination.
16
Taking breaks during the exam
You are not allowed to leave the room during
the first hour of the exam; however, you are
permitted to take one or two short breaks to
go to the bathroom during the exam. If you
leave the room, you must hide your answers
appropriately so that you will not be suspected
of cheating. Please note that the time allotted
to take the exam will not be extended because
of the breaks you are taking. There is also a
general prohibition to smoke on Chalmers’
premises and consequently, you are prohibited from taking a smoking break during the
course of the exam.
Completing the exam on time
The supervisor will make an announcement
when only 15 minutes of the exam are left.
About 5 minutes before the end of the exam,
you should gather together your completed
examination papers. Please check to make
sure you have indicated your anonymous code
on every answer sheet, check-mark the items
you have answered on the examination covers
and double-check the number of pages submitted and then indicate this number on your
examination covers.
Seal the flaps to hide your personal information on the exam cover. You must submit your
final and completed examination sheets within
the time allocated or else, you run the risk that
your answers will not be considered. Nobody
will be permitted to leave the room of the
examination without submitting his or her answers. Even if someone has not answered the
questions, he or she must submit a so-called
“blank” examination sheet with an examination cover indicating his or her anonymous
code.
Taking the exam all over again
If you fail an examination, you will be allowed to sit for it again the next time it is
scheduled. In the event you repeatedly fail to
pass an examination and wish to discuss your
study-related difficulties, please contact the
student counsellor responsible for your study
programme.
Examination results
The answers to the examination questions that
lend themselves to disclosure will be available
on the first weekday after the date of the examination. The completed examination papers
must be corrected by the teacher 21 calendar
days after the exam date. You will obtain the
results of your examination by e-mail as well
as through the student portal.
Students with disabilities or special needs
Students with a documented disability may be
granted extended examination hours. Such a
student must bring a certificate issued by the
disability coordinator at Chalmers to every
examination taken. To report such extended
hours on the Johanneberg campus, please
e-mail tentamen.aos@chalmers.se prior to the
exam and allow plenty of time to get the permission processed.
Students on the Lindholmen campus are required to fill out a form for this purpose available at the Student Centre. Students who are
granted the permission to sit for their exams
for such extended hours will not be able to
take two consecutive examinations during the
same day due to time pressures.
All students with special needs will take their
exams in rooms dedicated to this purpose
and are monitored by an invigilator. They
are, however, not granted individual rooms in
which to take their examinations.
Taking two exams on the same day
On occasion, students may have two examinations scheduled on the same day. The
examiner or his equivalent may approve of
one of these examinations being scheduled
for the morning or afternoon of the same day.
If one of these examinations should require
five hours of examination time, it would most
likely be scheduled for the morning time slot.
An e-mail should be sent to the Office of
Examination Administration on the Johanneberg campus after the Examiner has given his
approval of the date, course code and order in
which the examinations should be taken.
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Cheating
Chalmers views seriously any and all attempts
at cheating by students. Cheating by students
to get better marks on an exam is always bad
conduct and a poor solution. You yourself
have chosen your academic programme in
order to master a body of knowledge that may
be helpful to your future career. That is why
you yourself, and no one else, lose out by
cheating.
The disciplinary rules at Chalmers mandate
that disciplinary measures be taken to deal
with students who:
• Engage in attempts at deception in connection with an examination or the evaluation of
a student project.
• Disturb or obstruct teaching, examinations
or other academic activities.
• Inflict harassment violating the integrity of
another student or a Chalmers employee within the framework of university activities.
• Otherwise break the rules or regulations of
Chalmers prescribed for its student body. If
the examination supervisor were to suspect a
student of cheating, it is incumbent on him or
her to address the candidate and then gather
together the materials that may constitute
evidence of such cheating, in addition to reporting the matter to the Director of Examinations.
Each and every suspicious act is reported
to the Chalmers President who then decides
whether the matter ought to be dropped or be
referred to the Disciplinary Board of the university for further investigation. The disciplinary consequences to a student suspected of
cheating are either the issuance of a warning
or a suspension for up to six months.
Important things to keep in mind!
• Sign up for the exam in due time. Bring a
snack when you’re facing a lengthy examination.
• Bring pencils, erasers and aids that are permitted.
• Make sure that the aids you bring do not include your own personal notes or loose sheets.
If you’re uncertain of the rules, speak to the
supervisor while you’re taking the exam.
• Bring an ID card with your picture on it and
your Student Union membership card.
• Arrive on time! The examination starts at
either 8:30 a.m. or at 2 p.m.
•Top coats and bags are not allowed to be
brought to your specific place in the room so
please gather your personal aids and snacks
before your take your seat.
• Mobile phones and other electronic equipment may not be brought to your seat in the
examination room and must be shut off when
placed into your bag or briefcase.
• Always follow the instructions of the exam
supervisor.
• Do not disturb the other candidates who are
taking the exam.
• Complete the examination on time.
A suspended student loses his or her financial
support during the suspension period.
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Student services
Chalmers’ Student Centre is located in the
main library on Campus Johanneberg, and at
Hörsalsvägen 4, building Saga, on Campus
Lindholmen. The staff at the front desk can
help you with practical matters related to your
studies and life at Chalmers. For example:
-Exam sign-up
-Questions about registration (degree-seeking
students only)
-Alteration of addresses
-Change of personal identity number
-Official and signed transcripts and certificates
of registration
-Contact information for Chalmers’ different
support functions
Telephone number: +46-31-772-32-50
Email: student.centre@chalmers.se
Visiting hours:
Johanneberg: 11:00-15:00
Lindholmen: 9:30-13:30, closed on Wednesdays
In the library on Campus Johanneberg, and on
the ground floor of the Saga building on Campus Lindholmen, you will also find a helpdesk
for IT problems and for key cards.
Student counselling
If you find yourself in some sort of study
related trouble or you need to discuss your
study situation you are welcome to turn to the
student counsellor of your field of study. The
student counsellors have their offices in the
Physics building at campus Johanneberg and
Hörselgången 4 at campus Lindholmen
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Student services for exchange students
Exchange students who need help or advice can contact Chalmers International Mobility
(CIM), which is situated on the 6th floor of the Applied Physics building.
Visiting address: Fysikgården 4
E-mail: studentexchange@chalmers.se
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10:00-15:00, other times by appointment.
Exchange student coordintors:
Ann-Marie Danielsson Alatalo
ann-marie.danielsson-alatalo@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 15 52
Elisabeth Ericson
elier@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 15 63
Ing-Britt Carlsson
ing-britt.carlsson@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 11 78
Andreas Eriksson
eandr@chalmers.se
Phone: +46 (0)31 772 25 60
Rigmor Alfsdotter
rigmor.alfsdotter@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 86 42
Per-Anders Träff
panne@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 11 75
Ann-Marie Endresen
ann-marie.endresen@chalmers.se
Phone: +46(0)31-772 25 80
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Another important part is to guard the students’
rights and obligations.
Chalmers Library
Chalmers Library is a university library
specializing in science and technology. The
library comprises three entities situated on
two campuses: The Main Library and the Architecture Library at the Johanneberg campus
and the Lindholmen Library at the Lindholmen campus. The latter also provides library
services to the IT-University.
Corporate networking
The special corporate events and career fairs
organized by the Student Union give you an opportunity to meet with potential employers and
obtain contacts within the business world.
Social activities
Student life entails much more than just studying and the Student Union arranges a number of
different activities, such as the reception for new
students, pub crawls, nightclubs, careers fairs
and various competitions. With over 50 different committees and associations there should
be something for everyone’s interest within the
Student Union. There are associations for different kinds of sports, music, dancing, robot technology, sustainability and much more.
Chalmers Library offers:
• A wide range of online information such as
e-books, encyclopaedias and articles in full
text – all of which can be accessed from home
by students at Chalmers. And of course - plenty of printed books and journals.
• Courses in information handling skills and
individual search help.
• A modern and attractive working environment with reading rooms, study rooms, wireless networks, computers, a café and a lunch
room equipped with microwave ovens. There
is also a reading studio for students with disabilities. Please visit the library web site to
search the information databases and to learn
more about library cards, how to book study
rooms, opening hours, etc.
www.lib.chalmers.se
Contact
Turn to the Student Union if you need help or
advice regarding, among other things, educational problems, discrimination, activities or just
need to know where to turn in different matters.
info@chs.chalmers.se
www.chs.se
CIRC – Chalmers International
Reception Committee
Chalmers Student Union
CIRC organizes the reception for new incoming
master students (Swedish and international) and
exchange students at Chalmers. They arrange
various social activities and events during the
first few weeks after the students’ arrival. For
more information visit their webpage www.circ.
chalmers.se or send them an e-mail at:
info@circ.chalmers.se
Chalmers Student Union is an independent
non-profit organization, operated by and for
the students at Chalmers. Our areas of focus
include student influence, corporate networking and the social life of the students. Our
prime focus is always that of the students’
interests and needs. All the students at Chalmers are members of the Student Union.
Student influence
The quality of the education at Chalmers is
supervised by the Student Union to maintain
the highest possible education standard. We
safeguard the students’ interest as they pertain
to Chalmers by assigning student representatives in all decision making bodies.
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Swedish language classes
Chalmers will arrange a language course in
Swedish for beginners for all master’s students
who pay tuition fees. The charge of the course
is included in the tuition fee.
The teaching follows the communicative approach and students are active during the lessons.
They communicate with both the teacher and
other students in the group.
Other international students who wish to
earn some Swedish can sign up for courses at
Folkuniversitetet. All Chalmers’ students will
get a 20 % discount on the price of the course.
New courses start at Folkuniversitetet every
month throughout the year. Courses run one or
two evenings per week, in blocks of 4 weeks. If
you wish to apply in advance, or need more information, please visit
www.folkuniversitet.se/goteborg
Courses are offered at different levels. However, in all the courses there is a strong emphasis
on spoken Swedish, useful for everyday life.
You will learn to use Swedish in different situations land build up a basic vocabulary. There
will also be discussions on Swedish society and
culture.
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A-Z – Things worth knowing
Academic year
The academic year at Chalmers is divided in
two semester of 20 weeks. Each semester is
divided in two study periods.
Autumn semester:
29th of August, 2016 - 14th January, 2017
Spring semester:
16th January, 2017 - 3rd June, 2017
Accommodation
International students are recommend to turn
to Boplats Göteborg www.boplats.se SGS,
www.sgs.se or Chalmers studentbostäder
www.chalmersstudentbostader.se. New students receive information by e-mail on how
to apply.
Add courses
Exchange students who wish to add courses
to their study plan should consult their coordinator. Changes can be requested the first
week of each study period. Degree seeking
students should contact the Student Centre
for registrations.
Admissions office
At Chalmers, all admissions to the study
programmes are granted by the Admissions
Office. Contact the Admissions Office:
admissions.lists@chalmers.se
phone: +46(0)31 772 2590
The admission regulations can be found in
the student portal, please refer to”Joint rules
and directives”. Exchange students are accepted by Chalmers International Mobility.
Alumni
Students who have been awarded a degree at
a university are called alumni. As a former
Chalmers student, you can join the Chalmers
Alumni Association which organizes festivities, lectures and other interesting events
where you have the opportunity to meet
former fellow students.
Bank account
If you wish to open a bank account in Sweden
you are welcome to approach any bank and
request to become a customer. However, if
you are in Sweden for less than a year you are
advised to contact the bank SEB who welcome international students without a Swedish
personal identity number. www.seb.se
Bicycles
Riding a bike is a convenient way to transport
yourself in Gothenburg. Styr & Ställ is the
name of a bicycle renatl system with stations
all over the city. For SEK 75 you can rent a
bicycle as often as you wish during the season. The first half hour of each journey is free.
The season begins on March 1st and ends on
December 31st. Subscribe at
www.goteborgbikes.se
Buses
Bus lines 55 and 16 run between the two campus areas of Chalmers. Detailed information
can be obtained from Västtrafik,
www.vasttrafik.se/en
Career advisors
Chalmers offers guidance and career advice
in order to help students prepare for working
life. Read more at www.careers.chalmers.se
Chalmers app
Download the free Chalmers app to your
smartphone. The app has a detailed map of
both campuses and is very useful.
CID code
CID (Chalmers ID) is your unique username
and password, making it possible for you to
use Chalmers computer resources. You receive your CID and a password from a scratch
card which will be given to you at the initial
enrollment.
Climate
Gothenburg is situated on a northern latitude
but the temperatures are still rather mild
because of the oceanic climate. During the
summer, daylight extends 18 hours, but lasts
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only 6 and a half hour in late December. Precipitation is regular but generally moderate
throughout the year. Snow mainly occurs from
December to March. Students are advised to
bring warm clothes, water resistant shoes and
umbrellas. Houses are generally very well
heated in Sweden.
Computers
In order to be able to use the student computers at Chalmers, you need a computer
account. You receive your account at the enrollment.
Course evaluation
After each course a short survey will be sent
to the students in order to ensure good quality. Please answer all your course evaluation
surveys.
Disabilities
If you have a disability or special needs of
some sort you will still always be guaranteed
teaching of good quality and a good study
environment at Chalmers. Contact funka@
chalmers.se if you have special needs.
Drop a course
Please contact your coordinator if you are an
exchange student or the Student Centre if you
are enrolled in a programme.
Dropping out of studies
If you wish to quit your studies, you should
contact your student counsellor who will accept your notification and provide you with
information. You will also get the opportunity
to discuss your study situation. Exchange
students should notify their coordinator at
Chalmers as well as their home university.
English language classes
At Chalmers you can strengthen you English proficiency by taking English language
classes. There are two levels, English is a
basic course and English for engineers is more
advanced. Check the student portal for more
information.
European Credit Transfer System
ECTS grades are not given at Chalmers. 1
credit at Chalmers corresponds to 1 ECTS.
Evacuation of premises
All buildings at Chalmers are equipped with
an evacuation plan and fire alarms. When the
alarm sets off, the premises must be evacuated! When you enter a building, you should
read the evacuation plan in the corridor and
find out how to get out of the building if an
unforeseen event should occur.
Examinations
After each course or part of a course you will
be tested of your knowledge. The most common form of exam is the written examination,
but other forms of examination also exist,
such as oral examinations, project work, laboratory work and essay writing. Signing up for
examinations in due time is compulsory.
Fysiken Sport Centre
Fysiken is a fitness organisation owned by the
students of Gothenburg. Fysiken offers a wide
range of activities, for instance: aerobics, ball
games, dancing, gym, power yoga, massage,
outdoor activities, various courses and physiotherapy, just to mention a few. There are
two facilities; Fysiken at Gibraltargatan 39 in
Johanneberg, and Fysiken Kaserntorget in the
city centre. Discount for students.
www.fysiken.nu
Grades
The grades assigned at Chalmers are defined
as 3, 4 or 5. A higher figure signifies a better
grade. The grade 3 is the lowest pass grade.
As well as the numbered scale, the scale
Passed/Not passed (G/U) is sometimes used.
No overall grade is given for a degree and
students are not ranked.
Insurance
As an incoming international student at
Chalmers, you and all other students are
covered by personal injury insurance during school hours and when travelling to the
university. The insurance covers accidents
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during school hours or while travelling to and
from the university. As an incoming exchange
student, you are also covered by “Student IN”.
This insurance includes a limited accident
coverage twenty four hours a day, the right
to compensation for emergency medical care
or for emergency dental care in connection
with illness or accident, travel insurance when
returning home, liability coverage, and legal
expense coverage. For more details please
visit: www.kammarkollegiet.se
Key card
The key card that you receive at the enrollment is your key to the buildings, computer
rooms, library etc. If any problems should
occur. please turn to the helpdesk in the library. You are expected to return it by the end
of your studies.
LADOK
LADOK is the name of Chalmers’ student record database. In LADOK, all details concerning the studies are registered for our students.
According to Swedish law, all information in
LADOK is public.
Master’s thesis / Individual project work
Every master programme ends with a master´s
thesis. At Chalmers this generally comprises
30 credits. The master´s thesis takes the form
of a written report with an oral presentation.
Contact the department for questions about
thesis work.
Exchange students who wish to undertake an
individual project while at Chalmers should
also contact a suitable department with a desription of their study background as well as
the outlines of the intended project.
Official public holidays
-All Saint’s day occurs every year on a Saturday, usually in the beginning of November
-Christmas Eve, 24th December
-Christmas Day, 25th of December
-Boxing Day, 26th of December
-New Years Eve 31st of December
- New Year’s Day, 1st of January
- Epiphany, 6th of January
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday-Monday (Usually in April)
- International Workers’ Day, 1st of May
- Ascension day (40 days after Easter Sunday)
- National day of Sweden, 6th of June
- Midsummer’s Eve (late June)
- Midsummer’s Day
Parking
Semester cards/annual cards for parking on
the Johanneberg Campus or Lindholmen
Campus can be purchased at the Cremona
bookshop.
Personal identity number
In Sweden every citizen has a personal identity number, a “personnummer”. If you are
admitted to stay 13 months or more in Sweden, you should apply for a personal identity
number at the Tax Agency (“Skatteverket”).
When you have received your personal identity number, you must notify the Student Centre. Bring a copy of the document you will get
from the Tax Agency or a “Personbevis”.
Ping Pong
Ping Pong is the learning platform that is used
at Chalmers. This is an interactive tool whihc
you can use to download course material,
submit assigments and communicate with the
lecturers and fellow students.
Public transportation
Please visit www.vasttrafik.se for more information on how to travel in Gothenburg
and its surroundings, the ticket system and
timetables.
Schedules
At Chalmers, all courses are organized in
blocks, A, B, C or D. Please select courses
from different blocks in order to avoid collisions. If the course is marked with a “+” it
means that the schedule may deviate a little
bit from the fixed structure.
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under the heading “Contact and Services”.
Transcript of grades
You can print out your own transcript of
records at any time from the student portal
when you are signed in. The electronic transcripts can be validated on a web page by a
control number at the bottom of the certificate. Transcripts can be issued in Swedish
or in English only. You can also request a
signed and stamped transcript from the Student Centre.
Chalmers has a system called TimeEdit where
all schedules and timetables are published. In
TimeEdit you can find the lecture room s and
times for a particular course, it is also possible
to generate a schedule for any selected group
of courses.
https://web.timeedit.se/chalmers
Transfer credits
If you have taken courses at a different programme or at a different university, you can
sometimes have your previous qualifications
transferred to your current programme. It is
up to the student to apply for a transfer of
credits, and it is the directors of study who
handle these matters. You may transfer credits from either parts of a course or an entire
course.
Scholarships
Chalmers awards a number of scholarships
each year. Certain scholarships can be applied
for by all students, while others apply to specific groups of students. More information can
be found in the student portal.
Store
Store is the name of Chalmers shop which is
located in the student union building. It stocks
course literature, stationery, snacks and much
more.
Disclaimer
This guide has been compiled with great
care by Chalmers. However, facts in this
booklet are subject to change. Further
descriptions and up to date information
can be found on www.chalmers.se/en
Student Health Centre
The Student Health Centre (Akademihälsan)
is a complement to the public healthcare
system for students in Gothenburg. Foreign
students, who are not entitled to public healthcare in Sweden, can also receive certain medical care at the Student Health Centre. This
concerns students from countries outside the
European Union with a residence permit for
less than one year. For more information, visit
their website at www.akademihalsan.se
Study counselling
All students are welcome to contact a study
counsellor for advice on studies and study
related problems that might occur. Each study
programme has its own study counsellor and
you find the complete list in the student portal
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