Combine your elite sport career with studies

As a student and an elite athlete, the Swedish National Sports University (RIU) enables you to adjust your academic studies to the needs of your career as an elite athlete. You can prepare for a future career while also focusing on your athletic career.

The Swedish National Sports University (RIU) is a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish National Sports Confederation.

You must be accepted to one of the two universities to be included within the framework for the Swedish National Sports University.

• Checklist for becoming an RIU student
• Certification from your national sports federation
• Individual course of study
• Scholarships 

Checklist for becoming an RIU student

1. You are accepted to a course or a programme at the University of Gothenburg by going through the regular application process at: antagning.se

2. You are approved for RIU according to your specialised sports federation’s criteria. Your federation has to certify that you qualify as an elite athlete using a specific form.

3. You are to send the admission notice for the University of Gothenburg and the certificate from your specialised sports federation to the University’s RIU coordinator and an agreement that regulates the students and the University’s commitments is sign by both parties.

4. You are responsible for informing the study advisor and/or the course/programme coordinator at the department/programme where you are studying that you are an RIU student at the University of Gothenburg.

5. Contact the study advisor or equivalent at your department/programme to discuss suitable adjustments and opportunities for a flexible course of study. We recommend formalizing the planning in an individual study plan.

Forms 

Form: Swedish Specialised Sports Federation Certificate (PDF, open in a separate window)
Form: Foreign Specialised Sports Federation Certificate (download DOC)

Certification from your national sports federation

To qualify as an RIU student, you must fulfil the specialised sports federation requirements. This means that you need to be active in a member sport of the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) and are a potential or current member of a national team or, for a ball team sport, you are on a team in the highest league.

If you fulfil these criteria and want to become an RIU student, contact your specialised sports federation for certification using the form noted above, which you then need to send to the University’s RIU coordinator.

More information on RIU at the Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science (information in Swedish only)

Individual study plan

To clarify possible adjustments in your course of study, it can be appropriate to establish an individual study plan together with your programme/department’s study advisors.

It is your responsibility to inform them well in advance of your training and competition schedule and to communicate any potential conflicts with your programme/course schedule. An individual study plan can contain information about the specific adjustments that enable you to combine studies with training, competitions and travel.

Scholarships

RIU students can be eligible for scholarships from the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet). In addition, you can apply for student grants from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN).
 

• Elite sports scholarship (extern webpage)
• The Swedish Board of Student Finance  (extern webpage)