Arrival Days took place last week

During two days at the start of the autumn term 2024, Uppsala university is arranging a welcome center at the Segerstedts Building to facilitate the arrival of the new International students. 

One of the students here today is Carlotta from Italy. She's here in Uppsala to study the master programme in language, with German as her chosen language. She is a little nervous entering the two year period studying in Uppsala but mostly excited - it's her first time living alone without her family. At the question why she choose Sweden before Germany to study german, she says:

– Actually, I felt like Germany was a little too close to my home and family. I wanted to go somewhere further away so that they wouldn't be able to visit as often, she says and laughs. 

She explains that she really wants to take the opportunity to challenge herself and grow as a person, and that she felt like she needed to go further away to be able to accomplish that.

– Also I wanted to go here because I feel like the university studies in Sweden seem to be more dynamic, with more interactive learning rather than just listening to lectures. 

In her time in Uppsala she's looking forward to meeting new people and practicing speaking both German through her studies and also English.

Davis and Jacob are standing on the stairs in the middle of the building. Both of them arrived in Uppsala today and have both found their way to the Segerstedts Building to gather some information and to get ready for their studies. 

Jacob is from Frankfurt, Germany and he’s looking forward to starting the masters programme in data science. During his time here he wants to get to know new people and, and is planning to take part in sports in the student life. He's currently playing volleyball and wants to find a team to play with during his studies here in Uppsala. 

Davis has traveled from Washington in the US. He's here to study the masters programme in humanitarian action. He's planning on taking the first semester at Uppsala university, then going to some other universities to come back here again during the last semester of his two years of master studies.

– Here in Uppsala I'm looking forward to exploring the student Nations. I also hope to meet cool people and I´m going to try to explore as much of Sweden as I can while I´m here, Davis says. 

They are both a bit tired after their travels, especially Davis who notes that he now needs to adjust to a six hour time difference. 

Of all the international students here today, Priyashi from India might be one of the ones with the longest travel to Uppsala and Sweden. However, the travels departed already four months ago, since her husband started to work at Uppsala university. 

Now she is starting a master in human computer interaction, and the spouses are planning on staying in Sweden to work for at least a couple of years after she’s finished her studies. She’s already been working within the area in India, and hopes to get a job in UI/UX design in Sweden after her studies. 
– Hej, trevligt att träffas (hi, nice to meet you), she says in Swedish and continues to tell how she started SFI (Swedish for immigrants) classes already a few months ago.

When she was choosing between universities she was impressed by Uppsala university's long history of research, and also found the masters programme she was interested in studying. Also many other things felt right. 
– It feels more like Uppsala chose me, Priyashi says. 

During the two arrival days at Uppsala university around five hundred new students per day are expected. In total Uppsala university has around four and five thousand international students, including exchange and research students.