Transitioning from BISS to Swedish gymnasium, Part 2

As an international school in Sweden, we like to keep our parents informed on their options should they wish for their children to attend a Swedish gymnasium once they are 16-18 years old. Who better to give us real insight into this transition from BISS to a Swedish school than our own students who've done so? We recently reached out to former student Aleksander Góra, who left BISS in 2024 and was happy to let us know his experience:

Which gymnasium do you now attend?

VRG Odenplan

Which course did you take?

Naturvetenskapsprogrammet

How did IGCSEs prepare you for Gymnasium?

There is an overlap between the IGCSE and gymnasium. In the first few weeks, I have had a headstart in subjects like biology or chemistry, which is useful. Furthermore, I think that a lot of the study techniques used for IGCSE can be taken away and applied to gymnasium, although it's a bit of a different testing program, I think it will still come in useful.

What do you wish you knew about the Gymnasium application before you applied?

If you have Swedish as a Second Language you are unable to apply for certain courses at certain gymnasiums. As I was applying through the ‘frikvot’ system, I was unable to see which of the gymnasiums would accept me onto their courses with Swedish as a Second Language. Also, there are more places in gymnasiums for students applying with foreign grades in Stockholm City municipality. In other municipalities, the number of places are much more limited and you will be competing with students who require special assistance in their education. Finally, in municipalities other than Stockholm, the gymnasiums seem to prioritise students who live in their municipality when accepting applications.

Thank you, Aleksander, we wish you all the best!

Please watch here to learn more about successfully transitioning from BISS to Swedish gymnasium.