International Master Class

International Master Class is an opportunity to add a further global aspect to your education, after completing your Master's degree at LUSEM.

What is an International Master Class?

An International Master Class is a highly competitive opportunity to go on an exchange semester after finishing your Master's studies at LUSEM.

The courses you take on your exchange will not be included in your Master's degree certificate, but they will be transferred to Ladok and thereby show on your official transcript from Lund University. You will of course also get a transcript from your host university. 

Students from the following programmes may apply to participate in an International Master Class in the autumn semester of 2023:

  • MSc in Accounting and Finance
  • MSc in Data Analytics and Business Economics
  • MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • MSc in European and International Trade and Tax Law
  • MSc in Finance
  • MSc in Information Systems
  • MSc in International Marketing and Brand Management
  • MSc in International Strategic Management
  • MSc in Management
  • MSc in Managing People, Knowledge and Change

Requirements and course selection

To be eligible to apply for this opportunity, you must meet certain requirements.

Requirements to apply for an International
Master Class:

  • You should be registered for full-time studies within a programme that can apply for an International Master Class.
  • You have completed at least 75% of the programme’s first semester.
  • You have the skills required in the language of instruction during the exchange semester. Read more under "language requirements".

Language requirements

Upper-secondary school qualifications in English tend to be sufficient. Language proficiency testing is usually not required, but there are some exceptions where the host university requires you to take a language test. Make sure to find out what applies to the universities you wish to apply for. This information is available in our search tool:

Use our search tool - Where can I go?

If you wish to study in a language other than English, you may be required to present a certificate of your language qualifications with your application to the host university.

You are responsible for meeting the host university's language requirements. 

Your CEFR level
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language ability on a six-point scale. Your CEFR level is sometimes requested by our partner universities. 

As a student at LUSEM, your proficiency in English is at least equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6, which meets the CEFR level B2.

Course selection

As this opportunity is an optional add-on exchange semester, courses will not be transferred to your degree from LUSEM and therefore do not need to follow specific rules and requirements.

You may choose to either study any Master's course in line with your major subject to deepen your field of expertise and specialization, or choose to broaden your studies by studying other subjects for which you meet the prequisites, and that are available to exchange students. The majority of your subjects should be at Master's level, but you may also choose a few courses on Bachelor's level.

General guidelines about courses
International universities often change the range of courses they offer and you can therefore not expect to study the exact courses you selected in advance. Be flexible and focus on studying rewarding courses equivalent to 30 credits. The best courses are sometimes not the ones you had in mind from the start.

I am grateful for my decision to participate in the International Master Class and spend a rewarding semester at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Studying at the MBA programme of Pepperdine University proved to be an excellent opportunity to broaden my understanding of management and ethically sound business before moving on to international cooperation and development.

Maria Christina Erhard, Master's in Management

"As a social worker with a passion for global sustainable development, I had long planned to pursue studies within international cooperation and development after the intense one-year Master's in Management. The challenge I faced, however, was finding a meaningful occupation for the emerging gap year, since the university I had in mind offered their programme only biennially.

Some months later, I am grateful for my decision to participate in the International Master Class and spend a rewarding semester at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Studying at the MBA programme Pepperdine Graziadio Business School proved to be an excellent opportunity to broaden my understanding of management and ethically sound business before moving on to international cooperation and development.

From the courses I chose at Pepperdine, I was most passionate about the courses on negotiation and dispute resolution, on decision intelligence, and private capital markets. I was impressed with the lecturers’ interest in their students and their dedication to customising their teaching. Most courses started with questions such as: “Who are you?” “What have your experiences been?” “What are you passionate about?” and “How can this class support you on your professional journey?”

Week after week, I was pushed into understanding that my integrative approach to disputes was beneficial in developing synergies and give-and-take situations. The second course provided the mathematical tools to comply with a maxim often mentioned at the Master's in Management: to avoid unfounded assumptions. And with the last of the three courses, I immersed myself in the vibrant entrepreneurial culture in Southern California and in the financial world that enables it and thrives on it at the same time.

Looking back, I realise that the semester I spent at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School and alongside colleagues from all over the world was much more than a gap-filler. It was a time of learning. It was a time of juggling countless quizzes, assignments and projects. Just the same, it was a time of experimentation in an environment in which I felt psychologically safe to take risks and follow my interests. And, finally, it was a time of long walks in stunning nature, be it in the Santa Monica Mountains or the long sandy beaches of Malibu."

Written by Maria Christina Erhard, 17 February 2020.

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Can I apply for the Erasmus+ mobility grant?

International Master Class students who go on exchange to a European university within the framework of the Erasmus mobility programme, are eligible to apply for the Erasmus+ mobility grant.

General application requirements are found here.

If you as an IMC student want to be eligible for the Erasmus+ grant, the following requirements also apply:

1.  You are not allowed to apply for your degree certificate until you have completed your exchange and your credits have been transferred to Ladok. You are still able to participate in the graduation ceremony at LUSEM. The courses you take on your exchange will not be included in your Master's degree certificate, but they will be transferred to Ladok and thereby show on your official transcript from Lund University.

2. You are required to study full-time at your host university. For more information on what is considered full-time studies, please see the webpage Applying for an Erasmus+ mobility grant.

The above only applies if you intend to apply for an Erasmus+ mobility grant. You will still be able to go on exchange to a European university within the framework of the Erasmus mobility programme even without the Erasmus+ grant.

  • If you choose to not apply for the Erasmus+ mobility grant, or if you go on exchange outside Europe or to the UK, the above requirements do not apply. You can apply for your degree certificate after completing your programme in Lund, and the number of credits required is set by your host university.
     
  • If you are going to Switzerland, you can apply for the Swiss European Mobility Programme (SEMP) grant and must follow the requirements set by your host university. You can apply for your degree certificate after completing your programme in Lund, and the number of credits required is set by your host university.

Citizens of a non-EU/EEA country must pay a tuition fee

Tuition-fee-paying students who are citizens of a non-EU/EEA country must continue to pay tuition fees to Lund University during their exchange semester, but not to the host university.

Students who do not pay tuition fees in Sweden are not required to pay tuition fees at the host university.

How do I apply?

For information on when and how to apply, please see the links below.

Application info for autumn 2023

Application period:

27 January - 7 February 2023

Supporting documents:

1. CV
2. Statement of Purpose
3. Study Plan

Click here for more information regarding the application. 

What universities can I apply for?

Browse our search tool to see the selection of partner universities available for an International Master Class during autumn 2023. 

Where can I go? -
use the search tool 

Important information for students with residence permits!

If you have a residence permit, Lund University will not be able to provide you with an acceptance letter or an insurance during the summer before starting your semester abroad, so you will have to make other insurance arrangements. If you fall into this category, please contact the Migration officer at Lund University for help - migration@er.lu.se

Contact

International Office
Lund University School of Economics and Management

outgoing@ehl.lu.se

You can reach us on the phone during our visiting hours:
+ 46 46 222 33 44

Visiting hours