Combine studies with elite sports
Can you pursue elite sports and a higher education? Yes, you can!
We are an elite sports–friendly university, in partnership with the Swedish Sports Confederation since 2024, known as an EVL institution. As an elite athlete, you therefore have the opportunity to receive various adjustments that make it possible to study and pursue your sport at the same time.
As an elite sports–friendly university, we offer different types of adaptations to your study plan and/or the option of a reduced study pace. This enables you to build a dual career and have an academic degree to rely on for a sustainable working life after your athletic career.
Who is considered an elite athlete?
To be able to apply the sport must be part of one of the Swedish Sports Confederation's special sports federations (SF) or equivalent associations in another country. In addition you must, as a student, present a certificate in which the relevant special sports federation (SF) certifies that you meet at least one of the following criteria that have been developed by the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF):
- Selected for the Swedish junior or senior national team
- Competes at a high national level in individual sports
- Plays team sports in the second highest division at national or international senior level
- Is identified by or participates in the national team's development activities
- Is expected to be able to take a position in the senior national team or compete at a high international level in the long term
This is what you need to do to combine studies with elite sports
1. Contact Dual Career Coordinator
Please contact the Dual Career Coordinator when you have been admitted to a programme or course. If possible, contact coordinator already when you apply at antagning.se.
If you are already a student, you can apply for adjusted studies from 1 August 2024 at the earliest.
Contact information for the Dual Career Coordinator can be found at the bottom of the page.
2. Bring your student certificate to the meeting
Bring your student certificate with you stating that you meet the criteria for elite athletes so we can sign an agreement on-site. Otherwise, we will have to arrange it on a separate occasion once you have received the certificate.
Student certificate RIU/EVL, Swedish Sports Confederation (Student certificate is in Swedish) External link.
3. We go through the expectations at the meeting
At the meeting with the Dual Career Coordinator, they will explain the conditions and what types of adjustments are possible.
4. After signing the agreement you will get in contact with study counsellor
After you have signed an agreement and you have had the meeting with the Coordinator, the coordinator will help you contact the study counsellor for your specific programme and the one responsible for the course or programme. Together, you will go through all the details in your individual study plan.
Are you a leader, coach or manager and want to know more about combining elite sports with studies?
Do you want to know how to better support your athletes and their university studies ? Or do you need guidance on your own behalf? Contact us to find out more about the opportunities offered by Dual Careers, so that we can enable more elite athletes to study at university.
Together, we can help athletes on their future career path.
News and noteworthy information
The EVL Lunch: Three times per term, all EVL-students gather to have lunch together and talk about their experiences with combining sports and higher studies in order to foster a sense of community and belonging.
Our student Lisa Jahnstedt was one of the recipients of Svenska Spel’s Elite Sports Scholarship 2025 – see the full list below:
Meet some of our 42 elite athletes
Alma
Alma plays handball in VästeråsIrsta HF and studies in the Physiotherapy programme.
Edit
Edit plays bandy in VSK and is part of the Bachelor of Science in Energy Development programme.
Ella
Ella combines her studies at the university with playing handball for VästeråsIrsta HF.
Evangeline
Evangeline studies Robotics in the Civil Engineering-programme.
Ida
Ida is studying the Public Health Science programme. She combines her studies with playing handball.
Jonna
Jonna is studying her third year at the Civil Engineering programme in industrial economy.
Karin
Karin combines her university studies with road biking, competing for Motala AIF CK.
Lisa
She combines her studies with competitive dancing for the Swedish Sports Confederation and competes on the national team in disco and stage dance.
Pam
Pam is studying the Subject Teacher Education programme.
Svea
Svea is studying Business Economics and combines her studies with playing handball.
William
He combines his studies at the university with playing floorball for Västerås IBF, as well as the male national team in Austria.
Mathilda
Mathilda is part of the Information Design programme, majoring in Spatial Design.
Hanna
Hanna studies the Physiotherapy programme and combines her studies with artistic gymnastics.
Måns
Måns studies the Civil engineering program with a specialisation in robotics.
Contact
Dual Career Coordinator: Oversees student and personnel contacts, as well as agreements and certificates
Susanne Porswald+4621101617susanne.porswald@mdu.se
Dual Career Coordinator: Oversees the strategic approach to EVL development and the external collaboration between our campus locations, the SCC, sports associations, and the SCC–Student Union
Lotta Ulff+4621107328lotta.ulff@mdu.se