Complaints, reconsiderations, and appeals

Complaints about courses

Try to resolve any problems directly with the responsible teacher. Contact details for course leaders can be found on the relevant course homepage. If this does not resolve the problem or if there are other reasons why you do not want to contact the teacher, you can contact the department’s director of studies (or equivalent) or head of department (prefect). Contact details can be found on the department web pages.

If you want to convey general viewpoints or complaints relating to a course, the best way to do this is through the course valuation that is carried out after every course. Find out more under the heading Course valuations.

Complaints about examinations

You cannot appeal against the grades you are awarded. This means that you are not entitled to get a second opinion, but you are entitled to request that the examiner review the grade. Find out more about grade reviews in the regulations for education, section 6. Assessment and grades.

Complaints about degree programmes

Contact the programme director of studies (or equivalent) who is responsible for the programme. Contact details can be found on the relevant programme page on the student web. If this does not resolve the problem or if there are other reasons why you want to raise the issue with the responsible faculty, you can contact your students’ union or the faculty programme director at the relevant faculty office.

If you want to convey general viewpoints or complaints relating to a degree programme, you can do this through the programme valuation that is carried out once you have completed your programme.

Complaints about treatment and general issues

If you feel that you are being harassed or mistreated by someone at SLU, there are several people you can choose to talk to. Turn primarily to the director of studies at the department or your programme director of studies. Find out more under the heading Harassment and equal treatment.

If you have a complaint about a decision on an education matter, such as admission, credit transfer or the awarding of a degree, we recommend contacting the person who made the decision in order to obtain clarification of the reasons for the decision. Some decisions can be appealed against; see below.

You can also contact a study counsellor at the Division of Student Affairs and Learning Development about general issues if there is anything you think is wrong or which does not work as it should. You can call +46 (0)18 67 28 00 or e-mail studyguidance@slu.se.

Appealing against a decision

You can appeal against the following decisions in relation to education at first-cycle and second-cycle level to the Swedish Higher Education Appeals Board (Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 12, Section 2):

• a decision that an applicant does not meet the general entry requirements for admission to first or second-cycle higher education courses and study programmes
• a decision not to grant an exemption from the general entry requirements for admission in certain cases
• a decision on the transfer of credits for courses and study programmes or professional or vocational activities
• rejection of a student’s application for exemption from a compulsory element of a course or study programme
• rejection of a student’s request to be issued with a degree certificate or a course certificate
• a decision not to allow those admitted to first or second-cycle courses and study programmes to defer commencement of their studies or to continue their studies after an approved period of leave

Any appeal against a decision must be made in writing. In your appeal, you must indicate which decision you are appealing against and the change you are requesting to the decision. You must make your appeal to the Swedish Higher Education Appeals Board, but send it to SLU, Box 7070, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. The appeal must be received by SLU within three weeks of the date on which you were informed of the decision.

Swedish National Agency for Higher Education/University Chancellor’s Office

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education (HSV) is a government agency that, among other things, monitors and inspects how universities and university colleges apply laws and ordinances in order to safeguard the legal security of students. As of 1 January 2013, this task will be taken over by the University Chancellor’s Office.

If you are unhappy with SLU’s actions, you can make a report to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education. HSV would prefer that you have exhausted all other options for resolving the problem on site before reporting to them.

Some matters relating to the university must be reported to other authorities, depending on the nature of the matter. Find out more on the HSV website.