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Glossary: study pace, CSN, Ladok and other words

Words that often come up on the help pages and in the app, explained briefly. Handy if you are new to Sweden or to university.

Study pace (studietakt)
How much you study, as a percentage of full time. 100 % is full time. The travel symbols require at least 50 % or 75 %.
Higher education credits (hp)
Credits at universities. 30 hp per semester is full time, 22.5 hp is 75 % and 15 hp is 50 %.
Komvux and YH points
Points in adult education (Komvux) and higher vocational education (YH). 300 Komvux points or 75 YH points in a semester equal 75 %.
CSN and student aid
CSN is the Swedish Board of Student Finance, which pays out student aid (studiemedel). The travel symbols require a programme that qualifies for student aid, even if you don't take it yourself.
Ladok
The system universities use to register your courses. You can download a registration certificate from it.
Registration certificate (registreringsintyg)
A certificate showing that you are registered on courses this semester. One from Ladok doesn't need a signature. It's the easiest certificate to upload.
Admission notice (antagningsbesked)
The notice saying you have been admitted. It is not accepted as a certificate, because it doesn't show that you have actually started studying.
HT and VT
The autumn semester (HT, höstterminen) and the spring semester (VT, vårterminen). HT26 means autumn 2026. The card and travel symbols are valid one semester at a time.
Personal number (personnummer)
Your Swedish identity number from Skatteverket, 12 digits. We use it to find your account.
Coordination number and temporary personal number
A coordination number (samordningsnummer) is issued by Skatteverket to people who aren't registered as living in Sweden. If you have neither a personal number nor a coordination number, your school or union can give you a temporary number for the card.
Personbevis
An extract from Skatteverket with your name and personal number. Order it at skatteverket.se. Used when you change your name or personal number.
Student union and nation (kår, nation)
The student union represents students at a school. Nations exist in Lund and Uppsala. If you are a member you often get the card through them, and they handle payment and membership.
Travel symbol (resesymbol)
The symbol on your card showing that you get student fares on public transport: the SL symbol or the student travel symbol (the bus).
Penalty fare (kontrollavgift)
The fee you can get at a ticket inspection if your ticket or student discount isn't valid. The operator decides on it.

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