Sweden: Courses in English

Only Jennifer Costelloe's Sheffield University sweater and accent betray her English origins.

Ms Costelloe, 20, is spending one semester in the English department at Stockholm University. "I went to an English lecture at Sheffield and stumbled on a presentation about Erasmus. I learnt I could study abroad for a semester and have it count as part of my degree," she said.

She chose Sweden because it seemed more exotic than other European countries. She already spoke the language, but fluency in Swedish is not a requirement. Stockholm offers a range of courses in English that she can transfer to Sheffield, all arranged before leaving England.

There is less class time but more written work. The flexible course system and the grant from the state are impressive.

"Here, a student can choose relatively freely among courses and study several different subjects at the same time. People study because they want to learn - not only to get a job," Ms Costelloe said.

There are no tuition fees but, as an Erasmus student, Ms Costelloe pays about £1,000 to Sheffield for course transfers.