Information for you who want to become a RIU student
Everything you need to know to become an RIU student and RIU student at research level can be found here, you will also find all the benefits.
Combine your elite sport career with studies
As a student and an elite athlete, the Swedish National Sports University (RIU) enables you to adjust your academic studies to the needs of your career as an elite athlete. You can prepare for a future career while also focusing on your athletic career.
The Swedish National Sports University (RIU) is a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish National Sports Confederation.
You must be accepted to the University of Gothenburg.
Checklist for becoming a RIU student
1. You are accepted to a course or a programme at the University of Gothenburg by going through the regular application process at: antagning.se
2. You are approved for RIU according to your specialised sports federation’s criteria. Your federation has to certify that you qualify as an elite athlete using a specific form.
International Specialised Sport Federation Certicifate (pdf)
Studentintyg för RIU/EVL (pdf)
3. You are to send the admission notice for the University of Gothenburg and the certificate from your specialised sports federation to the University’s RIU coordinator and an agreement that regulates the students and the University’s commitments is signed by both parties.
4. You are responsible for informing the study advisor and/or the course/programme coordinator at the department/programme where you are studying that you are a RIU student at the University of Gothenburg.
5. Contact the study advisor or equivalent at your department/programme to discuss suitable adjustments and opportunities for a flexible course of study. We recommend formalizing the planning in an individual study plan.
6. For questions, contact the coordinator RIU-samordnare@gu.se
Certification from your national sports federation
To qualify as a RIU student, you must fulfill the specialised sports federation requirements. This means that you need to be active in a member sport of the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) and are a potential or current member of a national team or, for a ball team sport, you are on a team in the highest league.
If you fullfil these criteria and want to become a RIU student, contact your specialised sports federation for certification using the form noted above, which you then need to send to the University’s RIU coordinator.
Individual study plan
To clarify possible adjustments in your course of study, it can be appropriate to establish an individual study plan together with your programme/department’s study advisors.
It is your responsibility to inform them well in advance of your training and competition schedule and to communicate any potential conflicts with your programme/course schedule. An individual study plan can contain information about the specific adjustments that enable you to combine studies with training, competitions and travel.
Scholarships
RIU students can be eligible for scholarships from the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet). In addition, you can apply for student grants from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN).
• Elite sports scholarship (rf.se)
• The Swedish Board of Student Finance (csn.se)
National Sports University (RIU)
Adaptation of studies/individual study plan
If you need help adapting your studies, prepare by creating a plan for how your upcoming season in your sports will look (preferably 6-10 months ahead). Then have a discussion with your study coordinators or study counselors to establish an individual study plan.
If you have questions or problems at your institution, contact the coordinator for RIU-students: thomas.jonsson@gu.se
Canvas
We have an internal Canvas page for RIU-students at GU where we post all information related to RIU activities. As an RIU-student, you are automatically invited to the Canvas room. Contact jonatan.jungmalm@gu.se if you have not received an invitation.
Networking and social meetings
Every semester, we offer a few networking meetings and various lectures on performance sports. We usually combine a lecture with a social activity when we meet. Information about the next network meeting is available on Canvas.
Idrott & Kunskap magazine
You get free access to Idrott & Kunskap a digital magazine about sport, distributed through Canvas.
Sports psychology counseling
We offer the opportunity to meet with a sports psychology counselor. Getting help from a sports psychology counselor can be important for improving performance. However, like with anything else you want to get better at, it requires a proper effort from yourself to benefit from the counseling. As an RIU-student, you are offered four meetings.
Sports Medicine Support
In collaboration with IFK Kliniken and Capio Lundby Närsjukhus, we can offer sports medicine support, in the form of counseling for injury/illness and hemoglobin/iron status tests. More information on how to access sports medicine support can be found on Canvas.
Insurance
As a RIU-student, you have the opportunity to sign an elite sports insurance from Folksam at a reduced price. More information on how to get the insurance can be found on Canvas.
GU website
We have an external website: Swedish National Sports University (RIU) Gothenburg (gu.se)
If you have competed, been to a training camp, or been involved in something else interesting in your sports or study life you can send a brief description and a photo to helena.svensson@gu.se and it may become a news item on the external website. Please read the guidelines on Canvas before emailing Helena.
Dietary Analysis and Nutrition Counseling
How should you eat to be able to train and compete at the highest level? As an RIU-student, you have the opportunity to meet with a nutrition counselor to get help with your meal planning. Nutrition counseling is best combined with an iDXA scan, but it is also possible without.
Scholarship
Elite Sports Scholarship
The Swedish Sports Confederation and Svenska Spel offer an Elite Sports Scholarship, aiming to enable elite athletes to combine elite sports and studies at a post-secondary level. The scholarship is 50 000 SEK per recipient and is awarded once per semester (25 000 SEK at a time) to 50 elite athletes. Information on how to apply can be found on Canvas.
Västra Götaland Region's Para-Sports Scholarship
Every year, Västra Götaland Region awards 150 000 SEK in scholarships to active athletes with disabilities, teams or coaches/sporting guides. The purpose of the scholarship is to recognize individuals who have achieved excellent results and who are role models for others to start sports. Information on how to apply can be found on Canvas.
Scholarships for students at the University of Gothenburg
As a student at the University of Gothenburg, you have several opportunities to apply for scholarships and grants.
Support and health services
As a student at GU, you have access to resources for a sustainable study life.
Tests at the Center for Health and Performance (CHP)
At the test lab Center for Health and Performance at the University of Gothenburg, we offer the following tests for RIU-students:
1. Mobility and strength test. Analysis of mobility and strength for injury prevention purposes.
2. Running analysis. The test helps you evaluate and analyze your running style from an injury prevention perspective.
3. Physiology focused on endurance, threshold test, and VO2max. The tests help you clarify the level of your physical work capacity and suitable intensity for your training.
4. iDXA/body scanning. Measures body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and bone mineral density).
More information on how and when to apply for tests is available on Canvas.
Training at Fysiken
As an RIU-student, you have the opportunity to get a training/gym card at Fysiken at a reduced price. You will also have the opportunity to offer your family the opportunity to train at Fysiken at a student price. Fysiken has gyms at Kaserntorget, Lindholmen, and Gibraltargatan.
More information on the conditions and how to apply for a gym card is available on Canvas.
Training on the track at Friidrottens Hus
It's possible to train on weekdays from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Training may also be possible on Saturdays from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, and Sundays from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, if the facility is not booked for any competition. Max 2 visits per student per week. You need to register in advance. More information is available on Canvas.
Training at Katrinelundsgymnasiet with a strength and conditioning coach
As an RIU-student, you have the opportunity to get help with your strength training from Katrinelunds strength and conditioning coach, more information can be found on Canvas
Training on Alter-G
As an RIU-student, you have the opportunity to train on the Alter-G at a reduced price, which is available at Friidrottens Hus. The Alter-G is a treadmill where you can gradually reduce the impact of gravity by up to 80% of your body weight.
Combine elite sports and studies at third-cycle level
Combine elite sports and studies at third-cycle (medarbetarportalen.gu.se/)