Why I choose Sweden // Why I choose Uppsala University – By Sofía

My name is Sofía, and I’m from Mexico. I’m in the second year of the Master’s in Bioinformatics programme. My journey to Sweden began with an internship that completely changed my perspective. I fell in love with the culture and the country itself, but most importantly, I was drawn to the research opportunities and the strong support for science that Sweden offers. I felt that Sweden was the place that would allow me to grow in my field (…and I was right).

When I was exploring universities, Uppsala University’s bioinformatics programme stood out. What struck me the most was how different the academic approach is compared to my home country. The programme structure also interested me, as it was designed to give students with little background in programming a good opportunity to learn. But, I still had lots of questions, so I did some researched and found alumni, whom I contacted to ask questions about the programme itself and what life in Sweden looked like.

The infrastructure at Uppsala University is impressive. From well-equipped labs to advanced digital technologies, it’s clear that Uppsala is prepared for cutting-edge research, especially in science-related fields.

I chose bioinformatics because I wanted to change paths. I come from a biology background, where I used to work in a lab conducting many experiments and gathering significant amounts of data. However, I realized I lacked the skills to analyze and truly understand the results. That’s what motivated me to pursue a master’s in bioinformatics—to gain the analytical tools I needed. Additionally, the opportunity to dive deeper into areas like artificial intelligence and data analysis excites me, as these are becoming increasingly important in the field.

Outside of academics, I value Sweden’s way of life. I’ve noticed how most people have a relaxed way of living, and they actually maintain a work-life balance. The amount of art, music, and culture is another thing that convinced me to choose this country. Now, after one year, I can say that I’ve learned a lot—not only from my classes but also from meeting people from all over the world. Keeping an open mind and heart has allowed me to grow both as a person and in my field.

If you want to see more information, don’t forget to check your programme’s page. There are also video interviews on YouTube for most programmes, where you can learn more about students’ perspectives.

Uppsala University page

My interview