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Study in Sweden

Sweden runs one national application system for a SEK 900 fee per semester, but tuition for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland averages about SEK 129,000 a year. You must also show at least SEK 10,656 a month for your permit, and from June 2026 new students can work only 15 hours a week in term time. Here is what to budget, and how the SI scholarship works.

Browse 14 scholarships Read the guide

Facts checked on official websites on October 31, 2026

Tuition for international students
SEK 80,000 to 295,000 Per academic year, according to Study in Sweden; the average is about SEK 129,000. Architecture and design cost the most. Source: Study in Sweden
Maintenance requirement for the permit
SEK 10,656 a month The minimum if you apply in 2026, for the whole permit period. The permit application fee is SEK 1,500. Source: Swedish Migration Agency
Work rights while studying
15 hours a week For bachelor's and master's students whose permit was granted on or after 11 June 2026. Work in June, July and August is not limited. Source: Swedish Migration Agency
Post-study stay
Up to 1 year A permit to look for work or explore starting a business after bachelor's or master's study. Apply before your study permit expires. Source: Swedish Migration Agency

Why international students choose Sweden

Sweden teaches many bachelor’s and master’s programmes in English and applications go through one national system, Universityadmissions.se, for a single fee per semester. Graduates can stay on for up to a year to look for work. The trade-off is cost: tuition for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland is high, and a new cap on working hours applies to permits granted from 11 June 2026.

What it costs

Citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland must, with some exemptions, pay application and tuition fees (University Admissions). The application fee is SEK 900, paid once for each semester you apply for, however many programmes you choose (University Admissions).

Study in Sweden, run by the Swedish Institute, gives these tuition figures per academic year (Study in Sweden):

  • Average: about SEK 129,000
  • Overall range: SEK 80,000 to 295,000
  • Architecture and design: SEK 190,000 to 295,000

It puts typical living costs at about SEK 10,584 a month, including SEK 4,900 for accommodation and SEK 2,700 for food, plus about SEK 750 a month for textbooks (Study in Sweden).

The student visa and proof of funds

Non-EU students need a residence permit for higher education studies from the Swedish Migration Agency. You must have paid any tuition fees before applying (Migrationsverket). Key points (Migrationsverket):

  • Maintenance requirement: at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026, for the whole permit period
  • Family: an extra SEK 4,440 a month for a partner and SEK 2,664 a month per child
  • Fee: SEK 1,500 for adults, not refunded if you are refused; some scholarship holders, including Swedish Institute scholars, pay no fee
  • Health insurance: required if your studies last less than a year

The agency says 75 per cent of recent cases were decided within three months, and it announced new rules on 25 May 2026, including higher requirements for study results.

Working while you study

There is now a limit. If your permit was granted on or after 11 June 2026, bachelor’s and master’s students may work a maximum of 15 hours a week. Work in June, July and August, work that is part of your course and student representation do not count. Your permit may be withdrawn if you work more (Migrationsverket).

After you graduate

After bachelor’s or master’s study you can get a residence permit for up to one year to look for work or explore starting a business. You must apply before your study permit expires, have completed at least two semesters with all courses passed, and show at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026. The fee is SEK 1,500 (Migrationsverket).

Scholarships for Sweden

  • SI Scholarship for Global Professionals: the Swedish Institute’s master’s scholarship for applicants who must pay tuition. SI has described it as covering tuition, living expenses, insurance and travel (Swedish Institute). The most recent call, for 2026/27, ran from 9 to 25 February 2026, after applicants had applied to their programmes through Universityadmissions.se (Swedish Institute).
  • Many universities also offer their own tuition scholarships; check the university you apply to.

Scholarships in Sweden 14

See all 14 scholarships
Jan15 Partly funded Axel Adler Scholarship, University of Gothenburg Sweden · Undergraduate, Master’s Jan15 Partly funded KTH Scholarship (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) Sweden · Master’s Jan15 Scholarship Chalmers University of Technology Scholarships for Fee-Paying Students (Avancez, IPOET, Adlerbert) Sweden · Master’s Feb1 Partly funded Uppsala University Global Scholarship Sweden · Master’s Feb24 Partly funded Karolinska Institutet Global Master’s Scholarship Sweden · Master’s Mar5 Partly funded Umeå University Scholarship for International Students Sweden · Undergraduate, Master’s May2 Partly funded Jönköping University Scholarship Sweden · Undergraduate, Master’s NextTBA Partly funded Örebro University Scholarship Sweden · Master’s NextTBA Partly funded LiU International Scholarship, Linköping University Sweden · Master’s

Fellowships, internships and other opportunities 2

NextTBA Fully funded African Scholarship Programme, Nordic Africa Institute Sweden · PhD, Postdoc NextTBA Summer school Nobel Prize Teacher Summit 2027 Sweden · Teacher · Any subject

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Common questions about studying in Sweden

Short answers, based on the official sources linked above.

How much does it cost to study in Sweden as an international student?

Students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland pay a SEK 900 application fee per semester and tuition of SEK 80,000 to 295,000 a year, with an average of about SEK 129,000, according to Study in Sweden. It puts living costs at about SEK 10,584 a month.

How much money do I need for a Swedish student residence permit?

The Swedish Migration Agency requires at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026, for the whole period of the permit, plus SEK 4,440 a month for a partner and SEK 2,664 a month per child. You must also have paid any tuition fees before applying, and the application fee is SEK 1,500.

Can international students work in Sweden?

Yes, with a limit. If your permit was granted on or after 11 June 2026, bachelor's and master's students may work a maximum of 15 hours a week. Work in June, July and August and work that is part of your education do not count, and your permit may be withdrawn if you exceed the limit.

Can I stay in Sweden after graduating?

Yes. After bachelor's or master's study you can apply for a residence permit of up to one year to look for work or explore starting a business. You must apply before your study permit expires, have passed at least two semesters of courses and show at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026.