Student Visa for Sweden

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you will in most cases need a residence permit for higher education to study in Sweden. This permit covers first- or second-cycle studies (Bachelor’s/Master’s), higher vocational education, post-secondary folk high school courses, and exchange studies. If your studies in Sweden will last less than three months, you should not apply for a residence permit; depending on your nationality, you may instead need an entry visa for a short visit. EU/EEA citizens with right of residence do not need a residence permit to live in Sweden. Swiss citizens who will stay longer than three months must apply for a residence permit for Swiss citizens. The permit must be issued before you travel to Sweden. Where pages differ, we follow the main application page.

You apply online via the official e-service if you are 18 or older, have a valid email address, can pay the fee by Visa/Mastercard, and can scan/photograph your documents. The Agency recommends that you submit your application as soon as you have received your admission/decision and paid any tuition fee, so the case can be processed well in advance of the start of studies. If you cannot use the e-service, you must complete the paper forms and submit your application at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in the country where you live (note that not all missions handle migration cases; you must check which one applies to you).

You must attach correctly made copies of your passport (you can never be granted a permit beyond your passport’s validity) and an admission decision that confirms you are finally admitted to full-time, on-site studies. If your programme is shorter than one year and you are not listed in Sweden’s population register, include documents showing you have or have applied for comprehensive health insurance. You must also attach documents showing you meet the maintenance requirement (financial support), with the type of evidence depending on your funding source.

For personal bank assets, provide a bank statement issued no more than four months before the date you want the permit to start; it must include account holder(s), bank name, date of issue, balance, and currency, plus any central-bank withdrawal permission if required. For scholarships, include a letter stating the provider, that you are the recipient, the period, total amount, payment schedule, and portion for living expenses. For a sponsor, include a sponsorship letter specifying the sponsor, amounts, payment timing, duration, and portion for living expenses (private individuals are not accepted as sponsors; their funds must be transferred to your account and count as personal assets). Employment income and national student grants/loans have their own listed certificate requirements.

If family applies with you, attach correctly made passport copies, documents showing the family’s financial maintenance, and relationship documents (e.g., marriage certificate; for cohabiting partners, proof of living together). For accompanying children, provide passport copies, birth record, any sole custody decision or relevant death certificate, and the other guardian’s consent for the child to move to Sweden (with ID copy for joint custody).

Information not available on official sources.

You must show sufficient maintenance for the entire permit period. Acceptable sources include personal bank assets, scholarships, student grants/loans from your country of origin, a sponsor (institution/organisation), or income from employment. You may combine forms of maintenance. The monthly maintenance requirement is at least SEK 10,584 per month if you applied in 2025 (and SEK 10,314 per month if you applied in 2024). If you can document free food and/or housing from a higher education institution or an organisation working with international exchange, the monthly amount may be reduced (2025: SEK 2,940 for food; SEK 4,704 for housing; 2024: SEK 2,865 and SEK 4,584 respectively). If family members apply with you, add SEK 4,410 per month for a spouse/cohabiting partner and SEK 2,646 per month for each child.

If your studies last less than one year, you need comprehensive health insurance covering emergency and other medical care, hospitalisation, emergency dental care, and medical repatriation, valid for your entire stay. If your studies will last at least one year, you should register in Sweden’s population register, which gives you access to health, medical, and dental care. If your higher education institution already provides insurance, you should include documentation; otherwise, you must have or have applied for your own policy.

Information not available on official sources.

Yes. Spouses, registered partners, cohabiting partners, and children under 18 may apply at the same time as you. If they decide later to join you, they must submit their own application retroactively. Family applicants must meet document requirements (passport copies, relationship proof, and financial maintenance for the whole family) as described on the application page.

The Migration Agency cannot give an exact waiting time because it depends on whether your application is complete, whether additional information is required, and any checks with other authorities. The page displays statistics from the last 12 months for the same permit type; currently, 75% of recently decided cases were decided within 2 months. You should therefore apply as soon as you receive your admission decision and have paid any tuition fee.

The application fee is SEK 1,500 for adults and SEK 750 for children under 18. No refund is issued if your application is rejected. No fee applies for students at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Japanese citizens, and students funded by Sida, the EU, the Swedish Institute, or Uppsala University’s International Science Programme, provided the scholarship covers living expenses and is paid during the permit period (the exception does not apply if you receive a salary, e.g., as a doctoral student).

Before a decision can be made, you must present your passport and provide fingerprints and a photograph. In some cases, you may be asked to complete a digital passport check via an app; if you are granted a residence permit in such cases, you will be fingerprinted and photographed after arrival at a Swedish Migration Agency service centre for your residence permit card production. If you are not offered a digital check, you will be instructed to present your passport (and, where applicable, give biometrics) at the embassy/consulate you selected in your application.

If your studies are at least one year, you should register in Sweden’s population register, which enables access to health and dental care. The Agency will notify you by email if you applied in the e-service when a decision is made; otherwise, the embassy will contact you. You must have the residence permit issued before travel and comply with any embassy pick-up or appointment requirements listed in your decision notification.

First, ensure you are finally admitted to full-time, on-site studies and have paid any tuition fee before you apply; your institution will notify the Agency when the fee is paid. Apply as soon as you have your admission/decision and fee payment so processing can finish well before your start date. Assemble all required documents in advance and translate them to Swedish or English with certified translations, attaching the original-language copies as well.

When proving finances, check the monthly maintenance amounts for your application year and ensure your bank statement is recent (issued no more than four months before your intended permit start) with all required fields. Plan which embassy you will visit to present your passport (if needed), and keep your passport validity longer than your intended permit period, since a permit cannot be granted beyond your passport’s expiry.

This guide was written by Modoante using original research and information gathered from official education and immigration resources. Always verify deadlines and requirements on the official university or government portal before submitting your applications/documents.

Visit Migrationsverket : the Swedish Migration Agency

https://www.migrationsverket.se/en/you-want-to-apply/study/higher-education.html#svid12_2cd2e409193b84c506a2d79b

This guide summarises official information as accessed on 3 October 2025. Immigration rules change; always check the official website before applying. This is not legal advice.