Sweden student visa cost — Residence Permit for Higher Education Studies

Residence Permit for Higher Education Studies cost breakdown

Every line the Sweden application puts on your card, in US dollars, as of August 2026.

Amounts are US dollars. Sweden bills in its own currency, so the exact charge moves with the exchange rate — the native figures are in the notes column where the fee schedule publishes them.

Sweden student visa requirements

• A valid passport that outlasts the permit you want

  You can never be granted a permit for longer than your passport is valid, so renew a passport that expires mid-course before you apply. Copies of the passport go into the online application.

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• Final admission to full-time, on-site studies

  At a university or university college, 30 credits per semester counts as full time; other providers such as folk high schools must schedule at least 20 teaching hours a week. Distance learning does not qualify for a residence permit, and the admission decision must state you will study on site in Sweden.

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• Tuition fees paid before you apply

  You only count as finally admitted once the tuition fee is paid, and your Swedish institution notifies the Migration Agency itself when that happens. Applying before payment clears means the case sits waiting.

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• Comprehensive health insurance for courses under a year

  Programmes shorter than one year need insurance covering emergency and other medical care, hospitalisation, emergency dental care and medical repatriation, for the whole stay. Studies lasting at least a year lead instead to registration in Sweden's population register, which gives access to health and dental care.

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• Maintenance of SEK 10,656 a month for the whole permit period

  The money must be available for the entire period you are applying for, and if family come with you their maintenance must be arranged too. You can combine sources, for example a scholarship plus personal savings.

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• A bank statement issued within four months of the permit start

  For a permit starting 1 August the statement must be dated no earlier than 1 April. It has to show the account holder, the bank name, the date of issue, the balance and the currency, and you attach any central bank permission needed to take the money out of your country.

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• A sponsor that is an institution, not a relative

  Higher education institutions, other education providers and well-established companies or organisations can act as sponsors. Private individuals cannot, so money from relatives has to be transferred into an account in your own name and presented as personal bank assets.

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• Documents in Swedish or English

  Everything you submit should be in Swedish or English. Translations must be certified and you must attach a copy of the document in its original language as well.

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• A passport check and biometrics

  Before a decision the Agency has to see your passport, either through the digital passport check e-service using the Freja app or in person at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general. Fingerprints and a photograph are taken for the residence permit card where the permit runs over three months.

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• Study progress and an address notification once you hold the permit

  Permits decided from 11 June 2026 carry a requirement to pass 37.5 credits in the first year and 45 credits a year thereafter, and to tell the Migration Agency your address within 30 days of getting the permit and of every move. Falling short can cost you the permit or the extension.

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How to apply for a Sweden student visa

1. Accept your place and pay any tuition fee

   The admission decision has to confirm final admission to full-time on-site study. Where a tuition fee applies, pay it first: your institution tells the Migration Agency, and only then are you treated as finally admitted.

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2. Apply in the e-service and pay SEK 1,500

   You need to be 18 or over, have an email address, be able to scan or photograph your documents, and pay with a Visa or Mastercard. Adults pay SEK 1,500 and children under 18 pay SEK 750, with no refund if the application is rejected. Family members can be included in your own application.

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3. Name the embassy you will visit and show your passport

   The application asks which Swedish embassy or consulate-general you would attend if the Agency needs to see you. Some applicants are instead offered a digital passport check by email a few days after applying, using the Freja app and a personal link that expires after seven days.

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4. Wait for the decision

   The Agency processes cases in the order they arrive and gives no priority. Its published statistics for this permit show 75% of recently decided cases settled within three months, so apply as soon as you are admitted and have paid.

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5. Collect the decision and your residence permit card

   If you applied online you get an email as soon as a decision is made, and the decision is posted to the embassy or representative you chose, where you may need an appointment to collect it. Permits run for one or two years depending on the institution, never longer than your studies or your passport, with two extra weeks added when the permit covers your whole programme.

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6. Extend before the permit expires

   Extensions are applied for from inside Sweden and cost SEK 1,500 again. You have to show acceptable study progress at the credit levels that now apply, and being over the work limit can also count against the extension.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions