Exchange studies in upper secondary school
If you are to be an exchange student at an upper secondary school (high school) in Sweden for more than three months, you need a residence permit for other studies. The permit must be issued before you travel to Sweden.
Requirements for residence permits
For a permit, you must
- hold a valid passport
- have been accepted for full-time studies
- be covered by a fully-comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden
- be able to support yourself throughout the period for which you apply for a residence permit.
- have the consent from your parents/legal guardians if you are under the age of 18. If so you must also enclose a certificate showing who is or are your parents/legal guardians and how you are related, and a copy of an ID document for your parents/legal guardians.
Requirements to use the e-service
In order to use the e-service, you need
- copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin.
- a certificate stating that you have been admitted to full-time study
- copy of the document that proves that you have comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden. The insurance must be valid for the whole period that you will stay in Sweden, and must cover the costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospitalization. The insurance must also cover the cost of a possible return journey home because of medical reasons
- a bank statement showing that you have funds to support yourself. If permission is required from a central bank or equivalent to move money out of your country, you also need to enclose the relevant certificate. This bank statement should be dated in connection with the time of application and be translated into English, or
a document issued in your name showing that you have been awarded a scholarship or similar (for example study support) with information on the monthly or total amount and the period during which you will receive the money. - a written consent from your parents/legal guardians that you are allowed to study in Sweden if you are under 18 years of age (Consent for a child to settle in Sweden, form 123011
Pdf, 726.1 kB, opens in new window.). - be able to pay a possible fee for the application with a credit card or charge card (application fees for residence permits for studies).
If you are to support yourself with your own funds, you must submit your application at the earliest three months before the date you are applying for a residence permit from. This is because you must be able to show that you can support yourself close to the beginning of the study time and your documents must not get too old. This does not apply if you will receive a scholarship to cover your means of support.
For studies that are shorter than three months, citizens in certain countries must have an entry visa. Special rules apply if you are an EU citizen or a long-term resident.
Countries whose citizens need a visa to enter Sweden
External link, opens in new window.
Read more about applying for a visa
Read more about the rules for EU citizens and long-term residents
Apply for the first time
If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for a residence permit for students – First-time applicants, 113011. Exchange studies at upper secondary school count as other studies.
Submit your application to a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence. The application form specifies which documents to enclose. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application.
Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.
If there is no possibility to submit an application in your country, you must apply at the embassy or consulate-general closest to your country of residence. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application for further information.
If you are applying at an embassy or consulate-general, you pay the fee when you hand in your application. For more information about the fee, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you are applying, as they do not have the same fees and terms of payment as the Migration Agency.
Extend your permit
If you want to extend your permit, fill out the form Application for a residence permit for students – Application to extend, 115011. Exchange studies at upper secondary school count as other studies. The application form specifies which documents to enclose.
Send your application to the Swedish Migration Agency, Box 3100, 903 03 Umeå.
In most cases you must pay a fee.
After you have sent the application
If you obtain a residence permit, you will also receive a residence permit card. The card, which is proof that you have the right to be in Sweden, contains your photo and fingerprints.
If you need a visa for travel to Sweden, you should go to the embassy or consulate-general as soon as possible to have your picture and your fingerprints taken, if you did not do this in connection with showing your passport. Not all embassies or consulates-general have the possibility to take your picture and your fingerprints. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before your visit for more information.
If you do not need a visa for travel to Sweden, as soon as possible after your arrival in Sweden you should visit the Migration Agency to be photographed and fingerprinted. However, your permit must be granted before you travel to Sweden.
Read more about residence permit cards
Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.
Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case
The decision will be sent to the embassy or consulate-general you selected in your online application. Take your passport along when picking up your decision.
The Swedish embassy or consulate-general will hand over or send you the residence permit card as soon as it is ready. Don't forget that it might take up to four weeks to make and send the card to the embassy or consulate-general after you receive your decision. When you enter Sweden, you must show your residence permit card along with a valid passport.
Book an appointment
If you do not need a visa for travel to Sweden, you should be able to show a copy of the decision when you arrive. As soon as possible after you have arrived in Sweden, you should book an appointment to be fingerprinted and photographed. When your residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to your address in Sweden. It is therefore important that you can state your address in Sweden when you visit the Migration Agency to have your fingerprints and photograph taken.
Residence permit card
The residence permit card will be produced at the time the decision is made, but no earlier than three months before the residence permit becomes valid. We cannot speed up the production or delivery of the card.
Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.
Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case
Useful links if you have recently moved to Sweden and have a residence permit
Extending a permit
You must apply for an extension before your current permit expires.
How to apply
You apply for extension of your permit in the e-service.
You will probably be required to pay an application fee.
Application fees for residence permits
What to enclose with your application
You must enclose
- copies of the pages in your passport where your identity, citizenship and the period of validity are indicated. Your passport must be valid in order for the Migration Agency to be able to grant you a permit. If your passport is about to expire, you must apply for a new one in your home country or at your home country's embassy
- a certificate stating that you have been admitted to full-time study
- a document from the course organizer showing that you have made acceptable progress in your studies
- account statements from your bank that confirm that you have money to cover your living expenses. The account statement should be dated in conjunction with the application timing and be translated to English, or
documents issued in your name that show that you have been granted a stipend/scholarship or the like (such as student finance) with information on the monthly amount or total amount and the period during which you will receive the money. - copy of the document that proves that you have comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden. The insurance must be valid for the whole period that you will stay in Sweden, and must cover the costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospitalization. The insurance must also cover the cost of a possible return journey home because of medical reasons
- a written consent from your parents/legal guardians that you are allowed to study in Sweden if you are under 18 years of age (form 123011).
Consent for a child to settle in Sweden, form 123011 Pdf, 726.1 kB, opens in new window.
Read more about what documents you should attach if you submit a paper application
Once we have received your application
If you submit an application for an extension before your previous permit expires, you have the right to remain in Sweden until the Migration Agency has made a decision.
If you travel abroad when your permit is about to expire, it may be difficult for you to enter Sweden before your new permit is granted. You may need to wait for a new decision outside Sweden.
You may need to show your passport
The Swedish Migration Agency may need to check your passport before a decision can be made. You will then need to visit one of the Swedish Migration Agency's service centres to present your passport.
In some cases, you will not be required to present your passport, for example, if we have already checked your passport during a previous visit.
If you need to show your passport, we will contact you with information on how and when to do so.
Residence permit card
If you are granted a permit, you will be given a residence permit card. The card is proof that you have permission to remain in Sweden and contains your fingerprints and a photo of you. You should, therefore, book a time to have your photograph and fingerprints taken as soon as possible. You need to do this even if you have had a residence permit previously, as your photograph and fingerprints cannot be saved.
Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case
Book an appointment at the Migration Agency to be fingerprinted and photographed
Read more about residence permit cards
After the decision has been made
The decision will be sent to your address in Sweden. Once the residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to you within approximately one week.