Frequently asked ques­tions about studying in Sweden

If you are a student with a tuition fee, you must pay the fee as soon as possible. You cannot be granted a residence permit until the tuition fee has been paid. This is because the Swedish Migration Agency does not consider you to be finally admitted before the tuition fee is paid.

If you are granted a leave of absence from your studies and have no reason other than studies to stay in Sweden, your residence permit for studies may be revoked.

If the Migration Agency does not revoke the residence permit, it is important to remember that this possible study break does not provide any relief in the requirements to obtain an extended residence permit for studies. This means that you – if you apply for an extended residence permit – have to show that you have completed enough credits.

As a general rule, you must study in Sweden corresponding to 30 credits per semester. Exceptions can be made in some cases for those who:

• have previously had a residence permit to study a preparatory course and then apply for a permit to continue studying at an education related to the preparatory course
• have completed an education by the end of the spring term, and will continue to study on a new education at the beginning of the autumn term
• have had a residence permit for the ordinary study period and need to apply for an extended permit to complete your studies outside the ordinary study period.

For questions relating to which embassies or consulates-general can handle migration issues, see www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Embassies-responsible-for-migration-matters

For a total stay of less than three months, you should not apply for a residence permit and instead apply for a visa. Citizens of some countries may stay in Sweden for up to three months without a residence permit or visa. During this period, it is permitted to study.

Countries whose citizens must have an entry visa for travel to Sweden (in Swedish) External link, opens in new window.

Read more about applying for a visa under Visiting Sweden

If you travel abroad in connection with your permit expiring and you have applied for an extension, it can be difficult for you to return to Sweden before you have been granted your new permit. You may then need to wait for your new decision outside Sweden.

If you have to travel back to Sweden before that for urgent reasons, it is possible to apply for a national entry visa. With such a visa, you can travel back to Sweden and wait there for your decision on extension. You apply for an entry visa at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in the country where you are located, provided that the authority issues entry visas. Such an application requires that there are special grounds for issuing an entry visa, for example sudden illness, death in the family or important job-related assignments. A decision on a national entry visa cannot be appealed.

You can get a residence permit in Sweden even if you will be staying in another country for part of the permit period, if the stay abroad is part of the study programme that you are admitted to in Sweden. If you are going to another country as a part of the study programme, you should contact the authorities of that country to find out what is required for a stay in that country.

If you have to leave Sweden during semester time for longer than a month for activities that are not part of your study programme, you must contact the unit at the Swedish Migration Agency that granted your residence permit to notify them of this. Longer periods of absence during your ongoing permit period can mean that you are no longer entitled to a residence permit in Sweden. This means that the permit can be withdrawn. A withdrawal of a residence permit does not mean that it will be more difficult for you when you apply for a new permit to continue your studies in Sweden. However, it is important that you apply for a new permit in time before returning to Sweden. You must have the new permit before you return to Sweden.

Contact details of the Swedish Migration Agency’s student units (in Swedish)

Yes, absence from Sweden during the summer holidays does not affect your residence permit in Sweden. If, on the other hand, the planned leave is expected to occur during the spring or autumn semester when you are expected to participate in your education in Sweden, there is a risk that your permit will be revoked.

A doctoral student who is not admitted to studies in Sweden but is invited to study or do research in Sweden as part of an education in another country cannot be granted a residence permit for studies. You can instead apply for a residence permit for visitors. Please note that residence permits for visits are valid for up to one year at the most.

If you are qualified to be a part of a doctoral programme and are selected to conduct research in Sweden, you can apply for a residence permit as a guest researcher.

Read more about residence permit for visits

Read more about residence permits for researchers

Yes, you can. There is no requirement for the bank statement to be from a specific country. The extract should be issued in English or Swedish, or be translated into one of these languages.

It is sufficient if the bank document shows the account balance in the form of cash and cash equivalents, balance date, name of account holder, currency and bank name. Account history is not required, but the Swedish Migration Agency may request account history if necessary in the handling of your case.

If you are applying for a first residence permit for studies and are planning to support yourself with your own bank assets, you must submit your application no earlier than four months before the date from which you are applying for a residence permit. This is so that you will be able to show that you can support yourself in close connection with the beginning of the period of study and so that your documents will not become too old. This does not apply if you will be receiving continuous income, such as a scholarship.

Own bank assets means that you have money in an account that belongs to you and that only you and your possible spouse can withdraw money from it. If you are under the age of 18, your guardians’ accounts may also apply as a basis for your maintenance. Credit, funds or shares do not count as own bank assets. Assets in a microfinance bank are also not approved.

When you apply for an extension of your residence permit for studies and there is still time left on your current residence permit, you need to show that you are able to support yourself for the remaining period of your current permit as well as the new permit period that you apply for. So you must show that you have maintenance from the balance date up until the end date of the requested extension permit.