Extend residence permit for higher education

If you have a residence permit and will continue studying after your permit expires, you must apply to extend it before your current permit expires. Apply no earlier than six months before your current permit expires.

Swedish (svenska)
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Requirements for a residence permit extension

For a permit extension, you must

  • have a valid passport
  • be admitted to full-time studies in a higher education programme, which requires your presence in Sweden
  • have made acceptable progress in your studies
  • be able to support yourself during the time for which you are applying for a residence permit
  • have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy.

Requi­re­ments to use the e-service

In order to use the e-service, you need

  • a copy of your valid passport (read more about how the copies should look)
  • admission decision that shows that you will continue to conduct full-time studies. You can attach a copy of your original admission letter if you have not changed education.
  • certificate from the organiser of higher studies regarding remaining studies, if the studies have taken longer than expected or if you have begun your degree project (checklist for certificates regarding delayed studies Pdf, 567.8 kB, opens in new window.)
  • official grade transcript that shows that you have made acceptable progress in your studies
  • a copy of documents that show that you have, or have applied for, a comprehensive health insurance policy that is valid in Sweden (if you are not registered in Sweden and your combined stay in Sweden will be less than one year)
  • bank account statements that show that you have money for your support for the time for which you are applying for a residence permit, or
    documents issued in your name that show that you have a stipend or the like with information on the monthly amount and the period during which you will receive the money.

Possible to obtain a resi­dence permit for up to two years at certain higher educa­tion insti­tu­tions

The Swedish Migration Agency has signed an agreement with some higher education institutions. This means, among other things, that university students who have to pay a tuition fee at these universities can apply for up to two years of residence permits at a time. This applies both to an initial application and to an extension application.

This applies to students at:

  • the Royal Institute of Technology
  • Lund University
  • Umeå University
  • Blekinge Institute of Technology
  • Chalmers University of Technology
  • University College Stockholm
  • the Swedish School of Sports and Health Science
  • Stockholm School of Economics
  • Dalarna University
  • University of Borås
  • University of Gävle
  • Halmstad University
  • University of Skövde
  • Kristianstad University
  • University West
  • Jönköping University
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • Royal Institute of Art
  • Linnaeus University
  • Malmö University
  • Mid Sweden University
  • Mälardalen University
  • Swedish Red Cross University
  • Stockholm University
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • University of Gothenburg
  • Karlstad University
  • Konstfack
  • Linköping University
  • Stockholm University of the Arts
  • Uppsala University
  • the Swedish Defence University
  • Södertörn University
  • Örebro University.

Remember that you must show that you can support yourself for the entire period for which you are applying for a permit.

Shorter proces­sing time for a complete appli­ca­tion

In order for the Swedish Migration Agency to be able to make a decision in your case, all information must be completed and all necessary documents must be included. This means that the processing time is shorter if everything needed is included from the beginning than if the application needs to be supplemented afterwards.

If you have family who live with you in Sweden, who also need to extend their permits, you apply together in the same online application.

If you have already submitted an application for a residence permit extension, your family member can submit his or her own online application afterwards.

Read more about permits for your family

If your family applies for resi­dence permit exten­sions at the same time, you must send in

  • copies of the pages in your family members’ passports that show personal data, photo, signature, passport number, issuing country, period of validity, entry stamps and if they have permission to live in countries other than their home country (read more about what the passport copies must look like)
  • documents, such as bank account statements, that confirm that the family’s support for living expenses has been arranged. The living expense requirement for the entire period of stay is SEK 4 297,50 per month for a spouse or cohabitating partner SEK 2 578,50 per month for each child.
  • a copy of the marriage certificate or the equivalent (for married couples and registered partners)
  • documents that show that you have lived together, such as civil registration certificates, joint rental contracts or joint purchase evidence for a home (applies to cohabitating partners)
  • birth certificates for children which state the parents’ names
  • consent from the other guardian of children under 18 if the other guardian does not accompanying you to Sweden, or evidence of sole custody. For example, this can be a court decision, or death certificate if the other parent is deceased. The consent must be signed and it should state if the child has permission to stay in Sweden for the time you intend to be here. For joint custody, a copy of the other guardian’s passport or other identification document must also be attached
  • adoption documents if the child is adopted.

If your studies are going according to plan and follow the ordinary study period, you can submit, for example, an admission decision with your application that show that you will continue to conduct full-time studies and are admitted to studies that require your presence on location. If you study in several programmes, you must submit a certificate that shows which courses are left in the respective programme.

If you are to study in a programme other than the one you were admitted to in your previous application, you must send in a new admission decision that shows that you will study full time. If you change to another programme, it is also important that you can show the Swedish Migration Agency that you have paid any tuition fees for the new programme.

If the study programme includes studies abroad

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 for such other activities 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)

Delayed studies

If you have had a residence permit for the ordinary study period and apply for an extended permit to complete your studies outside the ordinary study period, you must also send in a certificate from your supervisor or another person with insight into your studies.

If you have begun your degree project, and it has taken more time than expected, you must also send in a recently issued certificate from your supervisor describing how the work is progressing.

For certificates that concern studies that extend beyond the ordinary study period or a degree project, refer your supervisor or other person concerned to the Swedish Migration Agency’s checklists for certificates regarding extension of a residence permit for studies.

Checklists and examples for study certificates regarding delayed undergraduate or graduate studies Pdf, 567.8 kB, opens in new window.

Are these not the studies you will conduct?

Have you ended up on the wrong webpage? Information about different types of studies and how you apply is available on the focus page for higher studies.

You must also send in an official grade transcript from the higher education provider that shows that you have made acceptable progress in your studies. If you are studying at a university or university college, you can also send in an official grade transcript that shows what course components you have completed. The transcript should contain information on course components of courses taken. For studies at a university, you must have taken 15 credits in the first year of study, 22.5 credits in the second year and 30 credits in the third and subsequent years.

If you have begun your degree project, you must also send in a recently issued certificate from your supervisor describing how the work is progressing. The certificate should state how much of the degree project, estimated as a percentage, that you have completed so far (specifically during the previous permit period). Refer the person who is to issue the certificate to the Swedish Migration Agency’s checklists for certificates regarding applications for extension of residence permits for studies.

If you have not met the requirements for acceptable progress in your studies due to illness or the like, you must turn in a copy of a doctor’s certificate. The doctor’s certificate must describe how your study capacity has been impacted.

Checklists and examples for study certificates regarding delayed undergraduate or graduate studies Pdf, 567.8 kB, opens in new window.

The living expense requirement is:

  • at least SEK 9 450 per month (for those who applied in 2023)
  • at least SEK 10 314 per month (for those who applied after 1 January 2024)

When you apply for an extension of a residence permit for studies, you must be able to show that your support for living expenses is secured. The documents you send in with your application to show that your support for living expenses is secured may not be older than six months unless it concerns continuous income, such as a stipend or scholarship, etc.

You must include a bank account statement or other document that shows that you have money for your support for the entire time for which you are applying for a residence permit. Keep in mind that your support must be secured from the balance date on your bank statement to the end date for the permit period you are applying for. Information on balance, account holder’s name and currency shall be stated by the account statement.

Your own bank assets are money in an account that belongs to you and from which only you and, if any, your spouse can withdraw money. If you are under the age of 18, your guardians’ accounts may also apply as a basis for your living expense support. Credit, funds or shares are not counted as your own bank assets. Assets in a microfinance bank are also not approved.

If you refer to your own bank assets in Iranian rials (IRR), the Swedish Migration Agency uses the same exchange rate as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs uses in visa matters.

If you have received a stipend, scholarship or the like, you must include a document in your name with information on the monthly amount and the time during which you will receive the money. It shall be clear from the document that you will receive funds disbursed during the permit period applied for and how much of the money will be available for your living expenses.

If you support yourself by employment, you must submit wage specifications for the past three months and an employment contract.

If you can show that you receive free accommodation and/or food through the higher education organiser or an organisation that works for international exchange, the amount per month can be reduced. For applications that have been received by the Swedish Migration Agency from 1 January 2024, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 2 865 per month for free food and SEK 4 584 per month for free accommodation. For applications received during 2023, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 2 625 per month for free food and SEK 4 200 per month for free accommodation.

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 can have your passport checked digitally, instead of showing it in person.

Read more about the digital passport check e-service

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.

If your family also applies for a residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency may need to check their passports as well.

If the total continuous period of time for your residence permits in Sweden is more than one year, you can be registered in the national registration. If you are nationally registered in Sweden, you are considered to have a comprehensive health insurance. You then do not need to attach any document to your application.

If the total continuous period of time for your residence permits in Sweden is less than one year, you cannot be registered in the national registration in Sweden. Then you must have, or have applied for, your own insurance. The insurance must be valid for the entire time you will be in Sweden and cover costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospital stays. It must also cover expenses for transportation home for medical reasons.

If you have an insurance policy through the higher education organiser, you can instead attach your admission decision as evidence of health insurance.

Read more about national registration on the Swedish Tax Agency website External link, opens in new window.

Conditions in order to be civilly registered External link, opens in new window.

If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for a residence permit for students – Application to extend, 115011. Send your application to the Swedish Migration Agency, Box 3100, 903 03 Umeå.

Application for a residence permit for students – Application to extend, form 115011 Pdf, 842.1 kB, opens in new window.

Application for a residence permit for family members of students and doctoral students, form 135011 Pdf, 1.8 MB, opens in new window.

In most cases you must pay a fee.

Application fees for residence permits

After you have sent the application

Once you have submitted an extension application, you have the right to stay in Sweden until the Swedish Migration Agency has made its decision.

Time to a deci­sion

In order to obtain an impression how long you need to wait for your decision, you can visit the page Time to a decision. Note that the average time that is shown on the page is calculated based on previously decided cases in the same category. The time can vary from application to application.

Time to a decision

Permit cards

If you are granted a residence permit, you get a residence permit card. The card is a certification that you have permission to be in Sweden and contains your fingerprints and a photo of you, among other information. In order for the permit card to be manufactured, you must first book an appointment to be photographed and submit your fingerprints. You book an appointment on the Swedish Migration Agency website.

If you plan on travelling out of Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency recommends that you wait to book an appointment until after the Swedish Migration Agency has made a decision on an extended residence permit because it will then be possible to choose where the card will be sent. You can also be photographed and submit your fingerprints at a Swedish embassy or a Swedish consulate-general abroad that handles migration matters. Not all embassies or consulates-general have the possibility of taking appointments to photograph you and get your fingerprints. Therefore, always contact the embassy or consulate-general before your visit for more information.

If you previously had a permit card

You need to be photographed and submit your fingerprints even if you previously had a residence permit card because your photo and your fingerprints cannot be saved.

Travel abroad during the proces­sing period

If you travel abroad before you have had your new permit granted, it may be difficult for you to get back into Sweden. You may then need to wait for your new decision outside Sweden. It is also important to be aware that the Swedish Migration Agency no longer grants priority.

Working during the proces­sing period

You continue to have the right to work during the time you are waiting on a decision if you had a residence permit for higher education and submitted your application for extension before your earlier residence permit expired. If you are granted an extended residence permit, you may continue to work alongside your studies.

Read more about applying for a work permit

Read more about residence permits to seek employment or investigate the possibilities of starting your own company

If you are granted a residence permit, the decision will be sent home to your address in Sweden and the permit card is sent home to you within around one week.

The Swedish Migra­tion Agency can revoke a permit

Your permit can be revoked if you provided incorrect information in your application or did not tell about something of significance to your residence permit. The permit can also be revoked if the conditions for the permit are no longer met.

What is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney can be a signed letter in which the person applying for a permit allows another person to represent him or her. A power of attorney can, for example, give someone the right to apply, be informed of the reasons for a decision, or lodge an appeal for someone else. The power of attorney must be signed by the person who gives their power of attorney to another person, and must be presented in the original if required by the Swedish Migration Agency.

  • In order to give another person power of attorney, you will need to send a letter to the Swedish Migration Agency stating
  • that it is a power of attorney
  • the name, date of birth and address of the person giving someone else the power of attorney
  • what the person who has the power of attorney has to do
    the name, personal identity number and address of the person who is given the power of attorney
  • the signature of the person giving someone else the power of attorney
  • the date and place where the power of attorney is signed.

Power of Attorney, form 107011 Pdf, 1.1 MB, opens in new window.

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