Residence permit for doctoral studies
If you are to conduct doctoral studies in Sweden for a period of time longer than three months, you can apply for a residence permit for higher education. The permit must be issued before you travel to Sweden.
Requirements for residence permits
For a permit, you must
- have a valid passport
- have been admitted to full-time doctoral studies that require your presence in higher education in Sweden (read more about studies in Sweden at studyinsweden.se
) - 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
- copies of your passport that show personal data, period of validity and if you have permission to live in countries other than your home country (read more about what the copies must look like)
- formal decision on admission as a doctoral student, with information on the date for admission
- a supplementary certificate regarding the doctoral studies, issued by the university. For these certificates, you can refer the university to the Swedish Migration Agency’s checklist. Checklists and examples of certificates of enrolment for third-cycle studies (doctoral 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 you are admitted to studies for less than one year)
- documents that show that you have received a doctoral grant or employment as a doctoral candidate with information on the amount and the time during which you will receive the money (an employment agreement for two years is not required if the annual salary covers the living expense requirement for a period of two years), or
an account statement that verifies that you have sufficient funds for your living expenses. If permission from a central bank or the equivalent is required to take out the money from your country, you must include such a permit, or
documents issued in your name that show that you have been granted a stipend or the like with information on the monthly amount and the period during which you will receive the money - be able to pay a possible fee for the application with a credit card or charge card (fees for residence permits for studies).
If your family is accompanying you to Sweden, you can apply for permits for them at the same time in your online application. Your family can also apply for permits at a later date. In the application, your family must include
- 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 copies must look like)
- documents, such as bank account statements, that confirm that the family’s support for living expenses has been arranged for the time in Sweden. The living expense requirement for the entire period of stay is SEK 3,500 per month for a spouse or cohabitating partner SEK 2,100 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 you are to support yourself with bank assets, you must submit your application no earlier than three months before the date you are applying for a residence permit from. This is because you need to be able to show that you can support yourself close to the beginning of the study time and that your documents will not get too old. This does not apply if you will receive regular income, such as a scholarship.
You must be admitted to a doctoral programme that requires your presence in Sweden. You cannot receive a residence permit for studies at a distance.
If you have been admitted as a doctoral student, you must include the university’s formal decision on admission, with information on the date for admission. You also need to include a supplementary certificate regarding the doctoral studies, issued by the university. For these certificates, you can refer the university to the Swedish Migration Agency’s checklist.
Checklist for certificates regarding an initial residence permit for doctoral studies
If you are to study in Sweden as a part of your education in another country, you cannot receive a residence permit for studies if you have not been admitted to a programme in Sweden. You can instead apply for a residence permit for visitors. If you have qualification to a doctoral programme and are selected to conduct research in Sweden, you can apply for a residence permit as a researcher.
Read more about visitor permits
Read more about residence permits for researchers
Doctoral students who will stay in both Sweden and another country
If you are a doctoral student and you will interchangeably stay both in Sweden and in another country during your studies (according to the so-called sandwich model), you can receive a residence permit for up to two years at a time. You must then spend at least half of the time in Sweden during the permit period applied for.
A continuous stay abroad of up to one fourth of the permit period can be accepted. For a residence permit that is valid for two years, a continuous stay abroad of up to six months can be accepted. For a residence permit that is valid for one year, a continuous stay abroad of up to three months can be accepted. You must show that there is a clear structure for the studies. You must therefore submit a certificate, issued by your supervisor in Sweden, that shows how you will divide your time between Sweden and other countries during the permit period applied for. If your studies begin or end in a country other than Sweden, you will not receive a residence permit for these periods.
For these certificates, you can refer the university to the Swedish Migration Agency’s checklist.
Checklists and examples of certificates of enrolment for third-cycle studies (doctoral studies)
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.
The living expense requirement for you as an applicant in 2019 is at least SEK 8,370 per month. For applications received by the Swedish Migration Agency on or after 1 January 2020, the living expense requirement is at least SEK 8,514 per month.
You must show that you have secured your financial support for the time for which you are applying for a residence permit. This means that you must show that you have money available through salary, a stipend or bank assets.
Fees for residence permits for studies
If you are a doctoral student and will receive a doctoral grant or salary for employment as a doctoral candidate, this shall be indicated by an employment certificate or certificate of enrolment. The certificate of enrolment is issued by the university; see checklist for certificates regarding an initial residence permit for doctoral studies
Checklist for certificates regarding an initial residence permit for doctoral studies
If you will receive a stipend or the like, you must send a recently issued document in your name with information on the monthly amount or total amount. It shall also be clear from the document what time you will receive funds disbursed and how much of the money will be available for your living expenses.
If you are to support yourself with bank assets, you must submit your application no earlier than three months before the date from which you apply 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 have time to become to old. This does not apply if you will receive continuous income, such as salary, a stipend or scholarship.
If you can show that you receive free housing 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 in 2019, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1,627.50 per month for free food and SEK 1,627.50 per month for free housing. For applications received on or after 1 January 2020, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1,655.50 per month for free food and SEK 1,655.50 per month for free housing.
Permit validity period | You must have at least | Your husband, wife or cohabiting partner must have at least | Support requirement per child |
|---|---|---|---|
6 months | SEK 51,084 kronor (6 x SEK 8,514) | SEK 21,000 (6 x SEK 3,500) | SEK 12,600 (6 x SEK 2,100) |
12 months | SEK 102,168 (12 x SEK 8,514) | SEK 42,000 (12 x SEK 3,500) | SEK 25,200 (12 x SEK 2,100) |
13 months | SEK 110,682 (13 x SEK 8,514) | SEK 45,500 (13 x SEK 3,500) | SEK 27,300 (13 x 2,100) |
If you are nationally registered in Sweden, you are considered to have a comprehensive health insurance. If you have been admitted to studies for less than one year, you will not be nationally registered in Sweden. If you then do not have insurance through the higher education provider, you must be insured by having or having 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.
Read more about national registration on the Swedish Tax Agency website
If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for a residence permit for students - First-time applicants, number 113011, and submit it 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.
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 your family is accompanying you to Sweden, each family member must submit their own application.
Application for a residence permit for students - First-time applicants, form number 113011
Application by co-applicants to students and doctoral students, form number 135011
Swedish embassies and consulates-general
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.
After you have sent the application
If you applied online, you will receive an e-mail that the decision has been made.
You can then contact the embassy or general consulate to receive the decision and possibly book an appointment to collect it. When you collect your decision, you must bring your passport with you. Some embassies and general consulates send out the decision and the permit card in the post. Contact the embassy or general consulate for more information.
Residence permit cards
If you receive a residence permit for more than three months, you will receive 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.
Read more about residence permit cards
If you need an entry visa to travel to Sweden
If you need an entry visa to travel to Sweden and were not photographed and submitted fingerprints when you applied, you must visit the embassy or general consulate so that a permit card can be made for you. Not all embassies or general consulates have the possibility of taking appointments to photograph you and get your fingerprints. Therefore, always contact the embassy or general consulate before your visit for more information. When you visit the embassy, you must bring your passport with you.
Countries whose citizens require an entry visa for travel to Sweden
Swedish embassies and consulates-general
When the card is ready, the embassy or general consulate will hand out or send it to you. Note that it can take up to four weeks after you have received your decision to manufacture the card and deliver it to the embassy or general consulate on condition that you have already taken a photo and submitted fingerprints. When you travel into Sweden, you must present the card together with a valid passport.
It is not possible to shorten the time for manufacture and delivery of the card. Once an order of the card has been made, it is also not possible to change where the card will be sent.
If you can travel without an entry visa
If you can travel to Sweden without an entry visa, you may need to present a copy of the decision when you travel in. You may also need to demonstrate the document regarding Information about residence permit card together with the decision when you leave the country.
As soon as you can after arriving in Sweden, you must book an appointment at the Swedish Migration Agency to submit fingerprints and be photographed. When you visit the Swedish Migration Agency, you must bring your passport with you. When the residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to your address in Sweden. It is therefore important that you can provide the address in Sweden when you visit the Swedish Migration Agency to submit fingerprints and be photographed.
It is not possible to shorten the time for manufacture and delivery of the card. Once an order of the card has been made, it is also not possible to change where the card will be sent.
How long the permit is valid
You can receive a residence permit for the time your studies require, but never longer than the validity of your passport. Even if you have been admitted to several years’ studies, you can usually receive a residence permit for a maximum of two years at a time. If you will continue to stay in Sweden after your permit has expired, you must submit an application for a new residence permit. You should apply for the new residence permit before the current permit expires
As a student in a mobility programme within the EU, you can receive a residence permit for the entire programme. As a mobility student, your residence permit card will be marked with the programme’s name.
Read more about extending a residence permit
You are permitted to work
If you have received a residence permit for higher education, you also have the right to work in Sweden during the same time that you have a residence permit. You do not need to have a separate work permit. If you have had a residence permit for higher education and apply for an extension within the period of validity, you still have the right to work until a decision has been made or a possible decision of expulsion has gained legal force. If you seek employment, you should take copies with you of documents that show that you have the right to be and work in Sweden. Also bring your residence permit card. The employer wants to know how long you have a right to work in Sweden and if there are any limitations in your permit. Anyone employing you wants a copy of the documents and will inform the Swedish Tax Agency that you have been employed.
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, such as if you are no longer studying.
Information for persons arriving in Sweden with a residence permit
Do not forget to save your residence permit decision. It will be useful when contacting various national authorities and organisations.
To register as living in Sweden and obtain a Swedish personal identity number, contact the Swedish Tax Agency, Skatteverket.
To be registered in the social insurance system, contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan.
Some municipalities have municipal housing agencies where you can look for accommodation. The municipality can also give you advice on private landlords.
The municipality in which you live will offer child care and schooling for children.
If you have come to Sweden as a refugee, you may able to apply for a loan to equip your home. www.csn.se/hemutrustningslan
For questions about health care, contact the region where you live. Find healthcare in the whole of the country on 1177 Healthcare Service Guide.
For questions about learning Swedish for Immigrants (SFI), contact the municipality you live in. See also the website of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
If you are looking for a job you can register with the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen.
The Swedish Pensions Agency has information in Swedish about income support for the elderly for those who come to Sweden late in life and have a low or no pension.
For information about studying at colleges or universities, see Universityadmissions.se or studera.nu.
For questions about student loans and grants, contact CSN.
For questions concerning driving licenses, visit the Swedish Transport Agency.
For questions about the right to vote, contact the Election Authority, Valmyndigheten.
Information from the Swedish National Agency for Education about the Swedish education system can be found at Skolverket.
Information about society in Sweden can be found in a number of languages at informationsverige.se.
For more information on society in Sweden visit the website of the Swedish Institute.
Hej hej Sverige! has simple and inspiring films about how Sweden works.
On the page Learn Swedish on www.informationsverige.se, you will find links to several programmes for learning Swedish on your own.
The information service at the Swedish Consumer Agency can answer your questions about buying goods and services and about contract terms and conditions.