Residence permit for studies in higher education

If you are to study at a university, university college, higher vocational education or folk high school at the post-secondary level in Sweden for a period of time longer than three months, you can apply for a residence permit for higher education. This also applies to you if you will study in a mobility programme within the EU and will begin your studies in Sweden. The permit must be issued before you travel to Sweden.

Requi­re­ments for resi­dence permits

For a permit, you must

Requirements to use the e-service

In order to use the e-service, you need

  • copies of your passport that show personal data, signature, 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)
  • admission decision from the higher education organiser in Sweden that shows that you are finally admitted to full-time studies in a programme or courses that require your presence in Sweden
  • 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 admitted to studies for less than one year) If you have an insurance policy through the higher education organiser, you can instead attach your admission decision as evidence of health insurance
  • 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 3,622.50 per month for a spouse or cohabitating partner SEK 2,173.50 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.

Read more about permits for your family

If you are to support yourself with bank assets, you must submit your application no earlier than four 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.

Undergraduate and graduate studies at a university or university college are counted as higher education.

Studies in higher vocational education or studies at a folk high school at a post-secondary level are also counted as higher education. There is a list on studyinsweden.se of which seats of learning are counted as universities and university colleges. There is information on higher vocational education programmes at the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education.

See if your seat of learning counts as a university or university college on studyinsweden.se External link, opens in new window.

See higher vocational education programmes at the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education External link, opens in new window.

There is a list of all courses at Sweden’s folk high schools at www.folkhogskola.nu. The course descriptions state the level of the programme in question. It should be mentioned that the folk high schools also offer studies that are not at the post-secondary level, which are therefore not to be considered higher education studies.

List of all courses at Sweden’s folk high schools External link, opens in new window.

Studies in contract education and studies at the World Maritime University which does not lead to a degree do not count as higher education, but as so-called “other studies”. The same applies to exchange students in upper-secondary school.

Read more about residence permits for other studies

Read more about what applies to you if you intend to study at an upper-secondary school

You must be admitted to full-time studies in a programme or courses that require your presence in higher education in Sweden. You cannot receive a residence permit for studies at a distance.

You must have received final admission to the studies. If you are obliged to pay a tuition fee, you are not considered to have final admission until you have paid the part of the tuition fee that you must pay in advance. If you are to study at a university or university college, they will notify the Swedish Migration Agency when the payment has been made.

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.

Read more about residence permit for visitors

Infor­ma­tion about a pilot project on two-year permits for degree programme students

During the period 16 October 2019 to 31 March 2023 a pilot project in cooperation between the Swedish Migration Agency and five higher education institutions enables students to apply for two-year residence permits for studies.

The higher education institutions taking part in the pilot project are:

  • Jönköping University
  • KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm
  • Linnaeus University
  • Lund University
  • Umeå University.

During this period a student admitted to a multi-year degree programme at any of these higher education institutions is able to apply for a two-year residence permit for studies in Sweden. This providing that all conditions, including the student’s ability to support themselves, are met for the whole of the permit period applied for.

The living expense requirement for you as an applicant in 2021 is at least SEK 8,568 per month. For applications received by the Swedish Migration Agency on or after 1 January 2022, the living expense requirement is at least SEK 8,694 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 bank assets, stipends or the like, such as student finance from your home country.

If you are to support yourself with bank assets, you must submit your application no earlier than four 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 a stipend or scholarship.

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.

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.

Fees for residence permits for 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 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 2021, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1 666 per month for free food and SEK 1 666 per month for free housing. For applications received on or after 1 January 2022, the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1,690.50 per month for free food and SEK 1,690.50 per month for free housing.

 Example of the maintenance requirement 2022

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 52,164 kronor (6 x SEK 8,694)

SEK 21,735 (6 x SEK 3,622.50)

SEK 13,041 (6 x SEK 2,173.50)

12 months

SEK 104,328 (12 x SEK 8 694)

SEK 43,470 (12 x SEK 3,622.50)

SEK 26,082 (12 x SEK 2,173.50)

13 months

SEK 113,022 (13 x SEK 8 694)

SEK 47,092.50 (13 x SEK 3,622.50)

SEK 28,255.50 (13 x 2,173.50)


The Swedish Migration Agency must check your passport before a decision can be made. You may therefore need to show your passport at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general if you are outside Sweden, or one of the Migration Agency's service centres if you are in Sweden.

In some cases, you will not be required to show 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 you need an entry visa or residence permit card to travel to Sweden, you will in most cases have your fingerprints taken and be photographed when you show your passport at an embassy or consulate-general.

If your family also applies for a residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency must check their passports as well. The requirement to show your passport in person does not apply to children under the age of five, it is sufficient that the parent brings the child's passport to the visit. However, if the child needs a residence permit card, they must come along to be photographed for it.

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 External link, opens in new window.

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

A first-time application for a residence permit must be made while you are outside Sweden, otherwise your application may be rejected. In some cases, you may be able to apply for a residence permit while you are in Sweden with another valid Swedish residence permit. In the test, you can find out what applies to you.

Can I apply for a residence permit without leaving Sweden?

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, 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 113011 Pdf, 2 MB, opens in new window.

Application for a residence permit for family members of students and doctoral students, form 135011 Pdf, 849.4 kB, opens in new window.

Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.

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

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.

Time to decision

In order to obtain an impression how long you need to wait for your decision, you can visit the page Time to 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 decision

If you change your mind and no longer want to apply

If you want to withdraw your application, you must say so in a written letter to the Swedish Migration Agency. In the letter, you must state your name, date of birth, personal identity number (if you have one) and your case number. Also state your telephone number and address so that the Swedish Migration Agency can reach you if we have any questions. You must sign the letter. If you have given a power of attorney to someone, that person can withdraw the application on your behalf.

If you applied online, you will receive an email that the decision has been made.

You can then contact the embassy or consulate-general 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 consulates-general send out the decision and the permit card in the post. Contact the embassy or consulate-general for more information.

Resi­dence permit card

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 or when you showed your passport, you must visit the embassy or consulate-general so that a permit card can be made for you. This also applies for your family is they apply together with you. 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. When you visit the embassy, you must bring your passport with you.

Countries whose citizens require an entry visa for travel to Sweden External link, opens in new window.

Swedish embassies and consulates-general External link, opens in new window.

When the card is ready, the embassy or consulate-general 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 consulate-general 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.

Information on residence permit card – print it out and bring it with you on your trip (in Swedish and English) Pdf, 125.4 kB, opens in new window.

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.

Book an appointment at the Swedish Migration Agency to submit fingerprints and be photographed if you can travel to Sweden without a visa

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 one year 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

If a study programme includes studies abroad

One of the requirements for getting a residence permit in Sweden is that your studies require you to be in Sweden for the whole of your study period. If you are planning to go to another country for an exchange term, you should contact the authorities of that country to find out what is required for a stay in that country. You must also contact the unit at the Swedish Migration Agency that granted your residence permit to notify them of your exchange term.

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

If you go on an exchange during your ongoing permit period, you are no longer entitled to a residence permit in Sweden. This means 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.

Doctoral students may be exempt from the requirement to be in Sweden for the whole of their permit period.

Read more about what applies to doctoral students under the heading "You must be admitted to full-time studies"

Mobility studies also enable you to get a permit for the whole of your study period even if you do studies in another EU country. Read more under the heading “If you intend to begin your study programme in Sweden and do part of your studies in Sweden as a mobility student”, further up on this page.

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. External link, opens in new window.

To be registered in the social insurance system, contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan. External link, opens in new window.

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.

For questions about health care, contact the region where you live. Find healthcare in the whole of the country on 1177 Healthcare Service Guide. External link, opens in new window.

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. External link, opens in new window.

If you are looking for a job you can register with the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen. External link, opens in new window.

The Swedish Pensions Agency External link, opens in new window. 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 External link, opens in new window. or studera.nu. External link, opens in new window.

For questions about student loans and grants, contact CSN. External link, opens in new window.

For questions concerning driving licenses, visit the Swedish Transport Agency. External link, opens in new window.

For questions about the right to vote, contact the Election Authority, Valmyndigheten. External link, opens in new window.

Information from the Swedish National Agency for Education about the Swedish education system can be found at Skolverket. External link, opens in new window.

Information about society in Sweden can be found in a number of languages at informationsverige.se. External link, opens in new window.

For more information on society in Sweden visit the website of the Swedish Institute. External link, opens in new window.

Hej hej Sverige! External link, opens in new window. has simple and inspiring films about how Sweden works.

On the page Learn Swedish on www.informationsverige.se, External link, opens in new window. you will find links to several programmes for learning Swedish on your own.

The information service at the Swedish Consumer Agency External link, opens in new window. can answer your questions about buying goods and services and about contract terms and conditions.

You will receive an email stating that a decision has been made.

You must contact the embassy or consulate-general to get your decision, and possibly book an appointment for this. When you come to collect your decision, you must bring your passport.

If the Swedish Migration Agency rejects your application, it means you are not entitled to a residence permit for Sweden. You may lodge an appeal against the decision within three weeks of the date when you received notification of the decision. Information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in your decision. If you have given someone a power of attorney document that authorises him/her to represent you, this person is able to lodge an appeal on your behalf.

Read more about how to appeal

If you are still in Sweden when your application is rejected, you must leave the country within the timescale given in the decision.

Read more about what you need to know if you have had your application rejected and are still in Sweden

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