Higher education in Sweden is among the best in the world. The Nordic country has an excellent system, which places more emphasis on group and independent study rather than lectures. Freedom and responsibility are the key values that support the development of students.
The number of international students enrolled at Swedish universities and colleges is constantly growing, and the percentage of those who are admitted is above half. If you want to be one of those students, you should first know more about the costs of studying and living in Sweden.
1. University tuition fees in Sweden for EU/EEA students
In Swedish public universities, students who are citizens of the EU/EEA, other Nordic countries, and Switzerland do not have to pay any tuition for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. PhD courses are free for all international students, regardless of their country of origin.
Tuition for non-EU/EEA students
Students from non-EU/EEA countries pay tuition fees. The costs range between 7,500 – 25,500 EUR/year depending on the study programme and university. Business and Architecture are some of the most expensive courses.
Non-EU/EEA citizens also have to pay a university application fee, which is around 90 EUR and may vary depending on the institution.
Related:
List of University in Sweden
Prepare to apply
In Sweden, not all Master’s degrees have the same application requirements. Depending on the programme you wish to follow and the university, each list can either contain a specific document or proof of skill. For instance, a Master’s degree in Engineering will ask for a completed Math Master’s degree in Sciences.
Where to apply for a Swedish Master’s degree?
The UniversityAdmission.se website will be your definitive guide through the application. You can apply to all credited universities in Sweden, but never forget to check for eligibility and the required documents, seeing how they can either make or break your dream of studying abroad.
You can either go on the official page of your Master’s programme, or you can find the Swedish course that suits you directly on the homepage.
Language requirements for a Swedish university application
English is a must-have in Sweden, seeing how many Master’s programmes are taught in it. Usually, the degrees will ask for the equivalent of English 6 / English B course, but this may vary, so you should definitely check your programme for details.
You won’t necessarily need an English test. There are two more language requirements you could meet, that will consider your proficiency sufficient. These are:
- English-taught high school studies
- English-taught university studies
Required application documents
The general application requirement consists of a Kandidatexamen, known as a Swedish Bachelor’s degree, from an internationally recognized university. The specific entry requirements can consist of two sets of documents:
- English test
- Custom requirements from each Master’s programme
The English certificate should be from an Internationally recognised test and past the minimum required grade. The tests you can submit to your application are:
- TOEFL iBT
- IELTS
- Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments
- Pearson PTE Academic
- Cambridge English Language Assessment (C1 Advanced)
The custom requirements can be found on the page of your choice Master’s degree, so don’t forget to get the proper documentation and do the proper research before the deadline. However, some of the usual required documents are:
- Identification document
- Record of completed upper secondary (high school) education (translated into English)
- University records (translated into English)
- Signed Cover Letter (only when submitting documents via regular post)
- Change of name (if you legally changed your name, only)
University application deadlines for Sweden
Sweden is one of the countries that offer two admissions rounds: one in autumn and one in the spring.
The first round of admissions, autumn, has a number of key dates. These are:
- mid-October: Online service opens
- mid-January: Admission application deadline
- February: Fee receipt or proof you don’t need to pay deadline
- February: Receipt for supporting documentation deadline
- March: First notification of selection
- April: Last date to respond to the study offer
- April: Second notification of selection
- September: Autumn semester starts
For the second round of admissions, in spring, the dates are as follows:
- beginning of June: Online service opens
- mid-August: Admission application deadline
- beginning of September: Fee receipt or proof you don’t need to pay deadline
- beginning of September: Receipt for supporting documentation deadline
- mid-October: First notification of selection
- end of October: Last date to respond to the offer
- November: Second notification of selection
- January: Spring semester starts
2. Average student living costs in Sweden
Living costs for students in Sweden are above the European average. You should expect to spend between 700 – 1,200 EUR/month.
Check the average living costs for these student cities in Sweden:
- Gothenburg and Stockholm: around 1,250 EUR/month
- Linkoping and Lund: around 850 EUR/month
- Uppsala: between 750 and 1,200 EUR/month
3. Accommodation costs
The best place to start looking for accommodation is your university. It often provides useful information or helps you get in touch with the organizations that manage student residence halls (or dormitories).
Dormitories are great because you get to meet both local and other international students. It’s easy to make friends and find people with similar interests. Prices range between 240 – 620 EUR/month.
The second option is renting or sharing an apartment. You can pay anywhere between 350 and 700 EUR/month. Although it is more expensive than a student room, you can choose where you live, and you can share a large apartment with other students. This is a great way to reduce your expenses and avoid feeling lonely, especially if it’s your first time living abroad.
4. Food costs
What about food costs in Sweden? Expect to pay around 200 EUR for food every month. This depends on your eating habits, whether you cook or not, and so on. You can reduce your expenses if you buy groceries from affordable supermarkets, like Lidl, Willy’s, or stores from the city suburbs.
Eating in a Swedish restaurant will cost you 8 – 10 EUR. A three-course meal for two, in an average restaurant, costs around 45 – 65 EUR. A light drink in a bar with your colleagues will cost 6 EUR.
5. Transportation costs
In Sweden, public transport in highly appreciated among students; around 40% of them use it to get to university and other locations in the city. Public transportation fares for students cost around 40 – 55 EUR/month.
You can also choose a bicycle for transport and pay around 110 EUR for it. Around 27% of students in Sweden use bicycles to travel in the city.
6. Extra costs
- Books and other study materials: 80 EUR/month
- Social activities and entertainment: 70 – 100 EUR/month
- Health insurance: rates start at 30 EUR/month
Related:
Cost of Living in Sweden