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Student visa for Sweden
Money to show for the visa: SEK 10,656 a month for applications made in 2026. Work while you study: 15 hours a week in term, unrestricted in June, July and August. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- SEK 10,656 a month for applications made in 2026
- Visa fee
- SEK 1,500
- Work while you study
- 15 hours a week in term, unrestricted in June, July and August
- Stay after you graduate
- Up to 12 months to look for work
For the whole period of the permit, which is granted for one or two years. Tuition must already be paid and does not count towards this.
Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), checked 2026-09-24
Residence permit application fee, not a visa fee. SEK 750 under 18.
Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), checked 2026-09-24
Applies to permits granted on or after 11 June 2026. Before that date there was no weekly cap.
Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), checked 2026-09-24
Up to 18 months after a doctorate. You must apply before your study permit expires.
Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: Since 11 June 2026 term-time work is capped at 15 hours a week and permits need study progress, and tuition must be paid before applying.
The visa
Sweden does not issue a student visa. You apply for a residence permit for studies at higher education from the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), normally online, before you travel. The fee is SEK 1,500 for adults and SEK 750 for under-18s, the same online or on paper.
Pay tuition first. Migrationsverket states you must have paid any tuition fees before applying, and that you are only finally admitted once the fee is paid. Apply without proof of payment and you are applying without the core document.
The money. You must show at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026 (it was SEK 10,584 for 2025 applications), and it must cover the entire period you are applying for. Permits are granted for one or two years depending on the university, never longer than the studies. Scholarships, grants, student loans from home, sponsorship and your own savings all count and can be combined. Bank statements must be issued no more than four months before the date you want the permit to start.
Health insurance. If your studies last less than a year, you need comprehensive private health insurance covering emergency and other medical care, hospitalisation and emergency dental care.
Processing. At the time of checking, Migrationsverket reported that 75% of recent cases were decided within three months. Apply as soon as you have paid the first instalment.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
No student visa is needed: citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland may live and study in Sweden. For more than three months you normally register your residence after you arrive, and show that you are enrolled, insured and can support yourself.
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Sweden that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: migrationsverket.se · migrationsverket.se · migrationsverket.se · studyinsweden.se · kth.se · universityadmissions.se. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
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From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Sweden student visa?
SEK 10,656 a month for applications made in 2026. For the whole period of the permit, which is granted for one or two years. Tuition must already be paid and does not count towards this. (Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for Sweden?
SEK 1,500.
Can international students work in Sweden?
15 hours a week in term, unrestricted in June, July and August.
Can I stay in Sweden after I graduate?
Up to 12 months to look for work.
Do EU citizens need a student visa for Sweden?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live and study in Sweden without a student visa. For a stay of more than three months they normally register their residence after arriving.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.