A Swedish bachelor's degree takes three years (180 ECTS credits). For non-EU students it costs, for example, $12,040 a year at the JIBS business school and about $18,050 a year for Biomedicine at Karolinska Institutet. English-taught bachelor's programmes are few: Lund University offers 10 and Uppsala University 9. A Russian, Kazakh, Belarusian or Uzbek school-leaving certificate is accepted directly, without a foundation year, provided the subject and English requirements are met. The hard part is timing: autumn applications close on 15 January and only final school grades count in the selection, so a 2027 school leaver will most likely start in August 2028.
Below: where English-taught bachelor's programmes are, how your school certificate is compared with Swedish courses, what to do with the extra year, and what it all costs.
| At a glance | Bachelor's in Sweden |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 years, 180 credits (60 a year) |
| Language | mostly Swedish; limited choice in English |
| General requirements | completed upper secondary school, English 6 level, Mathematics 1 level |
| Russian school certificate | meets the general requirement; school English counts only if studied at profile level and graduation was in 2008 or later |
| Entrance exams | usually none; selection by school grade average |
| Applying for autumn 2028 (2027 school leavers) | expected mid-October 2027 to mid-January 2028 |
| Tuition for non-EU students | e.g. $12,040 (SEK 120,000) a year at JIBS, about $13,040 a year at Lund (International Business) |
| Scholarships | few: Lund Global Scholarship for four programmes, Axel Adler at Gothenburg |
Where to find English-taught bachelor's programmes
Most Swedish bachelor's programmes are taught in Swedish, so the list of options at this level is much shorter than for master's degrees. Examples from official sites (where no intake is given, the fee is the one published as of 30 September 2026):
| University | English-taught options | Tuition for non-EU students |
|---|---|---|
| Lund University | 10 programmes: Biomedicine, Development Studies, Economy and Society, Fine Arts, International Business, Mathematics, Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Physics and two music programmes | International Business, autumn 2027: $39,120 (SEK 390,000) for 3 years; first payment $6,520 |
| Uppsala University | 9 international programmes, most at the Visby campus on Gotland | stated on each programme page |
| Jönköping University | international business programmes at JIBS; engineering programmes too, with the language shown on each page | 2027/28: JIBS $12,040 (SEK 120,000) a year; School of Engineering $17,050 (SEK 170,000) a year |
| Karolinska Institutet | Biomedicine | 2026/27 intake: $54,160 (SEK 540,000) for 3 years; $9,030 (SEK 90,000) per semester |
| Stockholm School of Economics | economics and business | $36,110 (SEK 360,000) per programme (rate as of September 2026) |
At KTH and Chalmers, bachelor's teaching is almost entirely in Swedish; their English-taught programmes are at master's level. To see the full list for your year, filter the universityadmissions.se search by Bachelor's and English. For an overview by field, see universities in Sweden.
Is your school certificate enough?
Yes, for the general requirement. University Admissions lists the Russian attestat o srednem obshchem obrazovanii with its transcript as meeting it; college graduates submit their diploma and final grades. Kazakh, Belarusian and Uzbek certificates are accepted too. Three things are then checked.
English. English 6 means IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the new scale, or an equivalent. For Russian school leavers, school English counts only if it was studied at profile level, graduation was in 2008 or later and the profile appears on the document. For Kazakhstan, Belarus and Uzbekistan, school English never counts, whatever the grade.
Mathematics. Anyone who finished school after 2009 needs Mathematics 1, which a regular school course covers. Economics, science and engineering programmes ask for more: Lund's International Business requires Mathematics 3b/3c (polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions, derivatives and slopes) and Social Studies 1b. For Mathematics 4 and 5, University Admissions warns that you usually need specialised maths, and even that may not suffice.
Subject courses. Swedish school courses are numbered by level; the higher the number, the deeper the study. General "natural sciences" courses sit below separate physics, chemistry and biology. The comparison with your country's curriculum is an estimate, and University Admissions makes the final call from your documents.
If a specific requirement is not met, university results can help: they cannot replace your school certificate, but they count towards subject requirements, so a maths course from a first year at a home university is worth uploading.
Timing: why school leavers lose a year
University Admissions advises final-year school students not to apply for the same autumn: selection happens in April, and without final grades you cannot compete. Lund University is stricter: you can apply for a bachelor's programme only after receiving your final certificate, with no conditional admission.
For a non-EU student finishing school in June 2027, the realistic calendar is:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| June 2027 | receive the certificate; get a certified translation |
| By autumn 2027 | take IELTS or TOEFL if your school English is not profile-level |
| Mid-October 2027 – mid-January 2028 | apply on universityadmissions.se (exact dates are published for each round; for autumn 2027 they were 16 October – 15 January) |
| Early February 2028 | pay the $90 (SEK 900) fee and upload documents |
| Early April 2028 | results |
| April–May 2028 | pay the first semester and apply for the residence permit |
| Late August 2028 | studies start |
The second, national round with July decisions does not work for non-EU applicants: the permit is unlikely to be ready in time. A spring start is possible, but few programmes begin in January and there are no scholarships for spring. The full process is in applying to Swedish universities.
Making the most of the gap year
- English. You need the certificate by February. IELTS is valid for two years, but University Admissions accepts older results that can still be verified online.
- Maths. A year at a home university with calculus or algebra can help with specific requirements.
- A pathway programme. Jönköping University runs a Pathway programme (English from IELTS 5.0, plus school maths and other subjects) at its Gränna campus. The one-year Pathway General costs $23,270 (SEK 232,000) on the university's price list as of September 2026, of which $10,630 (SEK 106,000) is board and lodging with half-board. If you apply for the Pathway and a JU bachelor's programme together, JU pre-assesses the degree application and reserves a place for you, provided you complete the Pathway and meet the remaining requirements. The Pathway certificate counts as English 6.
- Budget and payment route. The first semester must be paid before the permit application.
How bachelor's applicants are selected
There are no entrance exams as such. University Admissions converts your school grade average into a merit rating from 10 to 22.5 and fills places from the top within each selection group; some universities have separate groups for fee-paying students. Most programmes do not ask for motivation letters or references; Lund does not consider them at all, except for music and fine arts.
You can choose up to eight courses and programmes but be offered places worth at most 45 credits. Rank them in true order of preference: the system works down the list and deletes what exceeds the limit.
What a bachelor's degree in Sweden costs
Tuition over three years varies:
| Programme | Per year | For 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| JIBS, Jönköping University (2027/28) | $12,040 (SEK 120,000) | about $36,110 |
| International Business, Lund (autumn 2027) | about $13,040 | $39,120 (SEK 390,000) |
| Biomedicine, Karolinska Institutet (2026/27 intake) | about $18,050 (SEK 180,000) | $54,160 (SEK 540,000) |
Living costs at the Migration Agency's 2026 rate are $1,070 (SEK 10,656) a month, about $12,830 a year. With living costs at that rate, the three programmes above come to roughly $74,580–92,640 over three years, excluding flights, fees and insurance. A detailed budget is in the cost of studying in Sweden.
Bachelor's scholarships are scarce: Lund University Global Scholarship covers four programmes (Development Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Physical Geography), and the University of Gothenburg's Axel Adler Scholarship is open to international bachelor's programmes. Neither the Swedish Institute nor KTH funds bachelor's studies; the full comparison is in our guide to scholarships in Sweden.
If you are under 18 when applying
The Migration Agency's online application is only for adults. At 17 you apply on a paper form at a Swedish embassy; in Moscow the migration section accepts forms during its reception hours. There is one advantage: for applicants under 18, a guardian's account can count towards the funds requirement, while adult students need an account in their own name. Other requirements are in the Swedish residence permit for studies guide.
After the bachelor's
A Swedish kandidatexamen qualifies you for master's studies in Sweden and elsewhere. Graduates who have completed a whole programme of at least two semesters can apply, before their study permit expires, for a permit of up to one year to look for work or explore starting a business. During studies, under the new rules, you may work at most 15 hours a week in term time and without limit in summer.
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying in your final school year and hoping to add the certificate later.
- Picking KTH or Chalmers for an English-taught bachelor's without checking the teaching language.
- Assuming university grades can replace your school certificate.
- Taking IELTS General Training instead of Academic.
- Overlooking the maths level: without Mathematics 3b/3c, economics programmes are closed.
- Sending the certificate without the grade transcript or without a certified translation.
FAQ
Yes. A Russian school certificate meets the general requirement without a foundation year. You still need to meet the programme's specific requirements, such as maths level, and show English at English 6 level through a test or profile-level school English.
For non-EU students, the programmes in this guide cost $12,040–18,050 a year: $12,040 at JIBS, about $13,040 for International Business at Lund, about $18,050 for Biomedicine at Karolinska Institutet. Add around $12,830 a year for living costs.
Yes, but the choice is limited. Lund University (10 programmes), Uppsala University (9, mostly in Visby), Jönköping University, Karolinska Institutet and the Stockholm School of Economics offer English-taught bachelor's degrees. Most Swedish bachelor's programmes are taught in Swedish.
Bachelor's selection takes place in April based on final grades, which final-year students do not yet have. University Admissions therefore recommends applying in the next cycle, and Lund accepts applications only with a completed certificate. The later round is not an option for non-EU students because of permit timelines.
Not for English-taught programmes, where English 6 is enough. Swedish-taught programmes, the majority, require proof of Swedish. Everyday Swedish helps with part-time work, as many student jobs in shops and cafés require it.
Some universities run their own paid preparatory programmes. Jönköping University's Pathway, for instance, raises English (from IELTS 5.0) and school maths; the one-year option with accommodation costs about $23,270. On successful completion, the university accepts it as English 6.
Sources
- University Admissions: bachelor's requirements, English, Russia instructions, rounds and advice for school leavers, autumn 2027 dates, selection, ranking; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Lund University: English-taught bachelor's, International Business, Global Scholarship; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Uppsala University: bachelor's studies; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Jönköping University: 2027/28 fees, Pathway and Pathway fees; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Karolinska Institutet: fees, Stockholm School of Economics, University of Gothenburg: Axel Adler; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Swedish Migration Agency: study permit, e-service from age 18, funds for minors, work, looking for work after studies; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Embassy of Sweden in Moscow: paper applications; checked 30 Sept 2026
- Converted at the ECB rate for 29 Sept 2026 (€1 = $1.1355; €1 = SEK 11.3210; SEK 1 ≈ $0.1003), rounding to $1 below $100 and $10 above.
Shortlisting English-taught bachelor's programmes, checking your school certificate against requirements and preparing the application are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university decides on admission, University Admissions assesses documents, and the Swedish Migration Agency decides on the residence permit.
Next steps
- Applying to Swedish Universities: Process, Documents and 2027 Deadlines
- Scholarships in Sweden for International Students: Who Qualifies and How to Apply
- Cost of Studying in Sweden: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget
- Swedish Residence Permit for Studies: Requirements, Funds and Steps for Russian and CIS Applicants
- Universities in Sweden for International Students: Types, Fees and How to Choose
- Master's Degrees in Sweden in English: Requirements, Costs and How to Choose
