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Cost of Studying in Sweden: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget

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Studying in Sweden is fee-based for citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The official Study in Sweden portal puts annual tuition at $8,020–32,100 (SEK 80,000–320,000): humanities and social sciences at the lower end, engineering and sciences higher, architecture and design highest. On top of that come living costs: for a residence permit, the Swedish Migration Agency requires at least $1,070 (SEK 10,656) for each month of the permit, about $12,830 (SEK 127,872) a year. For example, Lund's one-year Master's in Management comes to about $29,110 including living costs and fees, and a two-year KTH engineering master's to about $64,510.

Below: what the total is made of, what specific universities charge, how payment works, and where you can realistically save.

Cost item Amount When
Application fee (universityadmissions.se) $90 (SEK 900) per application semester by 1 February 2027 for autumn 2027
Tuition usually $8,020–32,100 (SEK 80,000–320,000) per year per semester in advance; the first before the permit application
Residence permit fee $150 (SEK 1,500); child $75 (SEK 750) on application; non-refundable
Living funds for the permit (2026 rate) $1,070 (SEK 10,656) per month shown on your account before applying
Health insurance required if studies last under a year; often provided by the university before applying for the permit
Course books about $75 (SEK 750) a month, per Study in Sweden during studies
Panorama of the old town with spires on an island across wide water
View of Gamla Stan in Stockholm from Södermalm. Photo: Holger Ellgaard / source, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Tuition ranges by field

Each university sets fees per programme, so Swedish tuition is a range rather than a price list. Study in Sweden's guide per academic year:

Field SEK per year USD per year
Social sciences and humanities 80,000–135,000 $8,020–13,540
Technology and natural sciences 140,000–185,000 $14,040–18,560
Architecture and design 210,000–320,000 $21,060–32,100
National average about 160,000 about $16,050

Only non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens pay both fees. Exemptions include holders of a Swedish permanent residence permit or a temporary permit granted for reasons other than studies, exchange students and doctoral students. A student residence permit does not exempt you.

What specific universities charge

Figures from official university pages; where no intake is given, the amount is the one published as of 30 September 2026. Most are totals for the whole programme, split into semester instalments.

University and programme Length and intake Amount Instalment
Lund University, Master's in Management 1 year, autumn 2027 $16,050 (SEK 160,000) in total first payment $8,020 (SEK 80,000)
Lund University, Bachelor's in International Business 3 years, autumn 2027 $39,120 (SEK 390,000) in total first payment $6,520 (SEK 65,000)
Uppsala University, master's programmes per semester, 2026/27 intake $4,960–9,030 (SEK 49,500–90,000) —
Uppsala University, Master's in Computer Science 2 years, 2026/27 intake $30,090 (SEK 300,000) first payment $7,520 (SEK 75,000)
KTH, most two-year master's programmes 2 years, 2027/28 intake $38,620 (SEK 385,000) —
Stockholm University per year, 2026/27 intake $9,030 (SEK 90,000) humanities, social sciences, law; $14,040 (SEK 140,000) sciences —
Karolinska Institutet, master's 2 years, 2026/27 intake $33,100–40,120 (SEK 330,000–400,000) $8,270–10,030 (SEK 82,500–100,000)
Jönköping University, JIBS 2027/28, per year bachelor's $12,040 (SEK 120,000); two-year master's $14,440 (SEK 144,000) two instalments a year
Stockholm School of Economics per programme, rate as of September 2026 $36,110 (SEK 360,000) bachelor's or master's —

To compare universities by profile and city, see universities in Sweden. If a programme has not yet published the fee for your intake, use last year's figure and keep a margin, as fees are revised.

What tuition covers

Tuition covers the programme you were admitted to, normally 30 credits a semester. Courses beyond your curriculum cost extra; Lund notes that its scholarships do not apply to them. Housing, food, books and usually insurance are not included. The University of Gothenburg is an exception on insurance: its fee-paying students are automatically covered by FAS+ through the government agency Kammarkollegiet, so they need no separate policy for the permit.

Living costs per month

Study in Sweden sets the minimum monthly student budget equal to the Migration Agency's 2026 rate of $1,070 (SEK 10,656):

Item SEK per month USD per month
Accommodation 4,900 $490
Food 2,716 $270
Local transport 650 $65
Phone and internet 400 $40
Other 1,990 $200
Total 10,656 $1,070

Lund University gives a wider range for its own city: $400–800 (SEK 4,000–8,000) for housing, about $300 (SEK 3,000) for food and $40–100 (SEK 400–1,000) for course literature. Rent nationally is usually $300–700 (SEK 3,000–7,000), and rooms are harder to find and pricier in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Lund and Uppsala. Budget separately for a doctor's visit, $25–40 (SEK 250–400) according to Study in Sweden, and a student union fee of $5–35 (SEK 50–350) if you join.

The rate is a floor, not a forecast. Swedish students on full state support receive about $900–1,200 (SEK 9,000–12,000) a month, according to Lund University, and many international students land somewhere in between.

How much you must show for the residence permit

The Migration Agency requires funds for the whole period of the permit you request. The 2026 rate is $1,070 (SEK 10,656) a month; it changes every year and depends on the year you apply: for 2025 applications it was $1,060 (SEK 10,584). Permits are issued for one year or, at 34 listed institutions, two years, so you would show about $12,830 (SEK 127,872) for 12 months or about $25,650 (SEK 255,744) for 24 months.

A family adds $450 (SEK 4,440) a month for a spouse and $270 (SEK 2,664) per child. Documented free housing or food from the university or an exchange organisation lowers the monthly rate by $480 (SEK 4,736) and $300 (SEK 2,960) respectively.

These funds are not an extra cost; you spend them on living in Sweden. But they must be in an account in your name before you apply, and a parent's statement counts only if you are under 18. The full document list is in the Swedish residence permit for studies guide.

Full budget: worked examples

Calculated from published tuition and the 2026 rate for every month of study. Add flights, a housing deposit, insurance and personal spending yourself.

Scenario Tuition Living costs at the rate Fees (application + permit) Total
Lund, Master's in Management, 1 year $16,050 (SEK 160,000) 12 months × 10,656 = $12,830 (SEK 127,872) $240 (SEK 2,400) $29,110 (SEK 290,272)
Stockholm University, two-year humanities master's $18,050 (SEK 180,000) 24 months = $25,650 (SEK 255,744) $240 (SEK 2,400) $43,950 (SEK 438,144)
KTH, two-year engineering master's $38,620 (SEK 385,000) 24 months = $25,650 (SEK 255,744) $240 (SEK 2,400) $64,510 (SEK 643,144)
Lund, Bachelor's in International Business, 3 years $39,120 (SEK 390,000) 36 months = $38,480 (SEK 383,616) $240 (SEK 2,400) $77,830 (SEK 776,016)

The most expensive master's here costs more than twice the cheapest, and almost all of the gap is tuition and the number of years.

How and when to pay

Tuition goes straight to the university and the application fee to University Admissions; there are no other payees. You pay in advance, semester by semester:

  • at Lund, the first autumn 2027 invoice appears in late March or April and is due by 20 May;
  • at the University of Gothenburg, new students pay for the autumn semester by 1 May, then by 15 December and 15 August;
  • at Jönköping University, the full programme fee is split into as many instalments as there are semesters.

The University of Gothenburg states that a semester payment cannot be split into smaller parts after the deadline, and Lund that missing the first deadline costs you the place. Gothenburg refunds, where due, only to the person or account that paid, which matters if a relative sends the money.

Russian-issued bank cards do not work abroad, so choose a legal transfer route before you apply; options are covered in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia. Fees are invoiced in SEK, so keep an exchange-rate buffer.

Can work cover part of the cost?

Partly, and less than before. Bachelor's and master's students whose permit was granted on or after 11 June 2026 may work at most 15 hours a week during term, with no limit in June, July and August. Exceeding the limit can cost you the permit. The Migration Agency also counts work income towards your funds only with an employment certificate; a job offer is not enough. A plan that relies on part-time work is fragile.

Where you can save

  • Choose a one-year master's. One year of tuition and living costs, although some careers benefit from the two-year degree.
  • Compare fields. A humanities programme at Stockholm University costs $9,030 a year; engineering at KTH about $19,310 a year.
  • Study outside the capital. Housing is easier in smaller cities; KTH and Lund commit to housing fee-paying students in their first year.
  • Apply for scholarships alongside admission. Most university scholarships cover part or all of tuition and require the programme to be your first choice. See scholarships in Sweden.
  • Buy second-hand books or use the library, as Study in Sweden suggests.

Budgeting mistakes

  • Treating a whole-programme fee as annual, or the reverse.
  • Forgetting that living funds must be in place before the permit application.
  • Keeping the money in a parent's account: for adult applicants, only their own account counts.
  • Expecting a scholarship to cover housing: university scholarships usually cover tuition only.
  • Ignoring the annual increase in the required rate.

FAQ

Tuition is usually $8,020–32,100 (SEK 80,000–320,000) a year depending on the field, about $16,050 on average. With living costs at the 2026 rate ($12,830 a year), a minimum annual budget starts at about $20,850, and at $26,870–31,380 for technology programmes.

Only for non-EU citizens who qualify for an exemption, such as a Swedish permanent residence permit or a permit granted for reasons other than studies, or who hold a scholarship covering tuition. A student permit does not exempt you. Doctoral studies carry no tuition.

At the 2026 rate, $1,070 (SEK 10,656) per month for the whole permit period: about $12,830 for one year or $25,650 for two. The money must be in an account in your name, and the statement must meet the Migration Agency's date and content rules.

Study in Sweden's minimum is $1,070 (SEK 10,656): about $490 for housing, $270 for food, $65 for transport, $40 for phone and internet and $200 for other costs. Lund University estimates $400–800 (SEK 4,000–8,000) for housing in Lund, and rents in Stockholm are usually above average.

Not always. If you study for a year or more, you register in the Swedish population register and access healthcare like residents. For shorter stays you need comprehensive insurance; some universities provide it, such as the University of Gothenburg's FAS+ cover for fee-paying students.

The first semester is paid after the offer and before the permit application: by 20 May at Lund and by 1 May at Gothenburg for the autumn intake. Later semesters are paid in advance. Until the first instalment is paid, admission stays conditional and the permit cannot be approved.

Sources

Budget planning for your chosen programmes, shortlisting options within your budget and preparing documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university sets tuition and scholarships; the Swedish Migration Agency sets the funds requirement and decides on the permit.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

Next steps

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