Stockholm University: Admission, Tuition Fees and Scholarships

Stockholm University (Stockholms universitet, SU) is the largest comprehensive university in Sweden's capital, with about 30,400 full-time-equivalent students across the sciences, social sciences, law and humanities. For international applicants its main draw is the master's level: more than 100 programmes taught in English and a simple fee structure: at 2026/27 rates, $9,030 (SEK 90,000) a year in the humanities, social sciences and law and $14,040 (SEK 140,000) in the sciences. The autumn 2027 application window on universityadmissions.se runs from 16 October 2026 to 15 January 2027. There are English-taught bachelor's programmes too, but only seven, and non-EU school leavers realistically apply only once they hold their final certificate.

Programmes taught in English

Bachelor's. The university lists seven English-taught bachelor's programmes:

• International Business and Politics
• Business, Ethics and Sustainability
• Latin American Studies with specialisation in Portuguese
• Latin American Studies with specialisation in Spanish
• International Political Science and Regional Studies
• Middle Eastern and North African Studies
• Earth Science, by distance learning

The last one is taught online, and Sweden does not issue study permits for distance learning. Single first-cycle courses in English are also available; filter the catalogue by "for international students".

Master's. More than 100 programmes are grouped into arts and humanities, business and economics, computer and systems sciences, social and political sciences and law, language and linguistics, media and communication, and science and mathematics. Several accept students changing field, including AI for Health, Information Security, Marketing, Fashion Studies (for humanities or social science graduates), Journalism Studies, Management, Organization and Society, Social-Ecological Resilience for Sustainable Development and Strategic Information Systems Management. Each programme page states which backgrounds qualify.

Two programmes, Molecular Techniques in Life Science and Biostatistics and Data Science, are run jointly with KTH and Karolinska Institutet in the Stockholm Trio alliance.

Tuition fees

Unlike many Swedish universities with dozens of programme-specific prices, SU applies a simple rule:

These rates come from SU's fee page (last updated 2 December 2025, checked on 29 September 2026) and applied to students starting in 2026/27. Check the programme page for the 2027/28 amount once applications open. A semester's fee normally covers 30 credits. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens pay nothing.

Living costs. SU recommends budgeting at least $1,200 (SEK 12,000) a month: rent $650 (SEK 6,500), food $270 (SEK 2,700), local travel $40 (SEK 400), phone and internet $40 (SEK 400) and other costs $200 (SEK 2,000). That is above the Migration Agency's minimum of $1,070 (SEK 10,656) a month.

First-year example. On a social science master's you pay $9,030 for the year at the 2026/27 rate; add the Migration Agency's annual requirement of $12,830 (SEK 127,872), the $150 (SEK 1,500) permit fee and $90 to apply, and you reach about $22,100 before flights, noticeably less than an engineering master's at KTH. The same calculation for a science programme gives about $27,100.

The tuition invoice appears in the Ladok student portal after results are published. Cards issued by Russian banks do not work abroad; legal alternatives are covered in paying for studies abroad from Russia. For a national comparison, see the cost of studying in Sweden.

Applying from secondary school

University Admissions accepts the Russian attestat with its grade supplement for general eligibility. The obstacle is timing: first-round bachelor's selection takes place in April and is based on completed school grades. University Admissions itself says final-year students cannot get a merit rating to compete for places, and advises non-EU applicants to apply after finishing school, for the spring semester or the following autumn. The $90 (SEK 900) fee is not refunded if the application fails.

At SU at least a third of bachelor's places are allocated on final school grades. English must match Swedish English 6. For Russian school leavers, school English is accepted only when it was taken at profile level, the graduation year is 2008 or later and the grade documents show that profile; otherwise you need IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT (4.5 on the new scale for tests after 20 January 2026). For the wider picture, see bachelor's in Sweden.

Applying for a master's

Baseline: a degree equivalent to a Swedish kandidatexamen, which for Russian degrees means a bakalavr of at least four years, and English at the English 6 level, higher for some programmes.

Selection. Each programme lists its criteria in the catalogue. Typically several factors are combined: credits, grades, the subject and quality of the bachelor's thesis, relevant work or research experience, the motivation letter and how well previous studies fit the programme. Stockholm Business School master's programmes select on GMAT or GRE scores, with GRE converted to the GMAT scale; for Management, Organization and Society, the test decides the ranking.

Documents. Everything goes to universityadmissions.se: the degree certificate and transcript as issued, a certified English or Swedish translation made by a professional translator, your passport and proof of English. Extra documents such as a motivation letter, thesis or CV are requested by the department and listed on the programme page; do not send what is not requested.

Choosing programmes. One application can list up to four programmes at any Swedish universities in order of priority. If you are admitted to a higher choice, the lower ones appear as "deleted" in your results: that is a consequence of ranking, not a rejection. For more on choosing, see master's in Sweden.

Timeline from application to payment

How this played out in 2026: master's results came out on 26 March, the SU scholarship form closed on 30 March and results were announced on 28 April. The formal deadline for the first payment was 15 May, but SU warns that payments arriving after April sharply reduce the chance of a permit before term, because Migration Agency processing can take up to five months. If you are awarded a scholarship after paying, the fee is refunded in full minus a $500 (SEK 5,000) repayment charge.

Scholarships

The SU scholarship is merit-based and does not cover living costs, so permit funds must still come from you. There is no separate advance application: the form is emailed after results are published. More options are listed in scholarships in Sweden.

Housing

The university Housing Office rents furnished rooms and studios to fee-paying students and to SU and Swedish Institute scholarship holders, but places are limited and there is no commitment to house everyone. How it works:

• you apply online during a fixed window; for autumn 2026 it ran from 18 May to 1 June, and late applications get no priority
• you can state preferred areas but not a specific room
• only one offer is made, and the reply window is short
• contracts run per semester with fixed arrival and departure dates
• replies can take two to three months after the window closes

Rent per semester as published for 2024/25 (heating, water, electricity and internet included):

If you are not offered a room, start searching the private market immediately and join Stockholm's student housing queues: autumn demand in the capital is at its peak.

Residence permit

Study permits are issued by the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), and you can apply once the first semester is paid. Points that matter for SU students:

• When to apply. Not more than four months before the permit start date. SU recommends 1 August as the start date even if you arrive later.
• How long. For a two-year programme you can request 13 months or the full study period plus two weeks; SU recommends the latter to avoid renewing mid-programme. Funds must cover the whole period requested: $1,070 (SEK 10,656) a month, or $13,890 (SEK 138,528) for 13 months.
• Insurance. Fee-paying students are covered by the state FAS+ scheme, and the Notification of Selection Results serves as the insurance certificate in the application.
• Passport. Sweden has not recognised ordinary non-biometric Russian passports since 1 October 2026, and no study permit is issued on one. Only passports already carrying a valid Schengen visa or EU residence permit issued before 1 October are accepted until 31 December 2026, so replace an old passport in good time.
• Where Russian citizens apply. Online with a $150 (SEK 1,500) fee paid by Visa or Mastercard, or on paper at the embassy in Moscow on Mosfilmovskaya Street, where the 13,400-rouble fee is paid in cash. Because they need a visa to enter Sweden, Russian citizens give fingerprints for the permit card at the embassy after approval.
• Processing time. Three quarters of decisions in the last 12 months were made within three months.

Permits granted from 11 June 2026 carry new conditions: up to 15 hours of work a week in term time (no limit in June–August), 37.5 credits in the first year and 45 in each later year for extensions, and reporting your address within 30 days of receiving the permit and after every move. The full procedure is in the Sweden student residence permit guide.

After a programme of at least two semesters, graduates can get a 12-month permit to look for work or start a business, applied for from Sweden before the study permit expires.

Who Stockholm University suits

SU is a sensible choice for a master's in the social sciences, law, media, economics or the natural sciences with a first-year budget of roughly $22,000–27,000. For engineering and IT with many specialisations, see KTH; for a comprehensive university that houses every fee-paying student, Uppsala University; for a university outside the capital, Lund University. All options are compared in universities in Sweden and on our study in Sweden page, and the general process is explained in applying to Swedish universities.

Typical mistakes

• Choosing a distance programme and planning to relocate: distance study does not qualify for a permit.
• Filing the permit application with a chipless Russian passport: since 1 October 2026 Sweden will not issue a permit on it.
• Applying to a business master's without GMAT or GRE: without a score you cannot be ranked.
• Waiting until 15 May to pay: formally on time, but the permit may not arrive by August.
• Counting on a university room: you may not get an offer, and there is no second one.
• Showing 12 months of funds while requesting a two-year permit: the money must cover the full period requested.
• Uploading documents the department did not ask for: they will not be assessed and only slow things down.

FAQ

How much does Stockholm University cost for non-EU students?

At 2026/27 rates, a year costs $9,030 (SEK 90,000) in the humanities, social sciences and law and $14,040 (SEK 140,000) in the sciences. Some programmes have special rates within that range and some joint programmes cost more. There is no tuition-free route for non-EU citizens.

Can I apply to Stockholm University straight after school?

For first-round bachelor's places, practically no: selection happens in April on completed grades, and University Admissions advises non-EU school leavers to apply after graduating, for the spring semester or the following autumn. Seven bachelor's programmes are taught in English.

Do I need the GMAT for a Stockholm University master's?

Only for Stockholm Business School programmes, where selection is based on GMAT or GRE, with GRE scores converted to the GMAT scale. Other programmes look at grades, credits, the thesis, experience and the motivation letter.

How do I get a Stockholm University scholarship?

There is no advance application: eligible applicants are emailed a form once results are published. It goes to non-EU citizens admitted in the first round, on academic merit, with priority for those who ranked SU first. It covers full tuition but not living costs.

Does Stockholm University provide student housing?

Fee-paying students and scholarship holders can apply for a room during the application window, but the number of rooms is limited and the university does not commit to housing everyone. 2024/25 rents start at $3,170 (SEK 31,600) per semester, so look for private housing in parallel.

How much money do I need to show for the Swedish permit?

$1,070 (SEK 10,656) for every month of the permit at the 2026 rate. For a 13-month permit that is $13,890 (SEK 138,528), and more if you request the full two-year period. The money must be in an account in your own name.

How does StudyU help with Stockholm University applications?

Matching master's programmes to your degree, checking departmental requirements, and preparing your motivation letter, documents, translations and permit application are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Stockholm University makes admission and scholarship decisions, while permits are decided by the Swedish Migration Agency.

Sources

• Stockholm University: Costs, fees and scholarships, Scholarships, first-round payment timeline
• Stockholm University: A step-by-step guide, our courses and programmes, catalogue: International Business and Politics, Management, Organization and Society
• Stockholm University: Living costs, housing for international students, housing application for fee-paying students, residence permit for studies
• Stockholm University: University facts, history, campus, DSV in Kista, QS 2027
• University Admissions: autumn 2027 dates, final-year school students, English requirements, Russia, bachelor's, Russia, master's
• Migrationsverket: residence permit for higher education, rules from 11 June 2026, permit to look for work, non-biometric Russian passports
• Embassy of Sweden in Moscow: how to apply, fees
• Swedish Institute: SI Scholarship for Global Professionals
• Times Higher Education: World University Rankings 2027, Stockholm University profile

Amounts were converted at the ECB reference rate of 29.09.2026: €1 = $1.1355 = SEK 11.3210, i.e. SEK 1 ≈ $0.1003. Amounts under $100 are rounded to $1, others to $10.

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