Sweden Student Visa - Eligibility, Requirements, How to Apply

After completing your admission application requirements for Swedish universities, international students who get admitted will have to apply for a student visa. Understand how to apply for Sweden student visa, the documents required, the fee for the visa and its prerequisites in this article.

A person can apply for two different types of visas when planning to go to Sweden. One intending to travel to Sweden for recreational purposes would apply for a Schengen Visa, which is valid for three months. It is typically used by tourists as this allows them a pass through the European Union’s Schengen Area. The other visa is called the Residence Permit for Sweden, which is a long-stay visa. It can be applied for a variety of reasons. Students planning to study in Sweden have to apply for a Residence Permit or a Sweden Study Visa to legally enter the country for the study. Resident Permits are issued by the Swedish Migration Agency in Sweden but processed by the Swedish Embassy and Consulates in India. 

Sweden Visa Processing Time 

All visa applications are sent to Sweden and the Sweden study visa processing time is 90 days. However, it might take longer and you are advised to start the process as soon as possible. Moreover, a paper application takes much longer than an online application. Hence, students are advised to opt for an online application.  

Sweden Study Visa Fees 

Sweden's study visa fee for Residence Permit for Study purposes for Sweden is SEK 1,500 at the current exchange rate. Students are required to make an online payment for the same by using a Visa or a MasterCard. (Both Credit and Bank/Debit Cards are acceptable).

What documents are required for Student Visas to Sweden?

For a Residence Permit in Sweden, the applicant must provide the required documents. Even before you start the actual visa application, you must ensure you have all of the following documents for visa: 

• A student must have a valid passport with a validity of at least six months at the time of application. Also, the passport should be issued not earlier than 10 years preceding the time of application for Sweden study visa. 

• Students need an enrolment letter from a University in Sweden that clearly states the duration of the course and that they have paid (in full) the first instalment of the fees. 

• The student needs to note here that this must include a study period that is equivalent to at least 30 credits. In case your first semester does not equal 30 credits, you would have to pay a fee for two semesters. (Though this usually is not the case) 

• A student must show a proof of financial capacity for the visa. This means that you must have the funds to pay for the course you are enrolled into and also support your stay in the country. This could be in the form of a scholarship/ sponsor (public or private), student loan or own funds to the tune of SEK 9,450 for each month of your stay in Sweden, computed for the intended stay with a minimum of 10 months for every year of staying in Sweden. 

• You would be asked to provide proof of health insurance if your stay is less than 10 months. Students applying for longer stays would be provided with compulsory health insurance when they reach Sweden. 

• Class X/ XII/ Bachelors (whichever is applicable) Mark-sheet and Certificate showing clearly the year of completion of the course. 

• Your visa application would also ask you to submit a 1000-character (roughly 150 words) essay as to why you have chosen Sweden as the country for your studies. There is no fixed format for the same but you have to give a specific reason for what you believe Sweden offers that your home country does not.  

• Note: You are not required to submit all the certificates for Sweden study visa. The system would prompt you only to provide the last qualification/ work experience details. In case you wish to provide information for all the previous qualifications and/or work experience, you would have to provide relevant documentary proof. 

• In case of paper applications for visa, two sets of the documents – original as well as signed true copies of the same are required. 

• For online applications, you would be required to upload the scanned copy of the original documents. You must scan and upload the original documents and not the photocopies. 

• Moreover, for online applications, the attached documents should not be larger than 2MB and in acceptable formats. PDF and JPEG are always the preferred formats for official documentation. 

Also Read: Student Guide to Sweden

How to apply for a Swedish Student Visa

Candidates are required to follow the steps mentioned below to successfully apply for their Sweden Study Visa.  

• Confirm your admission to a Swedish university and prepare the documents as per the checklist mentioned above 

• Confirm health insurance (if applicable) 

• Fill out the residence permit application form online by logging into the Migrationsverket Website. 

• Upload the documents and submit your application. 

• Pay the student visa fee of SEK 1,500 through a Visa/ Mastercard 

• Receive confirmation from the consulate/ embassy 

• Submit your biometric information and photograph at the nearest embassy/ consulate office of Sweden on receiving the email 

Working while on a Student Visa in Sweden?

International students can work while they are pursuing their education in Sweden. There is no upper limit to the number of hours a student can work for. However, a student must mandatorily complete a minimum study of 40 hours a week. Most of the Universities in Sweden have their own career cells where students can be assisted in finding appropriate part-time options.

Working after Studies

Students who have completed their studies in Sweden can apply for and get an extension of their Residence Permit for 6 months to seek suitable employment. Once the student has an appropriate job, s/he would be required to have a Work Permit for Sweden. Students can also seek a Residence Permit to start their own business in Sweden.

Related Articles: Top Universities in Sweden

Scholarships for studying in Sweden

A large number of international students prefer Sweden for pursuing higher studies. But, pursuing an education in Sweden does not come cheap. Therefore, students have to look for different ways to arrange funds to cover tuition fees and living costs. Considering the demand of the students' various universities in Sweden offer scholarships to international students. Below we have given some popular scholarships for studying in Sweden.

• Inlaks Scholarships (University Courses)
• Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Also, read about student visas for study abroad and student visas for prominent international study destinations. Also if you wish to apply for free counselling to apply at universities abroad you can sign up at Shiksha Abroad Counselling.