Top 10 Reasons for Rejection of Sweden Student Visa
clickHere

Top 10 Reasons for Rejection of Sweden Student Visa

8 mins read5.2K Views Comment
Talk to Expert Icon BlueTalk to Expert
clickHere
Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Oct 22, 2024 12:50 IST

Sweden Study Visa Rejection rates are slightly higher than other European countries. Today, Sweden is one of the most sought-after study destinations in the world. The country has a very student-friendly approach, state-of-the-art facilities and above all an adequate education system. Though there is a 40% drop in the admit rate, there may be various reasons for Sweden study visa rejections which have been elaborated in this article. 

Reasons for Rejection of Sweden Student Visa

Students looking to study in Swedenā€Æwouldā€Ærequire a Sweden Student Visaā€Æto legally enter the country for the purpose of education. To attain the student visa, the students need to face a Visa Interview, which determines whether the applicant will be granted a visa or rejected. However, students should know that a visa being rejected would only mean that there is an underlying problem with your Sweden study visa application that needs rectification. Read on to learn about Sweden's student visa rejection reasons and how to avoid any such mistakes to have your study visa processed successfully. 

Quick links

Top reasons to study in Sweden

Popular Job Sectors in Sweden

All about Post Study Work Permit in Sweden

Part-Time Work Options in Sweden for Indian Students

Sweden Admission Rate for Indians 2022-2024

While Sweden records a dip in admissions for Indian applicants, here is a look at the stats for the past two years:

Years Admit Rate for Indian Applicants in Sweden Percentage Change
2024 1,500 40% drop
2023 2,500 no change
2022 2,500 19.5%

The admission rate for Indian students has stalled in 2024 and there can be a number of reasons. Some of the reasons include a success rate of Sweden visa between 50-60% and an even higher rejection rate. Let us look at the top 10 reasons for Sweden student visa rejection.  

Score Predictor

Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!

Share 12th Board, Percentage, english score
Get estimated scores or IELTS, TOEFL & PTE


Top 10 Reasons For Sweden Student Visa Rejection

Let us now discuss some of the Sweden student visa rejection reasons. Here we are going to talk about some common mistakes that candidates make while applying for their study abroad student visa, and how to best avoid them. This way, the visa would never be rejected in the first place. 








1. Not Understanding the Questions Properly 

Many students would be filling out a visa application form for the first time. A lot of the terms in the visa application are technical and others require very specific information. Therefore, the students could misinterpret the question. Hence, it is always advisable that students understand the question fully before filling out their Sweden Student Visa application form. 







2. Submission of Incomplete Application form 

Submitting an incomplete visa application form is a recipe for rejection. You must not leave out important/relevant questions in the form. The visa application form is the document that would represent the student at the consulate. Thus, it is intrinsic that the visa application form can paint a just picture of the candidate visiting the foreign country for study. 

RecommendationView All

Explore MS colleges in Sweden

AShiksha Grade
KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Stockholm, SwedenPublic

59 courses
ā‚¹ 10.5 L - 24.74 L
A++Shiksha Grade
Karolinska Institutet

Stockholm, SwedenPublic

4 courses
ā‚¹ 12.67 L - 15.36 L
AShiksha Grade
Uppsala University

Uppsala, SwedenPublic

69 courses
ā‚¹ 7.91 L - 22.27 L
A+Shiksha Grade
Lund University

Lund, SwedenPublic

11 courses
ā‚¹ 10.37 L - 31.49 L
B++Shiksha Grade
University of Gothenburg

Gothenburg, SwedenPublic

4 courses
ā‚¹ 4.57 L - 10.98 L
B++Shiksha Grade
Stockholm University

Stockholm, SwedenPublic

4 courses
ā‚¹ 10.75 L - 20.74 L
B+Shiksha Grade
Chalmers University of Technology

Gothenburg, SwedenPrivate

34 courses
ā‚¹ 10.75 L - 12.29 L
B+Shiksha Grade
Linkoping University

Linkoping, SwedenPublic

9 courses
ā‚¹ 9.68 L - 21.55 L
B+Shiksha Grade
Umea University

UmeƄ, SwedenPublic

6 courses
ā‚¹ 10.97 L - 10.97 L
BShiksha Grade
Jonkoping University

Jonkoping, SwedenNon-profit

11 courses
ā‚¹ 9.22 L - 11.52 L
Is this recommendation relevant?

3. Less Research 

The applicant must conduct adequate research about the course, university, and destination that he is visiting. A lot of times, students lack the information on the course they are preparing for, the college or the country. The candidate needs to do his homework well. Officials at the visa center should be convinced that the student is genuinely interested in visiting the country to study or does he has other intentions in mind.

Related reads

Statement of Purpose (SOP): All you need to know!

What is a Letter of Recommendation (LOR)?

Admission Essays: What they are?

Resume/CV Writing Tips for Studying Abroad

4. Submitting Incomplete Documentsā€Æ 

The supporting documents are very important while submitting a visa application. is always submitted with a set of supporting documents to further the studentā€™s cause of education in a foreign country. Hence the student must submit all the documents that the form requires. Candidates should keep in mind that the documents would also need to comply with international standards. Hence, it should not be in any foreign language and should comply with international standards. 

5. Insufficient Financial Proof 

Financial information is an important aspect of the application form. You must be honest in providing your financial information, as any irregularities in the information could lead to the cancellation of the application of the candidate. Giving wrong financial information could be one of the Sweden's student visa rejection reasons. 

6. Background 

The applicants would also need to state their academic background and immigration history. The prime job of the visa officer is to allow students who can blend into the standard of the country and also study and benefit most from it among other things. Therefore, you must provide accurate information. 

7. Honesty 

Being honest is the most important aspect and it goes with all application forms and not just about a visa application form. Be it on the form or at the personal interview round, the applicants must be honest as any discrepancies could lead to the cancellation of their visa application form. 

8. Earlier Visa Refusal 

If your previous visa application was refused and your situation has not changed since or the candidate has failed to provide information as to why their Study Visa application should be accepted, is a good ground for a visa refusal.

Related Reads

Do Backlogs affect the chances of a Visa Approval? Financial Documents Required for Study Abroad Applications
Student Visas for Study Abroad Country Comparison: France, Ireland, Netherlands and Sweden

9. Personal interview

There is a personal round where the applicant has a face-to-face interview with the visa official. For this, you must always appear sharp and confident. The candidate can be posed questions or asked to clear doubts the visa officer may have during the time of reviewing his visa application form. However, the candidate should appear calm and dapper and answer the questions posed to him. At the end of the interview, the candidate would be informed about the state of his visa application.

10. Language barriers

Communicating in the English language is a major requirement of a student visa in Sweden. Swedish universities, to admit, require a certain score to prove language proficiency for international students. For those taking the TOEFL iBT, a score of 72 is important, with 17 in writing. For IELTS, a band score of 6.0 is required, with each section scored at 5.5 minimum.

What happens if your visa gets rejected?

So far, we have discussed Sweden's study visa rejection reasons. The visa officer will inform you about the reason for the rejection and ask you to apply after the cool-off period. Candidates are required to rectify their mistakes andā€Æapply to the visa application centreā€Æafter the cool-off period. The cool-off period in question is the requisite gap between two visa application submissions that candidates have to follow before applying for their visa again.

How to Reapply if your Student Visa is Rejected?

Now, even though your visa application is rejected, it does not mean that you have to wait till the cooling-off period and submit a fresh visa application. You can appeal for it as well, if you are not satisfied with the Sweden student visa rejection reasons given to you for your visa application rejection you can submit your appeal to the Embassy of Sweden in Delhi/Mumbai or one of their consulates in India. The appeal is sent in writing either via mail or e-mail, but do not send it more than once or in different ways than described earlier. Once the appeal is made the Embassy verifies it and looks into the documents and other material sent by you in your appeal to support your claim for a visa. The Embassy will reply to you as soon as possible. If you fail to appeal within the three weeks of receiving information about the rejection of your visa your appeal will not be considered and in that case, you will have to submit a new visa application. 

For more help, talk to ourā€ÆOverseas Admission Counseling by signing up for free, and our team of counsellors shall get back to you. 

Reasons for Rejection of Sweden Student Visa FAQs

Q. What is the cost of a student visa for Sweden?

A. The cost of a student visa for Sweden will depend on your service provider. If you have taken the services of a visa facilitating agency then your cost of a visa will depend on the fees they charge. However, if you do the whole visa process all by yourself, then Sweden charges SEK 1,500 for a D-Visa. You can pay this fee in Indian currency via UPI, Bank draft or Cards. 

Q. What is the type visa for students going to Sweden for Higher education?

A. There is no such thing as a student visa specially made for international students coming to Sweden for higher education. If you are a non-EU national then you require a visa to visit Sweden. However, if you plan to stay in Sweden for more than 90 days then you will need a visitor's residence permit. This residence permit is called D-Visa. International students going to Sweden for higher education are needed to apply for D-Visa. 

Q. What are the documents required for a student visa to Sweden?

A. The documents required for a student visa to Sweden are as follow:
  • An invitation or proof of acceptance for admission to a Swedish university/college
  • Passport valid for at least three months after the visa has expired.
  • Sufficient financial support for the return trip home
  • Medical Insurance
  • Proof that you  intend to leave Sweden on the last day before the visa expires
  • Other documents that embassy of Sweden may require.

Q. What is the cooling off period after rejection of visa by Swedish embassy?

A. If your visa application for Sweden is rejected, then the embassy will inform you of the reason for the rejection of your application. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can submit a fresh application for a visa after a cooling off period of 3 weeks from the day you received the decision. 

Q. How to apply for a visa to Sweden?

A. There are various different ways to apply for a visa to Sweden. See if there is any external service provider. You can go to the Swedish embassy website to see if there is any external service provider that has an agreement with the embassy. You can also directly go to the Swedish embassy and apply for a visa or use their e-visa services if provided for your country by Sweden. 

Q: Ā  Is it hard to get into KTH Sweden?

A:

For international students, getting admission into KTH Royal Institute of Technology is moderately difficult. KTH Royal Institute of Technology has an acceptance rate of 32% for Masters programs and merely 7% for bachelor's program. This figure indicates that on an average, only 32 out of 100 applicants get admitted into KTH for pursuing a postgraduate course, whereas only 7 secure an admission in the undergraduate course. Currently, international students comprise 30% of the total student population (13,500) of KTH. Aspirants interested in studying at KTH, need to have a minimum academic score of above 60% and an IELTS score of 6.5. 

Q: Ā  Is Sweden expensive for Indian students?

A:

Sweden is generally very expensive to live. The cost of living in Sweden is very high in comparison to other European countries. Below we have given the average cost of living in Sweden.

Particulars

Expenses

Accommodation

345 – 670 EUR/month

Food

440 EUR/month

Utilities (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage)

76 EUR/month

Internet

28 EUR/month

Swedish Restaurant

11 - 23 EUR

3-Course Meal

47 - 76 EUR

Drink in a Bar

9 EUR

Books and other study materials

80 EUR/month

Social activities and entertainment

70 – 100 EUR/month

Health insurance

start at 30 EUR/month

Public transportation fares

77 EUR/month

Bicycle for transport

110 EUR

Q: Ā  How can I get a study visa for Sweden?

A:

Study visa for Sweden has been broadly divided into two different types of visas a person can apply for when planning to go to Sweden. A person intending to travel to Sweden for recreational purposes would apply for a Schengen Visa. This is essentially a visa that is valid for three months. Since all visa applications are sent to Sweden, the student visa is processed in about 90 days. However, it might take longer and you are advised to start the process as soon as possible.

Q: Ā  What are the top 5 universities of Sweden?

A:

Sweden has some of the best universities in the world. Here we have listed top 5 universities in Sweden as per the QS world university rankings for 2024. 

University

QS World University Rankings 2024

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

#73

Lund University

#85

Uppsala University

#105

Stockholm University

#118

Chalmers University of Technology

#129

Q: Ā  How many universities are in Sweden?

A:

In total, there are just 39 universities in the whole of Sweden. Here we have listed all the 39 universities in Sweden.

Universities in Sweden

Blekinge Institute of Technology

Chalmers University of Technology

Dalarna University

Halmstad University

Johannelund School of Theology

Jonkoping University

Karlstad University

Karolinska Institute

Konstfack, University of Arts, Crafts and Design

Kristianstad University

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Linkoping University

Linnaeus University

Lulea University of Technology

Lund University

Malardalen University

Malmo University

Marie Cederschiold University

Mid Sweden University

The Newman Institute

Orebro University

Royal College of Music

Royal Institute of Art

Sodertorn University of Stockholm

Sophiahemmet University

Stockholm School of Economics

Stockholm University

Stockholm University of the Arts

Swedish Defence University

Swedish Red Cross University

The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Umea University

University of Boras

University College Stockholm

University of Gavle

University of Gothenburg

University of Skovde

University West

Uppsala University

Q: Ā  What is the cost of study visa in Sweden?

A:

Sweden 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).

Q: Ā  How can I get PR in Sweden after studying?

A:

Getting Permanent Residency (PR) in Sweden is a bit complicated. Completing graduation in Sweden generally do not lead to PR. However, student permit for PhD generally lead to permanent residency. After completing graduation international students need to continuously seek for employment.

Q: Ā  What is the ranking of Linkoping University in Sweden?

A:

Linkoping University ranking is among the top 10 universities in Sweden. According to Linkoping University QS ranking¸ the university ranks at 7th position in the country.

About the Author
author-image
Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

author-image
Reviewed by
priyakant
Germany, France, Ireland and Sweden Expert

Priyakant Sharma brings over 14 years of diverse experience in operations management, team leadership, and devising sales/merchandising strategies for multi-unit retail chains across Europe and India. Transitioning ... Read Full Bio

Browse universities abroad