Applying for a Sweden Student Visa in 5 Steps

Students who are citizens of countries from outside the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and want to study in Sweden will require a student visa or a residence permit.

Student visa is granted to students who wish to pursue one of the following categories of study programme in Sweden: University or College study in Sweden, Secondary school study in Sweden, Exchange study in Sweden and other study in Sweden.

Visas and residence permits for international students in Sweden depend on the duration of your course of study. If you intend to stay in Sweden for less than three months, you will need a visa in case you are not a citizen of one of those countries that are exempted from visa requirement in Sweden.

If your course of study will last more than three months, you will require a residence permit to enter and study in Sweden.

Read: Types Of Sweden Visa – Which One Do You Need?

Eligibility Criteria for Students requiring a Residence Permit in Sweden

To be eligible for Residence Permit in Sweden to pursue an educational course you require the following things:

• You must be admitted to a full-time accredited university for studies in Sweden.
• You must have paid the first instalment of the tuition fees for your course of study.
• You must have valid supporting documentation to support your residence permit application.
• You must have a valid passport with a validity of minimum six months
• You must possess letter of admission from the university that has offered you admission in its course of study
• You must provide proof of your financial ability so as to support yourself financially during the course of your study in Sweden
• In case you are to stay in Sweden for a period of less than one year, you must have comprehensive health insurance and will need to provide its proof
• You must fully intend to leave Sweden at the end of your course of study

Steps to follow to apply for Sweden Residence Permit

After you become sure about your eligibility to apply for a Sweden student visa or residence permit and you are in possession of the required documents, you can go ahead with the following procedure:

Step 1: Fill out your application form

Fill out the application form. You can apply online. You will require filling up the application form with details about yourself and your studies. In case your family accompanies you to Sweden you can apply for their permits in your online application form. Enclose the necessary documents with your application form.

Step 2: Pay the application fee

You need to pay an application fee for processing your application. If you apply online, you can pay your application fee with a debit or credit card. If you are applying at an embassy or consulate-general, you will be required to pay the fee when you hand in your application. For proper information about the fee, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you are applying, as they do not have the same fees and terms of payment as the Migration Board.

Step 3: Wait for the Migration Board to process the application

If you apply online, the Migration Board will start work on your application form. It is necessary to fill in all the details correctly and include all the necessary documents for smooth processing of your application form. However, the Swedish Migration Board may investigate your application further, even after you have provided all the necessary details and documents.

Step 4: Visit the Embassy or Consulate-General

You will be required to visit the Swedish embassy or consulate-general to be photographed and fingerprinted. You will need to contact the embassy or consulate-general before you visit them. You can contact them primarily through email.

In case you do not require an entry visa, you can travel to Sweden without a residence permit card. However, you will be required to show a decision from the Migration Board to enter Sweden. In such a case you are not required to go to the Swedish embassy to obtain your residence permit card. Instead, you can hand in the documentation for a residence permit card to the Migration Board once you arrive in Sweden.

Step 5: Receive the Embassy’s decision

You will get an email informing you that a decision has been made regarding your application. Once you receive the email you need to contact the embassy or consulate-general to get your decision and book an appointment for this purpose. Remember to bring your passport along with you when you come to collect your decision. Some embassies and consulates-general may send the decision and residence permit card by post. You need to contact the embassy or consulate-general for more information regarding this.

To apply online for Sweden Residence Permit

In case you are applying online for a Swedish residence permit, you need to do the following:

• You will be required to have paid a portion of your tuition fees to the concerned university or educational institute
• You will be required to have a valid email address
• You need to be able to pay the application fee through a VISA or Mastercard / Eurocard
• You will need to scan the documents that you are required to attach with your application form
• You will be required to have a software programme in your computer that can read PDF files, such as Acrobat Reader

Required Fees for Sweden Student Visa

Fees for an Adult – SEK 1,000 (INR 8,455.17)

Fees for a Child under SEK 18 – 500 (INR 4,227.59)

Note:

• Your application fee will not be refunded if your visa application is refused.
• The conversion into Indian currency is based on current conversion rates which may change.

Sweden Student Visa Waiver Program

You will not need a visa or a residence permit to study in Sweden if you are a citizen of one of the countries listed below.

NAME OF THE COUNTRIES
Austria	Belgium	Bulgaria
Croatia	Cyprus	Czech Republic
Denmark	Estonia	Finland
France	Germany	Greece
Hungary	Iceland	Ireland
Italy	Latvia	Liechtenstein
Lithuania	Luxembourg	Malta
Netherlands	Norway	Poland
Portugal	Romania	Slovakia
Slovenia	Spain	Sweden
United Kingdom

Dos and Don’ts for Sweden Student Visa or Residence Permit Application

Remember the following dos and don’ts while applying for Swedish Student Visa or Residence Permit:

Dos

• Bring all original documents with you at the time of submitting the application at the Swedish Embassy.
• Remember to extend the validity of your passport in case it is about to expire. Remain aware that you can obtain a residence permit for a period of time that is not longer than your passport’s period of validity.
• As the application process for residence permits can be lengthy, you should apply as soon as you have received your notification of admission.

Don’ts

• Do not submit any false documents in support of your application
• Do not hide or misrepresent facts in your application form