Guide to Residence Permit for Studies in Sweden
A comprehensive guide on obtaining a residence permit for studies in Sweden, covering requirements, validity, financial support, health insurance, permits for family members, application process, key tips, common mistakes, and FAQs. Learn about the necessary documents, study period validity, renewal procedures, and essential information for a successful application.
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Youre on your way to Sweden! Photo: Stefan gren/imagebank.sweden.se 2
What are we going to cover? What is a residence permit and what are the requirements? How long is a residence permit valid? Required financial support Health insurance Permits for family members How and when to apply Key tips Common mistakes Then . we ll review some FAQ s 3
What is a residence permit? A residence permit gives the holder the right to travel to and live in Sweden for the duration of the permit, as long as the requirements for the permit are met It is required for stays longer than 3 months. For shorter stays you may apply for a visa You need to receive it before you arrive to Sweden 5
Requirements for a residence permit A valid passport The passport needs to be reviewed by the Swedish Migration Agency (note: this is a new requirement. The Swedish Migration Agency will contact you with information about how to book an appointment) Admitted to full-time studies at a Swedish educational institution for higher education Be able to support yourself during the period for which you are applying (9,450 SEK/month) Comprehensive health insurance if the planned stay in Sweden is shorter than one year Pay in full the first installment of the tuition fee or have a scholarship covering the first installment of the tuition fee 6
How long is your permit valid? The permit is based on the study period but can be granted with a validity period starting 1 August, for autumn term For programmes spanning more than one year, the first permit may be up to 13 months Students studying a programme for longer than one year can apply for a renewal of the permit from Sweden Renewing your permit You must apply for an extension before your current permit has expired Apply for a renewal no earlier than six month before your permit expires 7
Proof of financial support - 1(5) You need to be able to show that you can provide for yourself for the period for which you are applying for a residence permit. How much money do you need? At least SEK 9,450 SEK/month The monthly amount can be reduced if you can prove that you will get free food and/or accommodation from an educational institution or an organisation that works with international exchange during your stay. The money in your account does not have to be calculated in SEK. The Swedish Migration Agency will perform a calculation according to the latest currency conversion rate. 8
Proof of financial support - 2(5) How long do you need to be able to support yourself? For the application period of the residence permit Students studying programmes longer than 1 year will need to show financial support for the coming year when applying for an extension 9
Proof of financial support - 3(5) How can you prove you have financial support? Bank assets in an account of which you are the sole account holder Scholarship Study grant or similar continuous support, for example student financial aid 10
Proof of financial support 4(5) Does the money need to be in my account? It is necessary to submit the bank statement of the applicant or the applicant s co-applying spouse, The bank statement may not be from other people such as your parents The bank statement doesn t need to include account history What is not accepted to show financial support? Bank accounts shared with another person, other than your co-applying spouse Statements of available credit, holds of funds or shares Frozen accounts or timed deposits, where the money is frozen during the study period 11
Proof of financial support - 5(5) What happens if I have a scholarship? It needs to cover your living expenses and not only the tuition fee to replace the requirement for financial support The certificate must show the period you will be receiving the scholarship/grant for, and how much of the money will be available for your living expenses Information about either the monthly sum (including information regarding how many payments will be made) or the total amount paid out must also be present How old can the bank statement be? Bank statements cannot be older than from 4 months before the start of your permit period. For example, if the permit period starts on 1 August, the date of balance should not be earlier than 1 April 12
Health insurance 1(2) Students studying one-year programmes You must show comprehensive health insurance if your university does not provide health insurance refer to your university to see if they offer insurance Many universities offer comprehensive health insurance for students called FAS plus that is sufficient proof of health insurance. Check with your university if they have FAS plus If they do not have FAS plus you need your own health insurance It must be valid for the whole period that you will stay in Sweden It must cover the costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospitalization It must also cover the cost of a possible return journey home because of medical reasons If your university has FAS plus you don t need to upload proof of health insurance as the Migration Agency knows which universities offer health insurance 13
Health insurance 2 (2) Students studying two-year programmes or longer You do not need to provide proof of health insurance if you are planning to study in Sweden for more than one year, as you will be covered by the Swedish healthcare system once you apply for a Swedish personal identity number in Sweden. Contact the Swedish tax agency (Skatteverket) as soon as possible after arrival in Sweden. 14
Permit for family members 1 (2) Any family member (spouse, co-habitant partner and children under 18) you intend to bring with you to Sweden also need a residence permit Family members can apply for a residence permit if: The family member is planning to live in Sweden with the person moving to Sweden to study The family member has a valid passport Remember that the passport needs to be reviewed by the Swedish Migration Agency The family member has financial support arranged for the period they are applying for a residence permit You have supporting documents proving the kinship (marriage certificate, birth certificate or documents proving that you and your partner have lived together abroad for a long period of time) 15
Permit for family members 2 (2) Any family member (spouse, co-habitant partner and children under 18) you intend to bring with you to Sweden also needs a residence permit Required financial support for family members: The maintenance requirement for the whole time you are in Sweden is 3,937.50 SEK per month for adults and 2,362.50 SEK per month for each child. How long are the residence permits for family members valid? The same validity period as the student of the family member 16
How to apply for a residence permit? 1(2) When to apply? After you have been admitted to your university and paid the first installment of the tuition fee Do not apply until you have a complete application If you are supporting yourself through a bank statement - remember that the bank statement should not show date of balance earlier than 4 months from the start of the permit period For example, if the permit period starts on 1 August, the date of balance should not be earlier than 1 April. Do not apply too late. Processing times vary, but the average waiting time is approximately one to two months. Apply as soon as your application is complete, preferably in April/May Application fee There will be an application fee of SEK 1,500 connected to the application for a residence permit 17
How to apply for a residence permit? 2(2) Photograph and fingerprints by the Swedish embassy/consulate general residence permit card (if you need a visa to enter Sweden) After applying you will need to visit the closest Swedish foreign mission to have your passport reviewed (new requirement!), to be photographed, and have your fingerprints collected for the resident permit card The Swedish Migration Agency will contact you regarding the visit to the Swedish foreign mission. If you do not need a visa to enter Sweden, you only need to visit the Swedish foreign mission for a review of your passport as you may acquire your residence permit card in Sweden. Again The Swedish Migration Agency will contact you regarding the visit to the Swedish foreign mission 18
Key tips An incomplete application sent in early will take longer to process than a complete application sent in later so only send a complete application Make sure to extend your passport if it is about to expire you cannot obtain a permit for longer than your passport s period of validity 19
Common mistakes 1(2) Incomplete applications Sending in a bank account in someone else s name or shared with another person Bank statements missing vital information such as the issuing date or the name of the account holder 20
Common mistakes 2 (2) Sending in a document for a scholarship that doesn t show the amount of living expenses it will cover or that the applicant can use the funds as they like When copying your personal details from your passport make sure to include all the required pages The numbers and lettering at the very top and bottom of the pages must also be clearly visible as shown on the Migration Agency website. If the signature is on a different page than your personal details, remember to copy the signature page as well 21
Residence permit for looking for work after studies You can get a residence permit to look for a job or explore the possibilities of starting your own business here. To do so you need to have: Applied for a job-seeking permit before your residence permit for studies expires Completed your programme meaning that you have passed all mandatory courses This can be demonstrated through: Graduation diploma Certificate from LADOK that must include a statement that you ve completed your education Certificate from your university stating you ve completed your education 22
Residence permit for looking for work after studies 2(2) The length of the residence permit to look for work is 12 months. If you get a job during this period you can apply for a work permit and stay in Sweden and keep working. If you aren t on course to complete all your credits on time but want to find a job in Sweden: Apply for a renewal of your residence permit for studies Once you ve completed your credits and before the extension expires, apply for a residence permit for work after your studies 23
Funding Does my bank account need to be created a certain time in advance other than the fact the bank statement needs to be a maximum of 4 months before the start of the permit I am applying for? Answer: No, other than the abovementioned caveat, there is no requirement of the bank account having to have been created a set amount of time before the start of the permit. 25
Funding Can my permit be rejected if a large amount of money was put into my bank account shortly before I apply? Answer: In general, it s not deemed to be unusual that a prospective student has to top up their account before commencing studies in Sweden. Having said that, the Swedish Migration Agency might in some cases need to investigate further in order to determine that money shown is your own. 26
Funding Does the bank statement need to contain transaction history? Answer: No, there is no such requirement. In some cases where further investigation is needed, the Swedish Migration Agency might request you to provide documents showing transaction history, but it is not mandatory to provide when submitting your application. 27
Waiting time Submitting a complete application will increase the chance of a speedier decision. A decision is usually made within two months, but may take longer depending on the circumstances of your application Apply as soon as possible after all requirements are met 28
Permanent residency Is it possible to ever get permanent residency in Sweden or even Swedish citizenship if I stay in Sweden and work after my studies? Answer: Yes, for example, a person who has held residence permits for doctoral studies or for employment for at least four years may qualify for a permanent residence permit. If you have lived in Sweden for five years with a permit to settle here and have received a permanent residence permit, you may qualify for Swedish citizenship. 29
Residence permit for applying for work If I want to get a job after my studies do I need to have found a job first or can I apply for an extension and then get a job? Answer: You can apply for a job-seeking permit for 12 months to look for a job provided you complete your programme and apply before your current permit expires. If you have received a job offer, you may apply for a work permit while being in Sweden. 30
Resources Read everything sent to you by the university you are admitted to Swedish Migration Agency s website: www.migrationsverket.se Swedish embassy website: www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies Official emergency information from Swedish authorities www.krisinformation.se/en 31
Thank you! www.studyinsweden.se Photo: Oskar Omne 33
