Sweden student visa for Indian students: Your full guide

Whether you are looking for an undergraduate degree, master’s degree, or for doing research, Sweden can be a great option for Indian students. Sweden has 39 different universities that accept international students. Read on to learn more about how to go about a Swedish student visa and what you can expect for the process as an Indian student.

📝 Table of contents
Application Process Requirements Processing time Checklist Fees

When you are ready to start your immigration journey to Sweden, it is best to get advice from a professional for your unique situation. While this article can shed light on the student visa process, it is not to replace professional advice or directives by the Embassy of Sweden in India.

🎓 Sweden student visa application

The Swedish study visa system operates differently from the normal European Union system. For Sweden, there are 2 different paths to legally study:

• Receive a Study Visa to study for less than 3 months (90 days)
• Receive a Residence Permit for studying more than 3 months or 90 days

The study visa can be for short term study, research or an internship but has to complete in less than 90 days.
Residence Permits are for undergraduate or postgraduate education, post-secondary levels, or higher vocational education that requires being in Sweden for longer than 3 months.
For the Residence Permit, you can complete the process the quick and easy way by completing and submitting the application online. For the short term study visa, you can download the form online and then submit an in-person paper application if to a Swedish embassy in India when the embassy allows drop-offs, or at a VFS Global visa application centre (VAC).
If you want more information on Swedish Residence Permit or study visa, you can contact the Swedish Embassy in India or Swedish consulates in India:

• Embassy of Sweden in India, New Delhi
• Consulate General of Sweden, Mumbai
• Swedish Consulate, Chennai
• Swedish Consulate, Kolkata

🎒 But the first place to start in the process of studying in Sweden, is first to apply and get enrollment in a Swedish educational institution. You are required to show evidence of enrollment in Sweden when you submit your visa application.

Want to learn more about educational opportunities in Sweden? Study in Swedenhelps provide easy to read guidance on where you can apply in the country and what programs exist.

📜Residence Permits in Sweden

The last and final action to take is to make sure you get your fingerprints and photo taken in person at the nearest Embassy of Sweden or Consulate in India. After which your visa or residence permit can be issued.¹
But at every stage, you have to receive approval before moving to the next step. Check out the next section on how the permit application process works.

	Study Visa	Residence Permit
Time you can stay in Sweden	Less than 90 days	More than 90 days
Type of program	Short term study, research and internships	Full time higher education program
Employment	No, unless a work permit is granted	Yes, in most cases
Need to meet financial requirements for your stay?	Yes	Yes
Required for Indian nationals?	Yes	Yes
Approved for travel in Europe	Mostly allowed for other Schengen countries	Yes, but not beyond the permit expiry date
How early to apply	6 months before arrival date	2-4 months before arrival date

📃 Sweden student visa process

Let’s dive deeper into the process of studying in Sweden. There is a separate process for a Residence permit application and a study visa application:

Residence Permit Application (>90 days in Sweden)²

Here is a quick step by step guide to applying for a residence permit:

1. Apply and be accepted into a full time higher education program in Sweden
2. Pay the first instalment of your tuition fee
3. Ensure your passport is valid
4. Gather together your documents in India
5. Apply for health insurance if you are staying less than one year in Sweden
6. Submit the online application
7. Await approval from the Swedish Migration Authorities
8. Once approved, set an appointment for biometric information at a Swedish consulate or Embassy near you
9. Attend your appointment and drop off the documents as needed
10. Pay the application or services fee
11. Await notification for when to pick up your residence permit

You can also check to see if you can get your residence permit delivered to your home in India for an additional charge by the consulate or embassy.

Study Visa Application (< 90 days in Sweden)³

The study visa application is a Schengen visa application and mirrors the Schengen visa process. Additionally for a Study Visa you can work directly with the Swedish Visa Application Centre, VFS Global in India.

• Apply and be accepted into a study program or approval for a research or internship program with official documentation and an invitation letter
• Gather all documents necessary
• Have evidence you will leave Sweden at the end of your visa stay
• Complete the application
• Sign off on the document checklist
• Submit all information to the Swedish embassy or consulate or visa application centre, VFS Global
• Track your application online
• Await the decision

📝 Sweden student visa requirements for Indian students

Indian students applying for a Residence permit or student visa will need to show evidence of a key few things:
🎒 Acceptance into a Swedish program
🏦 Financial means to support yourself in Sweden
🏥 Have travel medical insurance
🛂 Have a valid passport that is less than 10 years old, has 2 blank pages and is valid for 3 months after you intend to leave Sweden
🖇️ Have the correct documents to support your application
✈️ Have a return ticket or enough money now to purchase in the future
Travel medical insurance is a requirement if your program is less than 1 year in Sweden. Often the health insurance may be provided through your university or educational institution. You will have to attach a copy of the provided insurance with your application.⁴

🏦 Sweden student visa financial requirements

For a Residence permit, you are required to show you have paid your first year tuition fees and that you have at least SEK 8,568/ ₹75,503

Length of program	Swedish Krona	Indian Rupee*
1 month program	SEK 8,568	₹75,503
6 month program	SEK 51,408	₹4,53,018
9 month program	SEK 77,112	₹6,79,527
12 month program	SEK 102,816	₹9,06,036

For a Study Visa, you will be required to show a total daily amount that equates to SEK 450/₹3,965 per day

Length of program	Swedish Krona	Indian Rupee*
14 days	SEK 6,300	₹55,517
4 week program	SEK 12,600	₹1,11,034
6 week program	SEK 18,900	₹1,66,550
11 week program	SEK 34,650	₹3,05,342

You will need to show evidence of meeting the financial requirement amount through:

• A recent bank statement in your name (within the past 3 months), or
• 2 years of income tax statements, or
• Proof of sponsorship for the required amount

If you don’t have proof of return travel back to India, you can add the cost of the ticket back home into the financial requirements to meet.
*All INR prices shown are converted at the mid-market exchange rate of SEK 1 = ₹8.81 as of June 7, 2021

🖇️ Documents required for Sweden student visa

Here is a quick rundown of the documents you will need to provide alongside your application:
Residence Permit⁷

• A valid passport
• Recent photo from within the last 6 months
• Copy of your passport and passport data page that show your personal information, signature, and period of validity
• Acceptance letter into the Swedish higher education program
• Evidence of travel medical insurance, if you are staying less than a year
• Evidence of meeting the financial requirements

Study Visa⁸

• Application for a Schengen Visa
• Recent photo from within the last 6 months
• Copy of your passport and passport data page
• Flight reservation back to India
• Official letter stating invitation or acceptance into a Swedish program
• Proof of accommodation during your stay in Sweden
• Evidence of travel medical insurance
• Evidence of current employment or current enrollment in India
• Proof of meeting the financial requirements
• Document checklist

⌛ Sweden student visa processing time

The processing time can depend on whether you are applying for a Residence Permit or a Study Visa.
Residence permits can normally take 2-4 months to be processed.⁹

Study visas can typically be processed in 10-12 business days per VFS Global.¹⁰

This is assuming all documents are complete and no additional documents or information is required.

✔️ Sweden student visa checklist

Let’s ensure that you have everything you need to complete your application to study in Sweden.

• A completed application form for student visa
• A completed online application form for a residence permit
• A valid passport
• Copies of your passport data page
• Tuition or program fees paid, if applicable
• Official letter of invitation or acceptance letter from a Swedish program
• A recent photo
• Evidence of travel medical insurance if you are staying less than a year
• Evidence of meeting the financial requirements
• Ensure you can make international payments with your bank in India or have a method for international transactions
• Payment of application fee
• Payment of VFS Global fee, if necessary

Sweden student visa fees

A Residence Permit application costs SEK 1500. It is non-refundable and it can be paid by:¹¹

• Debit card
• Credit card
• Bank transfer

If you are applying for a study visa, you can pay the Schengen Visa application fee of €80 at the VFS Global Centre.

Sweden student visa fees in Indian Rupees

Type of visa	Swedish Krona	Indian Rupee*
Residence Permit fee	SEK 1500	₹13,218

Type of visa	Indian Rupee*
Study Visa Fee	₹6.900
VFS Global Fee	₹1,639
Total	₹8,539

*All INR prices shown are converted at the mid-market exchange rate of SEK 1 = ₹8.81 as of June 7, 2021

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Sources:

1. Studying in Sweden
2. Residence permit process
3. Study visa process
4. Travel medical
5. Financial requirements- Residence Permit
6. Financial requirements- Study Visa
7. Documents required- Residence Permit
8. Documents required - Study Visa
9. Processing time for Residence permit
10. Processing time for study visa
11. Resident permit fee
12. Student visa fee

All sources checked as of 7 June 2021