Students from a non-European Union (EU) or non-European Economic Area (EEA) country, require a residence permit or a visa in order to study at LiU in Sweden. Your tuition fee must be paid before you apply for residence permit.
Students staying in Sweden for longer than three months – Residence permit
As soon as you have been admitted to LiU, start organising your paperwork to make sure everything is in order in time for your arrival.
Step 1 – Pay your first tuition fee instalment. Your permit application will not be processed until this is complete.
Step 2 – Apply for a residence permit. We recommend that you submit an online application via the Swedish Migration Agency’s website as this is the easiest and fastest method. It usually takes two to three months for an application to be processed. The application will not be processed until you have submitted ALL relevant documentation. If your application is not complete, it will delay the process.
Step 3 – You may be called for an interview at the Swedish embassy or consulate in your home country or the place you reside permanently.
For your application to be approved, you must:
- hold a valid passport
- be ready to show your passport at an embassy or Consulate General if you are outside Sweden. If you need to show your passport in person, the Migration Agency will contact you about where and when you can do so.
- be admitted to full-time studies that require your physical presence at LiU.
- be able to support yourself during the period for which you apply for a residence permit (one or two years). If you can show that you meet the maintenance requirement for two years, you can apply for a two-year residence permit.
- have a comprehensive healthcare insurance policy (if you have paid you tuition fee, the Swedish Migration Agency will receive information about your FAS+ insurance coverage from LiU)
The Migration Agency will be notified in case of withdrawal from studies, study breaks or low/no engagement.
More information about residence permits is available from the Swedish Migration Agency. Check out “useful links” further below to read more.
New regulations for individuals granted residence permits for study purposes
Sweden will introduce new regulations for individuals granted residence permits for study purposes. These new rules bring Sweden in line with EU minimum requirements.
What the new regulations mean:
- Paid work may not exceed 15 hours per week
- Students must make satisfactory academic progress to maintain their residence permit (45 out of 60 credits per year)
- Residence permits cannot be converted to another type after the first term
Read more about the new regulations here.
Distance learning with on-campus meetings – Visa
Students from outside the EU/ EEA enrolled in our distance programmes cannot receive a Swedish residence permit. If face-to-face meetings on campus are part of the distance programme, you should apply for a visa instead (if this is a requirement for citizens of your country).
You can obtain either a short-term visa for an unlimited number of short visits or a long-term visa that covers several repeated visits. The visas are administered by an embassy in your home country.
If you are studying 100% via distance, you cannot obtain a student visa to come to Sweden. You can instead apply for a tourist visa for shorter visits if you would like to visit Sweden. More information about visas is available from the Swedish Migration Agency.
Useful links
Government Offices of Sweden
List of foreign citizens who require a visa for entry into Sweden
Swedish Migration Agency
Apply for your residence permit online
Swedish Tax Agency
Moving to Sweden