Tuition fees

The fees for Bachelor’s (first-cycle) and Master’s (second-cycle) programmes are based on full-time study, equivalent to 30 credits per semester. If you intend to take more than 30 credits per semester, you will be required to pay additional tuition fees.

Who does not have to pay tuition fees?

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you do not need to pay any application or tuition fees. If you have a residence permit in Sweden for reasons other than studies, you are also exempt from paying application and tuition fees. Likewise, exchange students and doctoral students are not required to pay application or tuition fees, unless you wish to study courses outside of your exchange or doctoral programme. If you do not need to pay the fees, you must prove this by uploading relevant documents on University Admissions.

Application fee

An application fee of 900 SEK (Swedish kronor) must be received to the universityadmissions.se by the fee deadline of 1 February in order for your application to be processed. If you have any questions regarding the application fee, please contact universityadmissions.se.

If you are already registered on a course or programme and studying in Sweden, you will not need to pay an application fee.

Paying tuition fees

Are you required to pay tuition fees to SLU? Click the button below for guidance on how to proceed.

Refunding tuition fees

Email tuitionfees@slu.se if you want to apply for a refund. Your email must include a written statement explaining why you are requesting the refund, along with official documentation supporting your reasons. All documentation must be in English, and any translations must be done by a sworn translator and submitted as a PDF file.

Your tuition fees can be refunded if:

• You have not been granted a residence permit for studies.
• You have withdrawn your residence permit application after the final arrival date.
• You have been conditionally admitted, but have not met the entry requirements two weeks after the final registration date.
• You have become exempt from paying tuition fees for reasons such as having been granted a different category of residence permit.
• Special reasons have prevented you from participating in your studies.

We can only refund tuition fees to the account from which the original payment was made. To avoid problems in the event of a refund, we strongly recommend that you pay from an account in your name.

It takes approximately one month to process tuition fee refunds. It may take an additional month for you to receive your refund.

Refunds to a Swedish bank account

If you paid your tuition fees from a Swedish bank account and are requesting a refund, you need to submit a bank receipt with the following information in PDF format:

• name of the account holder
• account number, including clearing number
• date the tuition fees were paid
• recipient (SLU) 
• amount in SEK.

This information must be on one page. Screenshots will not be accepted.

Course selection

If you want to take different courses than those you ranked at the top of your credits at the time of the second selection round, you need to contact tuitionfees@slu.se and tell us which courses you want to take instead. Here are some examples of when you will need to contact us:

• If you accept a reserve place after the second selection round
• If you submit a late application and are admitted
• If you are admitted to more than 30 credits and want to study courses which are prioritised lower than your top 30 credits
• If you want to study more than 30 credits.

Can I study less than 30 credits each semester?

The Swedish Migration Agency requires that students are registered for 30 credits each semester. Please consult with the Migration Agency if you wish to study less than 30 credits. You will still need to pay tuition fees for the full semester (30 credits) even if you study less than 30 credits.

Can I study courses at other universities?

If you study courses at other universities during your programme, you still have to pay the tuition fee to SLU. We will not transfer the fee to the other university; you must pay the tuition fee to them separately. The tuition fee for your last semester can be reduced if the courses you have taken at other universities are included in your degree. Contact tuitionfees@slu.se to request a reduction.

The tuition fee for each course is lower than my tuition fee this semester

Your tuition fee is the same each semester, regardless of the cost of individual courses. In some semesters, your tuition fee may be higher than the total cost of your courses, while in others it may be lower. It balances out over time.

During your studies

During your studies, you can:

• Take courses outside your programme at SLU, up to 30 credits. The tuition fees will be the same as those for your original programme. Make sure that the courses can be included in your degree. If you are unsure, please check the degree requirements.
  
  
• Participate in a student exchange. The fee paid to SLU will be the same as if you were studying on your programme at SLU. If you are unable to transfer 30 credits per semester from your exchange studies, you must pay for additional courses at SLU to be eligible for your degree. Make sure you plan your exchange carefully to ensure full credit transfer is possible. Additionally, you may be entitled to a scholarship from SLU for your exchange period.

Cost of living

The cost of living in Sweden largely depends on your lifestyle. The living expense requirement for applicants in 2024 is at least SEK 10,314 per month.

This amount is slightly less than what Swedish students receive. Therefore, before you leave home, make sure you can finance your stay. Doing so will save you unnecessary stress and help make your study experience in Sweden much more enjoyable.

For more information about cost of living, visit Study in Sweden.

Will SLU provide housing for me?

Fee-paying students are guaranteed housing. Please note that rent is not included in the tuition fee. If you want housing for others, such as a partner and/or child, you will need to find accommodation independently. More information regarding housing will be sent to all fee-paying students during June.

Residence permit for studies

To study in Sweden, you need a residence permit. You can apply for a residence permit after you have paid the tuition fee and received a confirmation email from SLU.

Applications for residence permits are made through the Swedish Migration Agency website. The Migration Agency is responsible for the entire residence permit process. SLU cannot influence your application. Any questions regarding your residence permit should be directed to the Migration Agency.

The waiting time for a decision from the Migration Agency is usually between 2 to 5 months, sometimes longer. Therefore, SLU urges students to pay their tuition fee and apply for a residence permit as soon as possible after receiving the payment instructions from us (shortly after you receive the notification of selection results). You can check current processing times on the Migration Agency’s website.

The only document you need to prove your admission to SLU and that you are insured is the notification of selection results emailed to you after the selection. For university contact, you may provide tuitionfees@slu.se, although this is optional.

You must be registered for 30 credits each semester. If you study less than 30 credits during a semester, your residence permit may be revoked or an application for extension denied. If you cannot study for any reason, such as illness or inability to pay tuition fees, you are expected to leave Sweden, as a residence permit for studies only allows residence for study purposes.

The Swedish Migration Agency has prepared short instructional videos on how to apply for a residence permit for studies in Sweden.

Work opportunities

Please do not rely on working to support yourself during your studies in Sweden, as it is very difficult to find part-time jobs. Many employers require Swedish language skills, and depending on your university workload, it may be challenging to commit to work outside of your studies.