How much money do I need for a Swedish student residence permit?

At least SEK 10,656 a month for the length of your studies, for applications made in 2026.

Can international students work in Sweden?

Yes. Under the rules from 11 June 2026, the starting point is up to 15 hours a week during semesters, with no limit in June, July and August.

Do I pay tuition before applying for the permit?

Yes. If you must pay a tuition fee, it has to be paid before you apply for the residence permit.

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Sweden6 min read

Sweden residence permit for studies in 2026: money, fees and the new rules

The Draimo team30 September 2026

Short answer

Non-EU students need a residence permit for studies to study in Sweden for more than three months. For applications made in 2026 you must show at least SEK 10,656 a month for the length of your studies, pay any tuition fee before you apply, and pay an application fee of SEK 1,500. Since 11 June 2026, students must also keep up study progress and, as a starting point, work at most 15 hours a week during semesters.

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What you must show

Stockholm at sunset. Students must show SEK 10,656 a month to live in Sweden. Photo: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Admission to full-time studies at a Swedish university
That you have paid any tuition fee; your university tells the Migration Agency once it is paid
At least SEK 10,656 a month for your studies (2026 figure), from savings, a scholarship, a loan or a sponsor
A valid passport, and comprehensive health insurance if your studies last less than a year

The new rules from 11 June 2026

The Swedish Migration Agency introduced new rules for students in higher education. They apply to anyone whose permit is decided on or after 11 June 2026.

Work: as a starting point, at most 15 hours a week during semesters, with no limit in June, July and August.
Study progress: 37.5 credits in the first year and 45 credits a year after that.
Address: tell the Migration Agency your address within 30 days of getting your permit, and whenever it changes.
Changing to another permit, such as a work permit, generally needs at least two completed semesters.

The order to do things in

Get your admission notice from universityadmissions.se.
Pay the tuition fee your university asks for.
Apply online to the Migration Agency and pay SEK 1,500.
Book an appointment at a Swedish embassy or consulate to have your fingerprints and photo taken.
When you arrive, register your address, and plan your work hours around your studies.

Where Draimo helps

Ask Draimo how much a two-year master's means in maintenance funds, what your university's tuition instalments are, or whether a part-time job fits the 15-hour rule. With Agent Mode on a monthly plan, it reads the Migration Agency's current pages and cites them, and it can turn your plan into a checklist document.

Questions people ask

How much money do I need for a Swedish student residence permit?: At least SEK 10,656 a month for the length of your studies, for applications made in 2026.
Can international students work in Sweden?: Yes. Under the rules from 11 June 2026, the starting point is up to 15 hours a week during semesters, with no limit in June, July and August.
Do I pay tuition before applying for the permit?: Yes. If you must pay a tuition fee, it has to be paid before you apply for the residence permit.

Sources we checked

Checked 30 September 2026. Dates and amounts change every year. Draimo reads the current pages when you ask.

Work out your maintenance funds and plan, in Swedish or English.

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