Sweden Study Visa

Even in the midst of the pandemic, more Indian students were granted Swedish student visas. Students from India who applied for visas were given about 1648 of them. International students who want to study in Sweden must submit an application to the Swedish university of their choosing. The student must pay the initial portion of their tuition fees after being accepted by the university. International students must pay this fee before starting the application process at Swedish universities.

Sweden Student Visa Vs Residence Permit

Both the resident permit and the student visa are for non-EU/EEA nationals who want to stay and study in Sweden. However, the length of your stay will determine whether you require a resident permit or a student visa.

Prior to requesting a student visa for Sweden

The following elements determine whether a student needs a visa to study in Sweden:

Where they were born.

  • If the student has ever held a residence permit from a Schengen nation.
  • If they dwell in the EU permanently.

To apply for a student visa to Sweden, you must meet a few specific standards that are required. The same topics are covered below:

  • A current passport is required of the student.
  • The applicant must have applied for admission to a full-time course requiring enrollment at a university.
  • The student must be able to cover their expenses for the term of the requested residence permit.
  • Before applying, the student had to have paid a reasonable tuition charge.
  • If the student plans to stay in Sweden for less than a year, they must have applied for health insurance there.

Sweden Student Visa: Resident Permit Application Process

The steps for requesting a student visa for Sweden are listed below. Students can apply for their permit by following the instructions provided:

Where to Apply for a Student Visa for Sweden

Through the website of the Swedish Migration Agency or the local Swedish embassy in your home country, you can apply for a student visa to Sweden online. The steps for completing the online application form are as follows:

  • The student must complete the online application for a Sweden student visa on the website of the Swedish Migration Agency.
  • Completely fill out the required fields.
  • The appropriate documentation must be provided by the student. This includes copies of their passports, evidence of their admission to the Swedish university, evidence of their health insurance in Sweden (for stays of less than a year), a statement from their bank demonstrating that they have enough money to cover their living expenses, and documentation of any scholarships or stipends they may have received.

Processing Charges for Student Visas

  • The student must use a credit card or charge card to pay the application cost.
  • The cost must also be paid in cash if the student is applying through the Swedish embassy.
  • If the application is declined, the fee won’t be refunded.

Both the applicant and their family members’ (spouses’ or other relatives’) residence permits are subject to the same fee schedule. The approximate cost breakdown for the Swedish Resident Permit is as follows:

Catergory Fees in SEK INR Equivalent
Adult 1,500 12,700
Child 750 6,360

Visit to the general consulate or embassy

  • The student must submit their application to the local general consulate or embassy of Sweden.
  • The student will be required to pay the application cost in cash.

Sweden Student Visa Interview

  • An email invitation to the interview will be sent to the student.
  • The student must show up for the interview by the allotted time.

Results of Student Visa Application for Sweden

  • The outcome of the embassy’s decision will be mailed to the student.
  • The student will need to schedule an appointment with the embassy before going there.
  • On their trip to the embassy, the student will need to provide all of the required paperwork.

Documents Needed for a Student Visa for Sweden

  • An applicant for a residence permit for study in Sweden must possess the following:
  • A passport that was issued within the last ten years, has at least two blank pages, and is valid for at least three months following the visa expiration.
  • The learner must be able to explain why they are there.
  • A Swedish university must have sent the student an invitation or other documentation of admission.
  • The student must have enough money to support themselves (SEK 450 per day, or INR 3,850) and to travel back home at any time.
  • Have personal travel health insurance that provides coverage for at least EUR 30,000. (INR 25,80,000).
  • Will need to demonstrate that they intend to leave the country before their visa expires on the final day.
  • A recent passport-size photo that is no older than six months.
  • Any further paperwork that the embassy requests.

Language Conditions for Student Visas in Sweden

  • International students from non-native English-speaking nations are expected to speak English with a reasonable level of skill and proficiency. On the other hand, Swedish universities require a language proficiency score for enrollment.
  • IELTS and TOEFL are the two most generally approved exams for English language competency in Swedish universities. The following are the minimum requirements for admission to universities:
  • IELTS score of 6.0 overall and more than 5.5 in each part. 17 out of 72 on the TOEFL iBT’s writing section.

Sweden Student Visa: Evidence of Finances

  • To obtain a residence permit or visa, a student must demonstrate that they will have enough money to spend at least SEK 450 (INR 3,800-3,900) per day while they are in Sweden.
  • The specific guidelines for the required pieces of evidence are as follows:
  • When requested, the student must provide a copy of their own bank statement.
  • Only personal bank account statements will be accepted. Shared bank account information will be rejected when submitted.
  • The student must supply the details of all the accounts if they keep money in more than one bank account.
  • In order to study and live in Sweden, a student must be able to demonstrate that they have the financial resources to do so.

Work-Study on Sweden Student Visa

In Sweden, it can be challenging but not impossible to find a part-time employment. The government does not impose any limitations on part-time employment or the number of hours that international students may work.

The typical monthly pay for students working part-time while studying abroad in Sweden is from EUR 700 to 1000 (about INR 60,000 to 86,000). But in addition to working, the student will spend about 40 hours per week studying.

Internship opportunities for international students are very likely while they are in school. This will offer a lump sum payment to help with living expenses in the expensive climate of the nation.

How long it takes to extend a visa for students from Sweden

The residency permit is only valid for a year if the student’s academic programme lasts shorter than a year. When the continuing course might last longer, the student will need to ask for the extension well in advance of the course’s conclusion.

If a student already has a residence permit and wants to extend it, they must submit an application at least six months before the current residence permit expires.

Documents Needed to Apply for an Extension of a Resident Permit

  • A few documents are required from the student in order to extend their Swedish residency visa. The following is a list of the necessary documents:
  • The pupil must possess a current passport.
  • The student needs to be accepted into a Swedish higher education facility.
  • The student must have shown respectable academic progress.
  • The student should be financially capable of supporting themselves for the time they intend to stay in Sweden.
  • The student must have applied for health insurance if they don’t already have it in Sweden, at the very least.

Reasons for Student Visa Rejection in Sweden

The criteria that must be met in order to apply for a residence permit extension are quite severe according to the Swedish Migration Agency. For the 2019–2020 year, 40–50% of Swedish residency permits are rejected. Following is a list of the main grounds for denial of a student visa or residence permit:

  • Inadequate funding
  • Omitted documents
  • Counterfeit paperwork
  • Unable to articulate the reasons for their preference for a particular university
  • Bad communication abilities
  • Inadequate responses to interview questions

If a student already has a residence permit and wants to extend it, they must submit an application at least six months before the current residence permit expires.

Sweden Student Visa: Post Denial Actions and Reapplications

The pupil will have to leave the country if the Swedish Migration Agency rejects their desire to apply for a residence visa extension. When the student must depart the country will be decided by the agency. The decision will inform the student of this time frame.

The student has the option of either accepting the verdict or appealing it. They will have to wait while their case is considered in the local court in the event that they file an appeal against the ruling.

The likelihood that a student may decide to appeal a decision is as follows:

  • The student will still need to come up with a backup plan to go back to their home country or any other nation they are legally allowed to stay in.
  • Within four weeks, a decision “acquires legal force,” signifying that it is now final and cannot be appealed.

Young people from all over the world are now choosing to study in Sweden due to its development, sustainability, accessibility of top colleges, and free-spirited culture. If you have covered all the necessary ground and your paperwork is complete, getting a student visa for Sweden is not too difficult. International students’ increasing preference for European education creates a wide range of alternatives for those wishing to study in Sweden.