There are a number of reasons why studying in Sweden is a good idea. Excellent education, great living conditions, a reasonably attractive job market (many experts believe that Sweden has the best job market among all the EU nations, although the jury is out on just how attractive this market is to non-EU students) and plenty of scholarships, are some of the reasons why Sweden is a great destination for higher education.
Another big reason international students choose Sweden to pursue their higher studies, is finances – Tuition and the cost of living in Sweden are considered to be far more reasonable than a lot of other countries offering high quality education. But is Sweden right for your budget? Let’s find out.
Application Fees
The application fee is SEK 900 (around Rs. 6,500).
Tuition Fees
While the expenses you incur will vary according to your program and the university, the annual tuition can range anywhere between SEK 80,000 and 140,000 (roughly Rs. 5,00,000 – 20,00,000).
Student Union Fees
Joining the local student union is recommended as members of these student unions receive discounts and gain access to a range of activities. Membership to student unions come at a small price, though. Membership fees range anywhere between SEK 50 and 350 (roughly 350 – 2,500).
Textbooks
Textbooks are more expensive in Sweden than a lot of other countries. Students are expected to spend around SEK 750 (around Rs. 5,500) on textbooks. Several students opt to buy used copies of textbooks from their seniors to cut costs.
Living Expenses
Students’ living expenses would differ depending on the city they live in. Stockholm and Gothenburg are generally more expensive than Uppsala, for example. To give you an idea of the costs involved, we’ve sourced some information for you.
Note: The following costs are in SEK.
| Gothenburg | Linkoping | Lund | Stockholm | Umea | Uppsala | |
| Rent per month (1BR – City Center) | 5,000-11,000 | 4,500-7,500 | 3,500-8,000 | 7,000-14,000 | 4,500-7,000 | 5,000-10,000 |
| Rent per month (1 BR – outside CC) | 4,000-8,000 | 3,500-6,000 | 3,000-5,500 | 4,500-10,000 | 3,000-6,000 | 3,500-6,000 |
| Rent per month (3BR – City Center) | 8,500-18,000 | 7,500-12,500 | 8,000-14,000 | 14,000-25,000 | 8,000-11,000 | 10,000-15,000 |
| Rent per month (3BR – outside CC) | 7,000-12,000 | 6,000-9,000 | 6,500-9,000 | 7,200-17,000 | 5,000-8,000 | 6,000-12,300 |
| Taxi (min. fare) | 45 | 35 | 39 | 45 | 36 | 45 |
| Local transport (1-way ticket) | 26-29 | 21-30 | 22-25 | 25-40 | 25-35 | 25-35 |
| Local transport (monthly pass) | 600-610 | 530-600 | 500-600 | 790-830 | 480-550 | 700-790 |
| Gasoline (1L) | 12.5-15 | 11.5-14 | 12-15 | 13-15 | 12.5-14 | 12-15 |
| Utilities (electricity, heating, water and garbage disposal) | 400-1,200 | 300-1,000 | 320-1,170 | 320-1,000 | 1,050-3,200 | 300-1,000 |
| Prepaid Mobile Tariff (1 min) | 0.5-1.5 | 0.45-2 | 0.5-3 | 0.45-1 | 0.6-1 | 0.6-1.5 |
| Internet (10 Mbps, unlimited data) | 150-360 | 100-330 | 200-350 | 200-300 | 200-300 | 200-300 |
| Meal at restaurant | 70-800 | 60-800 | 65-800 | 65-950 | 60-800 | 65-700 |
| Cappuccino | 30-40 | 19-40 | 25-35 | 29-40 | 25-35 | 19-45 |
| Beer | 15-70 | 25-70 | 10-72 | 15-72 | 15-65 | 10-70 |
| Wine | 75-100 | 70-110 | 75-90 | 70-110 | 65-150 | 80-120 |
| Coke/Pepsi | 12-25 | 8-25 | 12-25 | 12-25 | 10-25 | 10-30 |
| Water (1.5 L) | 10-25 | 8-25 | 10-25 | 10-25 | 10-25 | 8-20 |
| Milk (1 L) | 9-13 | 8-11 | 8-15 | 9-13 | 9-11 | 8-11 |
| White bread (loaf) | 15-30 | 10-25 | 12-25 | 15-30 | 12-28 | 10-22 |
| Rice (1 Kg) | 15-30 | 10-30 | 12-50 | 17-35 | 20-35 | 24-30 |
| Eggs (a dozen) | 20-32 | 15-30 | 20-30 | 20-35 | 25-35 | 15-30 |
| Cheese (1 Kg) | 75-110 | 40-110 | 60-150 | 70-130 | 80-120 | 60-80 |
| Chicken (1 Kg) | 65-130 | 45-130 | 70-120 | 80-140 | 70-130 | 45-100 |
| Beef/ other red meat (1 Kg) | 90-220 | 60-160 | 60-180 | 120-250 | 130-200 | 60-140 |
| Apples (1 Kg) | 20-25 | 12-30 | 20-30 | 20-30 | 20-23 | 15-30 |
| Bananas (1 Kg) | 19-25 | 10-25 | 20-25 | 17-26 | 20-23 | 15-22 |
| Oranges (1 Kg) | 15-25 | 10-30 | 20-25 | 15-30 | 15-20 | 16-30 |
| Tomatoes (1 Kg) | 20-35 | 10-32 | 20-50 | 15-40 | 20-35 | 17-30 |
| Potatoes (1 Kg) | 8-12 | 7-12 | 8-11 | 8-15 | 9-16 | 7-10 |
| Onions (1 Kg) | 8-14 | 7-16 | 8-15 | 7-16 | 8-12 | 7-17 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 10-20 | 10-20 | 10-20 | 10-25 | 18-20 | 12-23 |
| Jeans (1 pair) | 600-1,000 | 300-920 | 900-1,000 | 600-1,100 | 400-1,000 | 300-700 |
| Summer Dress | 300-500 | 150-450 | 200-400 | 200-500 | 350-650 | 200-450 |
| Sneakers (1 pair) | 700-1,000 | 500-1,200 | 700-1,200 | 600-1,200 | 500-1,100 | 600-1,000 |
| Leather shoes (1 pair) | 1,200-1,500 | 500-2,000 | 500-1,500 | 1,000-2,000 | 700-1,000 | 600-2,000 |
| Fitness Club (monthly fee) | 250-400 | 300-500 | 170-400 | 260-600 | 250-500 | 200-400 |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | 120-150 | 90-130 | 120-140 | 110-140 | 125-150 | 100-130 |
| Cigarettes (1 pack) | 50-60 | 50-60 | 55-60 | 55-60 | 60-80 | 50-60 |
In addition to renting an apartment, cheaper options would include renting a room at a student flat or residence, which would cost you anywhere between SEK 2,500 and 6,500 a month.
Sweden’s rules allow foreigners to buy property in this country and the process should not be too complicated or time-consuming, however, property here is quite expensive.
Healthcare
If you do not have a Swedish identification card or a European Health Insurance card, a visit to a hospital or clinic can cost SEK 1,825-2,300.
Student Visa
To apply for a student visa for Sweden, you will have to pay around SEK 1000.
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You may also want to check out our article on Study in Australia: What is special about the “Group of 8″ universities?
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Hello, my name is chidimma and i am interested in running a masters program in social sciences in sweden with the 2018 spring session.
I would also want to get an idea of the fees (the most affordable) and which school i can apply to. My budget is 80000 SEK. Also please advise me on any other additional fees. Further more, when is the spring session application
Thank you for your anticipated support.
Best regards.
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