Sweden is ranked 14 in the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings due to the education system’s strong emphasis on innovation. Home of the Nobel Peace Prize and famous global brands like Ikea, Volvo, and Ericsson, a Swedish degree opens up a world of opportunities in and out of Sweden. Here, we will go over the best scholarships in Sweden for international students.
Living Costs in Sweden for International Students
Sweden is infamous for having a high cost of living. Before deciding to pursue higher education in Sweden, one should carefully consider the costs of living there. All non-EU/EEA students are required to prove that they have at least SEK 3,700 or 363 EUR per month for 10 months for living expenses while studying in Sweden. While it is not impossible to live within that budget, a comfortable monthly but to cover accommodation, transportation, food, and miscellaneous costs would be around 750 to 1,250 EUR depending on the city and lifestyle of the student.
Swedish universities are not allowed to provide student accommodation to EU students but provide a limited number of rooms to non-EU/EEA international students. Rooms at student residence halls range from 240 EUR to 620 EUR per month, while private rooms rented in a shared house may cost 350 EUR to 700 per month.
On top of rent, a student might have additional utilities and internet expenses amounting to 80 EUR and 20 EUR, respectively. Another high cost is the food; a budget of 200 EUR per month is expected to pay for groceries with the occasional restaurant dinner, which usually costs 8 to 10 EUR per person. Public transportation in Sweden is very efficient and costs around 40 to 55 EUR per month, and a student can save by buying a second-hand bike. Other miscellaneous costs include 80 EUR per month for books, 30 EUR per month for health insurance, and 70 to 100 EUR per month for entertainment.
Can international students work in Sweden?
International students from EU/EEA countries can live and work in Sweden without any restrictions. Other third-country nationals may be allowed to work while studying in Sweden if the Migration Agency grants a residence permit that allows employment. This often comes with the condition that the person must not reduce the hours of study.
Top Universities in Country:
The five top-rated Universities in Sweden are all in the top 200 universities of the 2024 QS World University Rankings of 2024.
Lund University, ranked 97th in the QS World University Rankings, is the top choice for international students in Sweden because of its broad range of courses. Over 20% of its 40,000 students are international students, 60% of which are enrolled in master’s programs.
Ranked 98th, KTH Royal Institute of Technology is the second top-ranked university in Sweden. It is the largest technical university in Sweden and is known for technology and engineering.
The Uppsala University is the third top-ranked University at 124. Uppsala has a strong academic tradition, touting 15 Nobel Prize laureates, 8 of which were awarded for discoveries made while they were at the university. Uppsala University has almost 30,000 students, of which 8,401 are international students.
Located in Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology is the fourth top-ranked university in Sweden. Chalmers University is a research-intensive university with close partnerships with multinational companies such as Volvo, Ericsson, SKF, and AstraZeneca.
The fifth top-ranked university in Sweden is Stockholm University. Stockholm University is also ranked high in the 2020 Global University Employability Ranking, which means that a degree from this university prepares a student for a global career.
Best Scholarships in Sweden:
1. Lund University Global Scholarship Program
This program awards approximately 1.5 million EUR annually to scholars selected by merit. In 2020 and 2024, Lund University allocated an additional 2.1 million EUR to the fund to help students finance their studies despite the COVID pandemic.
This Sweden scholarship is open to prospective students from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland that have a complete application for bachelor’s or master’s degrees or a free-standing course of at least 30 ECTS credits at Lund University.
The selection process is based on academic performance and assessed fit for the program of interest. The scholarship grant may cover partial or a full tuition fee based on the budget available.
2. KTH Royal Institute of Technology Masters Scholarship
The KTH Royal Institute of Technology has several scholarship programs for a master’s degree. The KTH Scholarship covers tuition fees at the university for the first and the second year of the master’s degree and is awarded based on the applicant’s GPA. The eligibility is also based on the university ranking, relevant work experience, extra-curricular activities, and the applicant’s motivation to contribute to the sustainable development goals.
The KTH One-Year Scholarship covers the tuition fee of students who are already enrolled in a two-year master’s program at KTH. This scholarship in Sweden is awarded based on the grades from courses completed in the first year.
The KTH India Scholarship Foundation is aimed at prospective students from India. Each year, two students are awarded the scholarship covering the tuition fees and monthly living allowance for the first and the second year of study.
3. Volvo Group Scholarship at Chalmers University
This scholarship program is open only to citizens of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India who pursue master’s degrees in the following fields of study:
- Mobility Engineering;
- Computer Systems & Networks;
- Sustainable Electric Power Engineering and Electromobility;
- Software Engineering and Technology;
- Data Science and AI; and
- High-Performance Computer Systems.
As one of the best scholarships in Sweden, the Volvo Group scholarship covers a full tuition fee waiver for the whole duration of the program and includes a summer internship, master’s thesis project, mentorship, and possible employment at Volvo.
4. Karolinska Institutet Global Master’s Scholarship Program
The Karolinska Institutet is one of the top medical universities in Europe. Each year the Karolinska Institutet selects a maximum of 10 students who have applied for a master’s degree.
Their Global Master’s Scholarship Program is based on the overall assessment of the student’s CV and qualifications. In addition, the selected scholars for this Sweden scholarship are given partial or full tuition fee waivers.
5. Michael Treschow Scholarship at the Stockholm School of Economics
Michael Treschow Scholarship at the Stockholm School of Economics is funded by The Garden – Center for Design and Leadership.
The Stockholm School of Economics seeks to empower creative designers to pursue higher education beyond their bachelor’s degrees. Each year, this Sweden scholarship program awards 100,000 SEK to one scholar who chooses to enroll in a design-related master’s degree program.
