Let’s face it: it is expensive to study in Sweden.
On average, the cost of living for a single person is around 23,802 Swedish kronor (US$2,363) per month to live in what looks like a frosty utopia — and that does not include your rent and tuition fees.
Your cost of living also depends on the place you intend to study.
Take the capital city of Stockholm, for example. Monthly rent for a 45 square metre furnished studio in a normal area is 13,284 kronor (US$1,319). Meanwhile, a full bachelor’s programme at KTH Royal Institute of Technology — Stockholm and Sweden’s best ranking university, according to QS World University Rankings 2025 — costs 423,000 kronor (US$42,009).
People watch as a Super Blue Moon rises behind Nacka, in Stockholm, on August 19, 2024. Source: AFP
In Malmö, prices go down. The monthly rent here for the same 45 square metre furnished studio in a normal area is 6,226 kronor (US$618), and average tuition fees at Malmo University — one of two universities in the city — start from 290,000 kronor (US$28,800) for a full bachelor’s programme.
Don’t be discouraged, though.
If you are on a tight budget, consider tuition-free universities.
International students from the European Economic Area (EEA), European Union (EU), and those with a permanent Swedish residence permit do not pay for tuition at Swedish universities. For those outside these countries, the tuition fee remains far cheaper than tuition fees in the UK and US.
Note that all Swedish universities charge their applicants an application fee of 900 kronor (US$87).
With a bit of digging, here are the best low-cost universities in Sweden that students outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland can consider. Alternatively, check out the affordable options in the neighbouring countries of Norway and Finland.
8 affordable universities for international students to study in Sweden, from most to least expensive
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1. Malmö University
Located in Malmö, Malmö University is one of the younger universities in Sweden. At its core, the university is characterised by a multidisciplinary, challenge-based approach to education, research, and collaboration.
Here, programmes often include internships and project work in close cooperation with regional authorities, local initiatives and international companies. As a global campus, they house over a thousand international students and deliver their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in English. Their best ranking programme, according to QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, is dentistry.
An education at Malmo University will cost students outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland between 290,000 to 515,000 kronor (US$28,800 to US$51,146) for an undergraduate programme. A one-year master’s goes for 95,000 to 260,000 kronor (US$9,434 to US$25,821); a two-year master’s goes for 190,000 to 510,000 kronor (US$18,869 to US$50,649).
2. Luleå University of Technology
The northernmost university of technology in Scandinavia offers Sweden’s only master’s programmes in space engineering and spacecraft design.
Luleå University of Technology offers a range of subjects through its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including engineering, urban planning, environmental geoscience, waste management, spacecraft design, wood technology, music performance and more.
The master’s programme costs approximately 280,000 kronor (US$27,807).
Rest assured, your university facilities will be warmer than that of Sweden’s iconic Ice Hotel. Source: AFP
3. Uppsala University
When it comes to affordable universities in Sweden, Uppsala University ranks among the best. As one of the first Nordic universities, it is divided into three disciplines: humanities and social sciences, medicine and pharmacy, and science and technology. The university offers programmes for bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Thanks to their research-led teaching, you will experience the highest standards of intellectual rigour. Some of their graduates include 16 Nobel Prize laureates — eight of whom received prizes for discoveries made during their time at Uppsala University.
Depending on the chosen programme, an undergraduate programme will cost around 270,000 to 390,000 kronor (US$26,814 to US$38,732). Meanwhile, a postgraduate programme costs approximately 200,000 to 290,000 kronor (US$19,862 to US$28,800).
4. Dalarna University
For those who want to pursue their studies outside the bigger, more expensive cities, Dalarna University has two campuses, one in Borlänge and another in Falun, for you to check out. Both are hailed as the cultural heart of sustainable Sweden, allowing you to learn in a modern and eco-friendly environment renowned for its stunning natural beauty and outdoor adventure opportunities.
The university has 12 international programmes that are taught entirely in English. This includes undergraduate and postgraduate subjects across Business, Economics and Tourism Studies, Data Science and Business Intelligence, English Studies, Technology and Engineering, Health and Politics, and Languages.
A three-year full-time degree at the university costs between 144,000 and 252,000 kronor (US$14,301 to US$25,027), depending on your programme.
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5. Blekinge Institute of Technology
Those wanting to pursue postgraduate degrees focusing on the digitalisation of society and sustainability will find their match at Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH). Their research in software engineering ranks second in the world, and BTH’s research in strategic sustainable development is among the most cited worldwide.
From Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Telecommunication Systems, AI and Machine Learning, and more, you’ll be joining profession-oriented programmes that address society’s future needs and challenges — all at the heart of the Unesco World Heritage City of Karlskrona.
A two-year master’s programme costs 140,000 kronor (US$13,903).
6. Stockholm School of Economics
Located in Stockholm’s central city district of Vasastaden, the Stockholm School of Economics is one of Europe’s leading business schools. Financial Times has even named it as the best business school in the Nordics and Scandinavia.
Two bachelor’s programmes are offered fully in English: BSc in Business & Economics and BSc in Retail Management. Meanwhile, five of the school’s master’s programmes are delivered in English: finance, international business, accounting, valuation and financial management, business and management, and economics.
Generally, tuition fees are 120,000 kronor (US$11,917) per year for a bachelor’s programme or 180,000 kronor (US$17,876) for a master’s programme.
When you study in Sweden’s northernmost point, you might even get a chance to see the Northern Lights. Source: AFP
7. Umeå University
The flagship university of northern Sweden, Umeå University covers research and education in medicine, science and technology, social sciences, arts and humanities, and educational sciences.
Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are delivered entirely in English. In 2023, international students from 137 universities across the globe responded to the International Student Barometer (ISB) survey during the autumn semester 2023; Umeå University placed first of all participating universities in the main categories of living, support, and overall satisfaction.
The tuition rates for degree programmes and full-time studies range from 96,600 to 395,700 kronor (US$9,593 to US$39,298) per year, depending on the field of study.
8. Linköping University
Linköping University, more commonly known as LiU, is a public university with four campuses in three locations in southern Sweden. Two campuses are located in Linköping, one in the centre of Norrköping, and one just outside of Stockholm.
The university has been named one of the world’s 200 best universities in education, materials science, sociology and electrical and electronic engineering, according to QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025.
Here, students can choose from 30 international programmes in various subject areas. While the university does offer bachelor’s programmes, its main focus lies in master’s degrees that average two years long.
Those not from the EU, EEA, or Sweden will have to pay tuition fees ranging from 80,000 to 136,000 kronor (US$7,945 to US$13,506) per year.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on April 7, 2025.
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