Sweden Study Visa for Indian Students

Sweden is one of the best destinations for Indian students as they are globally known for leading innovations. As per the Global Innovation Index report by the World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO), Sweden has been at the second spot for more than a decade. Universities in Sweden provide world-class research facilities, and a lot of government funding goes into the research works at Swedish universities.

Swedish universities attract International students in large numbers, and every year, thousands of Indian students are granted visas to study in Sweden. The visa process is very similar to other European countries, and meritorious students are always welcomed in Sweden.

Sweden is also a beautiful country with picturesque cities and villages that in itself attracts students to study in Sweden. One can spend quality time exploring places on a student visa.

What are the types of student visas for studying in Sweden? 

The student visa is issued based on the duration of the course. There are two types of visas issued by the Swedish authorities to non-EU/EEA area students.

Student Visa: It is issued to those students who wish to pursue a short-term course in Sweden. The course duration mustn’t exceed 90 days or three months. The student visa is usually issued for vocational courses, research collaborations, and internships. The student visa helps Indian students get a stint at the Swedish educational institutions and ascertain if they wish to pursue further studies in Sweden.

Residence Permit: It is issued for long-term courses that exceed a time period of 90 days. The residence permit is compulsory for those students who wish to pursue a course that’s longer than 90 days. Most commonly, students enrolled in bachelor, master, and doctorate programs have to take a residence permit.

What are the Sweden student visa eligibility criteria for Indian students? 

Every country puts forward certain criteria that a visa applicant must satisfy to get a student visa of that country. For Indian students, they have to fulfill the following requirements:

• The student visa applicant must be of Indian origin.
• They must have a valid passport. 
• Students must be able to have the means to fund education and finance the cost of living.
• The student is required to pay a certain percentage of the tuition fee before applying for the student visa.
• For those residing for less than a year, it is required to take health insurance.

Sweden Student Visa Application Process For Indian Students

The student visa process for Indian students is a bit different from the rest of the European countries in certain aspects and similar in most. Since there are two types of visas, one for short-term courses and the other for long-term courses, the process is also different. A student must understand the visa application process before choosing a course at a Swedish educational institution or university.

‘Student Visa’ Application For Short-term Stay- Less than 90 days:

The student visa is similar to the Schengen Visa that is issued for short-term travel. VFS global India can be directly approached for Student visas. The process is mentioned below:

• The process begins with securing a seat at a Swedish university. 
• Collect all the documents that might be needed for approval of the visa application.
• Fill the application and submit it at the Swedish Embassy, a consulate, or a Visa Application Centre approved by the Swedish authorities.
• If the documents are correct and the authorities are satisfied with the details furnished by the applicant, then the decision comes.

‘Residence Permit’ Application For Long-term Stay- More than 90 days:

The students planning to pursue a bachelor, master’s, doctorate, or any other course of more than 90 days need to apply for a Residence permit. The student has to follow these steps:

• Secure admission into a recognized Swedish educational institution.
• A portion of the fee amount should be paid before applying for the residence permit.
• Collect all the documents that have to be furnished to the Swedish authorities for verification and security purposes.
• Fill the online application form at the Swedish Migration Agency website or through the local Swedish embassy.
• Enter all the details that can be substantiated with documents when called upon to do so. 
• Swedish Migration authority informs applicants about the confirmation of the document verification. 
• After getting the approval, the applicant has to provide the biometric information at a Swedish consulate or embassy, which is closer to the residence.
• Then the application fee has to be paid, and the applicant has to wait for the communication of the final decision on the visa application.

The time taken to process the residence permit is usually longer than the student visa. The processing time for the residence permit is around 3-4 months, and for the student visa, it is about 15 days. However, there is no fixed timeframe, and students must apply right after paying the fee as it might get a bit difficult to join the classes if there are any discrepancies in the visa application. There are several instances when a visa application gets rejected, and then the applicant has to reapply. Since the time taken in residence permit is around 3-4 months, it becomes pretty tedious for a student to complete the process and join the course in time.

Documents needed for Sweden Student Visa:

Documents are a crucial part of the visa application, and students are advised to recheck all the details before finally submitting the form. If there is any documented problem, it must be corrected before submitting its copy to the Swedish authorities. Since the delay in getting a visa will have a direct consequence on the studies. 

What are the documents required for the residence permit?

• A valid passport with at least two blank pages must be valid throughout the period in Sweden. And the issuance date of the passport mustn’t exceed a period of 10 years. 
• A letter of acceptance from a recognized Swedish university or an educational institution.
• The applicant or student must present the document substantiating the purpose of the visit to Sweden.
• The student visa applicant must provide evidence to substantiate that they will be able to fund their studies and cost of living in Sweden. A bank statement or a loan document can be used for this purpose. 
• A recent color passport size photograph that shouldn’t be older than six months. 
• Travel medical insurance for students staying for less than a year. 

What are the documents required for a Sweden study visa?

• A copy of a valid passport and the data page showing the details about the travel history, signature, validity, etc. 
• Application of a Schengen visa. 
• Return tickets to India.
• Recent colored passport size photographs. And it shouldn’t be blurred or overly shiny. 
• Letter of acceptance from a Swedish university. 
• Evidence of taking care of finances at the time of stay in Sweden. 
• Current employment status, if applicable.

What are the language and financial requirements for Sweden study visa?

Language Requirement For Student Visa:

For non-native English speakers, it becomes important to have a score in one of the English proficiency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL. Since international students preferably enroll in those courses only that are taught in English. So, it becomes imperative for students to have a good grasp over the language so that they don’t lag because of the lack of understanding of the English language.

Swedish universities are very particular about the language scores, and there is a minimum score for securing admission to a Swedish university. For students taking TOEFL iBT, a student should score an overall 72, with 17 in English. And, for students taking the IELTS, overall 6.0 and the sectional score of more than 5.5. So, a student must take the IELTS or TOEFL seriously as it will have a direct bearing on the acceptance at an educational institution in Sweden.

Financial Requirement For Student Visa:

As far as financial requirements are concerned, they are more stringent for the residence permits. In case of residence permit, students have to prove that they will be able to take care of their expenses, and for that, they have to furnish evidence to Swedish authorities at the embassy or the consulate.

Students pursuing bachelor, master, and doctorate courses have to apply for the residence permit and for that, they must prove that they can afford to spend at least SEK 8,370 or INR 72914 per month. Students pursuing short-term courses applying for Study visas have lesser limits for monthly expenses. The financial requirement for a study visa is SEK 450 or INR 3919 per day.

At the time of visa application, a student can furnish the following documents to prove the evidence of having the funds to continue study in Sweden:

• Recent bank statement proving the income flow and that bank account must belong to the individual. 
• A bank loan that clearly shows the coverage of living expenses. 
• Income tax statement for the last two years

What is the usual Sweden study visa approval time?

Usually, it takes around 15 days to get the study visa which is meant for a short-term course. At the same time, the residence permit visa takes longer than the previous type and can take anywhere between three to four months. So, it’s advised to apply for a loan right after accepting the letter of acceptance as the visa approval timing might increase in case of rejection of the application. 

Working in Sweden on Student Visa

Students tend to take up part-time work in Sweden to cover the expenses. But there are certain criteria that a student must fulfill to start working part-time in Sweden while continuing studies.

Some noteworthy points for working part-time is:

• The government doesn’t have any strict regulation on the working of international students with respect to the number of working hours.
• An international student can comfortably earn between 800-1100 euros per month or INR 70,000- 96,000. 
• The only regulation is that the student has to take 40-hour classes per week compulsorily.

Sweden Student Visa Rejection

If the Swedish Migration Agency rejects the visa application, that doesn’t mean an end to an individual’s dreams. The Swedish Migration Agency always gives an opportunity to correct the error if the application is rejected because of a minor mistake. There is an option to appeal wherein an applicant has to raise the objection and lodge their concerns. If the authorities are convinced, they might directly approve the application or do it after verifying the objections by demanding additional information.

Sweden has one of the best public universities with an excellent corporate structure that complements the education system by providing jobs. So, Sweden is always an option that a student might consider while planning to study abroad.

Read Also:

• Sweden Universities Application Deadlines 2023
• 5 Best Countries to Study in Europe
• Education Loan For Abroad Studies
• Proof of Funds for the Visa Interview
• What to do if your Student Visa is Rejected?