Tuition fees: an introduction
Learn about how tuition fees work in Sweden and at Umeå University by reading the section below.
Legal background
Ordinance on application fees and tuition fees at higher education institutions (2010:543) regulates fees in Sweden and stipulates that all non-EU/EEA citizens are required to pay tuition for studies for higher education, with a few exceptions.
During the admission process, an assessment is made about the student's requirement to pay tuition fees in accordance with the ordinance and if the student is assessed as fee-paying, an invoice is issued. Unless the student can provide documentation that they are exempt from paying the fees, the invoice must be paid for the process to continue.
Umeå University has its own regulatory document, Rules for tuition fees, where rules and regulations regarding fee-paying students at Umeå University can be found. We recommend that all students read this document before paying their fees.
Umeå University's Rules for tuition fees
Tuition-fee levels
Tuition-fee levels vary depending on the course and programme.
Information on tuition fees for specific courses and programmes can be found on of each course or programme page, and on University Admissions website.
The tuition rates for degree programmes and full-time studies range from SEK 96,600 per year to SEK 395,700 per year, depending on the field of study.
Once you are (conditionally) admitted to studies, the cost of your tuition will be stated on your Notification of Selection Results, which is your admissions decision.
Who is required to pay tuition fees?
In general, individuals who are citizens of countries outside of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are required to pay application and tuition fees. There are, however, some exceptions to this general rule.
For students from Ukraine, please read the information on the page New in Sweden.
Exchange students (students attending Umeå University as part of an exchange agreement) are not required to pay tuition fees. Learn more about application and admission for exchange students.
Find out who is required to pay for their studies (universityadmissions.se)
From application to admission
Follow the step-by-step guide on how to apply to studies at Umeå University.
The most important thing to bear in mind as a new, tuition fee-paying student, is that you are required to apply in the first admissions round. This is the international admissions round, which gives you the best possible chance to be able to start your university studies, as this allows for more time towards your residence permit application process.
In order to apply for a residence permit, you need to be admitted to full-time studies. Full-time studies are equivalent to 30 credits per semester. You are not eligible for a residence permit if you apply for fewer than 30 credits. All programmes automatically admits you to 30 credits per semester.
Application fee
Students with citizenship in a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, will be required to pay an application fee. The application fee must be paid by the deadline indicated on the University Admissions website in order for your university application to be processed.
Students pay one application fee for each semester they submit an application for, regardless of how many courses or programmes they have applied to in that semester.
If you have questions regarding your application fee, turn to the University Admissions Support Centre
Key dates and deadlines
Please refer to the University Admissions website for a breakdown of key dates in the application and admissions procedure. Please bear in mind that these deadlines are binding and cannot be adjusted.
Key dates and deadlines (universityadmissions.se)
Required documents
What documents you need to submit depend on the programme you apply for, as well as the country where you have studied.
Find the programme requirements on the programme page
There are also certai ncountry-specific requirements, which you can find on the University Admissions website depending on what level of studies you are applying for:
For Bachelor’s level: Provide application documents for Bachelor's studies (universityadmissions.se)
For Master’s level: Provide application documents for Master's studies (universityadmissions.se)
If you have any problems or questions with regards to uploading documents, please contact University Admissions directly. Find out how through University Admissions' Support Centre
Admissions Letter
Your admissions letter/acceptance letter is your Notification of Selection Results, which you can find through your account on University Admissions.
Your results are listed in two places:
- on the 'Application page'; and
- in a PDF document called Notification of Selection Results – you can find the link on the 'Application page'.
Find out more about admissions results (universityadmissions.se)
Invoices
As a fee-paying student, you will be sent an invoice within 10 working days of having received your Notification of Selection Results. The invoice is found on your student pages in our system, Ladok. The deadline for making the payment is 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.
We recommend watching our instruction video below on how to pay your invoice, as well as reading the information on this webpage, before making your payment.
Rules for tuition fees
Before making your payment, please thoroughly read Umeå University's Rules for tuition fees. These will give you more information regarding the rules and regulations for fee-paying students at Umeå University.
Receiving your invoice
You will receive an email to the address registered on University Admissions within 10 working days of having received your Notification of Selection Results. This email will include a link to your student pages in Ladok. On your student page, you will find your invoice.
Make sure you watch the instruction video.
Exemptions from invoices
On the University Admissions website, and further up on this page, you can find more information about who is required to pay for their studies.
For students from Ukraine, please see the following website: New in Sweden
Exchange students (students attending Umeå University as part of an exchange agreement) are not required to pay tuition fees.
If you believe that you are exempt from paying tuition fees, please upload supporting documents to your account on University Admissions. Once you have done so, contact tuitionfees@umu.se.
Regarding exemptions due to the extension of a residence permit, you are considered exempt from paying tuition fees if you meet the following criteria:
- You have applied for an extension of a residence permit based upon grounds other than studies.
- The extension is for the same grounds as your previous permit.
- The application for extension was submitted before your previous residence permit expired.
- You have uploaded supporting documents to your account on University Admissions.
Instalments
Please note that at Umeå University, tuition fees are paid in instalments. These instalments are divided into equal payments based upon the total cost of the fees for your programme. The instalments are for 30 credits. You will need to pay the full amount, even if you plan on studying fewer than 30 credits.
Find instalment amounts on the programme page
Paying your invoice
The tuition fee should be paid in full via an international bank transfer (wire transfer). Payment information can be found on the invoice, as well as on Umeå University's website.
When making your payment, it is vital that you include your reference number. This can be found on the invoice. The reference number is the most important information to include, as it means that we can track your payment and can correctly link the payment to you.
It is possible for someone else to make the payment on your behalf, but please note that in case of a refund, the money is refunded to the original bank that the payment was made from. It is your responsibility as a student to pay your invoice through a trusted source.
Deadline for payment
The deadline to pay your invoice in full can be found on Ladok as well as on the invoice itself. The deadline for making the payment is 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.
The deadline marks the date the full payment must have reached Umeå University’s bank account. We therefore recommend that you make your payment well in advance of the deadline, to account for time needed for the transaction to reach the University's account.
No late payments will be accepted. Students who fail to pay their fees in full by the deadline will lose their place on the programme.
Currencies
Your fees are invoiced in SEK (Swedish kronor). You may make your payment in other currencies, such as USD or EUR, but we do not set up invoices in those currencies.
It is the student’s own responsibility to make sure that the total amount that Umeå University receives corresponds with the amount in SEK. Umeå University holds no responsibility for conversion fees, nor for any fees that intermediary banks may take.
If you have any questions regarding currency conversions, please contact your bank directly.
After paying the invoice
There is no need to contact us to let us know that you have paid your invoice.
Please allow ten working days for your payment to update on Ladok account. This is to account for time required for bank transfers, and for the administrative work that needs to be done in order to process the payment.
We will update your payment status on Ladok as soon as we can. Once we have done so, you will receive an automated email from Ladok stating that your tuition case has been processed. Please log into your student page on Ladok to see whether the payment was made in full, or if you have a remaining sum left to pay. Once the payment has been made in full, you may proceed with applying for your residence permit.
If you do not receive an email within ten working days, please contact us at tuitionfees@umu.se. Include your swift copy in this email, so that we can track the payment.
Residence permits
If you are a non-EU/EEA or Swiss student and will be studying in Sweden for longer than three months, you are required to apply for a residence permit for higher education.
Please note that Umeå University cannot assist you with applying for a residence permit. If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact the Swedish Migration Agency directly.
Below, we have compiled some tips to help you on your way to applying for a residence permit.
Who can apply for a residence permit?
In order to be eligible for a residence permit, you need to:
- have paid your first tuition fee instalment in full; and
- be admitted to a programme or course(s) that encompasses full-time studies (30 credits per semester)
Proof of payment
You do not need to send the Swedish Migration Agency a proof of payment document. The tuition fee department at the International Office updates your payment status on Ladok, and shares this information with the Swedish Migration Agency.
Required documents
The required documents can be found on the Swedish Migration Agency’s website.
You will need to supply an admissions decision from Umeå University. This is your Notification of Selection Results, which can be downloaded from your account on University Admissions.
You will also need to supply a copy of a comprehensive health insurance policy. Upload your Notification of Selection Results as proof of this. As a tuition fee-paying student, you are automatically covered by our health insurance FAS+.
This information is stated on your Notification of Selection Results.
When to send in your application
Once you have paid the tuition fee, proceed immediately with applying for a residence permit.
It is very important for you to begin the visa and residence permit application process as early as possible since it usually takes some time. By reading the Swedish Migration Agency’s requirements thoroughly and submitting a complete application, with all necessary details at once, you avoid unnecessary delays in your process.
Please note that if you are to support yourself with bank assets, documentation supporting this is only valid for a certain timeframe (specified on the Migration Agency’s webpage) and can be requested by the Swedish Migration Agency at any time during the processing of your application until you have a decision in place.
It is each student’s responsibility to make sure that they have enough time for the visa and residence permit process to allow arrival in Umeå in time for classes. The last date to begin studies is noted on the Notification of Selection Results. This date is fixed, and failure to register for classes by that date will mean losing your place on the course or programme.
Learn more about residence permit (Swedish Migration Agency)
Useful links for residence permit questions
The Migration Agency offers some tips for how to make your application process as smooth as possible.
5 tips to increase your chance of a decision before the semester starts (Swedish Migration Agency)
Contact the Swedish Migration Agency
If you have any questions regarding the residence permit application process, please contact the Swedish Migration Agency directly.
Please note that Umeå University cannot assist you with your application, nor influence the decision of the Swedish Migration Agency. The Swedish Migration Agency is not allowed to share details of your application with universities, due to confidentiality.
Contact the Swedish Migration Agency
If you can no longer come to Umeå University
We understand that sometimes things change, and that you will have to decline your place to study at Umeå University. Here are some things to bear in mind.
Final date to arrive in Umeå
The last date to arrive in Umeå is stated on your Notification of Selection Results. If you cannot arrive before that date, you will not be able to register for courses and start your studies. In that case, you will need to decline your place through our systems (see information below).
Decline your place through our systems
If you will no longer be able to study at Umeå University, we request that you deny your place in two places:
We request that you decline your place through your account on University Admissions, so that students from the waiting list can be admitted instead.
We also request that you unregister yourself in Ladok from any courses you have registered to. This is especially important if you would like to request a refund. A discontinuation after 3 weeks of the course’s start date will make you ineligible for a refund. You will therefore need to unregister yourself on Ladok within 3 weeks. To make an early discontinuation, please contact the study administrator at the department where you were supposed to study by finding your programme or department on the Contact us page.
Contact your programme or department
Defer your studies
If you have paid your tuition fees, you may send a request to defer your studies. This is only possible if you have paid the first instalment. If you have not paid your tuition fees, you will not be able to request a deferment. There are specific circumstances in which a deferment can be granted. Not receiving a residence permit in time to begin your studies is not a valid reason to be granted a deferment.
You will have to apply for the course or programme again if you would like to study it in another year. Please see the FAQ under the headline "How do I apply for deferment of studies?" for more information regarding deferment.
Request a refund
If you have paid your tuition fees, and will no longer be studying at Umeå University, you may request a refund. Refunds are granted in specific cases, we cannot guarantee that you will receive a refund.
Find out more about the possibility to receive a refund
FAQ – tuition fees and refunds
We have collected some frequently asked questions and answers about tuition fees and refunds to help you along the way.
