With a few exceptions, all citizens of countries outside of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are required to pay application and tuition fees for education at Swedish universities at the undergraduate and master's level.
ImageElin Berge
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 at 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. For questions regarding your application fee, please visit the University Admissions website.
Per the Swedish Code of Statutes, SFS 2010:543, all non-EU/EEA citizens are required to pay tuition for studies at the level of higher education, with a few exceptions.
A tuition fee is invoiced after the student has been assessed as being required to pay tuition according to the law, based on the documents provided during the admission process. The invoice is valid until the student provides documentation proving their exempt status per SFS 2010:543.
If you are registered to a course or programme and are not able to study with us, make sure to contact your department within three weeks from the start of the course to make an early discontinuation. An early discontinuation is necessary for a refund.
Tuition fee levels
The tuition fee levels vary depending on the course and programme. Visit our website for a summary of the tuition fee levels.
Information on tuition fees for specific courses and programmes can be found on the website of each course and programme and on the University Admissions website.
The tuition rates for degree programmes and full-time studies range from SEK 93,000 per year to 364,500 per year, depending on the field of study.
Tuition fee exemptions
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.
On the University Admissions website you can find more information about who is required to pay for their studies. If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom and you are unsure if you need to pay tuition fees you can find more information about this at universityadmissions.se.
Exchange students (students attending Umeå university as part of an exchange agreement) are not required to pay tuition fees.
Paying the tuition fee
Tuition fee invoices are sent out via email, along with payment instructions. The tuition fee is to be paid via an international bank transfer (wire-transfer). Further instructions will be provided on the invoice. Before making your payment, we encourage you to thoroughly read the Rules for tuition fees.
Upon payment you will be sent a payment receipt via email. The Swedish Migration Agency is also notified the same day. Please note that it may take up to a week for an international payment to reach us.
Refund of Paid Tuition
Students who wish to apply for a refund must contact Umeå University. Their application should be submitted in English and state the reason for the refund. Supporting documentation should be provided in English, preferably before the start of the semester.
In case of refund, please note that a student who has registered for a course and has not been granted early discontinuation within three weeks from the start of the course, is no longer able to receive a refund for that course. To make an early discontinuation, you have to contact the study administrator at your department.
Umeå University’s decision is based on the documentation provided by the student. If further information is required, Umeå University will contact the student. If no further information is provided despite reminders from the university, a decision is made based on the available documentation.
If the request for repayment is granted it is refunded to the same bank account that the tuition fee was paid from. Umeå University is not responsible for exchange rate changes or bank fees.
Refund of paid tuition is possible under the following circumstances:
Refund is not applicable for amounts less than 1000 SEK. A student who has registered for a course and has not been granted early discontinuation within three weeks from the start of the course, is no longer able to receive a reimbursement. A student who has been suspended from studies due to non-payment of tuition or based on a decision from the Disciplinary Board, Administrative Court, The Higher Education Appeals Board, or Higher Education Expulsions Board, will not receive a reimbursement.
We encourage you to thoroughly read the Rules for tuition fees.
Payment of your tuition fee is a requirement for beginning your studies. Payment for study programmes must be received by Umeå University by 12 June at the latest for the autumn semester and 10 December for the spring semester. Students accepted to freestanding courses might have other deadlines. The autumn semester 2023 starts on 28 August.
You will not be able to register for courses and participate in any lectures until the payment is made in full.
New students
New students should apply in the first admissions round, find more information about the different admissions rounds and key dates and deadlines at universityadmissions.se. Invoices for new students that have applied for a programme are sent out after the Notification of Selection Results are published. Payment must be received by Umeå University 12 June at the latest for the autumn semester and 10 December for the spring semester.
New students that have applied for free standing courses will be invoiced after the Notification of Selection Results are published. The invoice needs to be paid by the deadline stated on the invoice.
A new student that has not paid their tuition fee before the due-date stated on the invoice will lose their place on the programme or course that they have been invoiced for.
Current students
Current students that are studying a programme will be invoiced for the full tuition fee for the upcoming semester. The tuition fee amount invoiced each semester for a programme is always the same and corresponds to full time studies, i.e 30 credits, regardless of if the student chooses to register for less than 30 credits. Free standing courses are invoiced separately. The invoice needs to be paid by the deadline stated on the invoice.
Current students that have applied to free standing courses will be invoiced after the Notification of Selection Results are published. The invoice needs to be paid by the deadline stated on the invoice.
Current students studying a programme that has not paid the tuition fee before the due-date stated on the invoice will be suspended from the programme that they have been invoiced for. A decision of suspension means that the student will not be able to participate in classes, exams and other activity that falls within the realm of education at Umeå University.
In case of non-payment of invoices for freestanding courses the student will lose their place on the course that they have been invoiced for.
The first instalment of the tuition fee must be paid before your application for a residence permit can be processed.
The Swedish Migration Agency processes all the residence permit applications of non-EU/EEA citizens visiting Sweden. Per their protocol an application for residence permit for studies will not be processed if the first instalment tuition is not paid.
Please note that it is very important for you to begin the visa/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. Further information related to the residence permit is available on the Migration Agency's webpages.
EU/EEA citizens have the right to work, study or live in Sweden without a residence permit. If you are from outside of EU/EEA you have to apply for a residence permit.
Learn more about how to apply for residence permit from this film by Study in Sweden.
Since 1 April 2022, COVID-19 is no longer classified as a threat to public health and a danger to society in Sweden.
What does the tuition fee cover?
The tuition fee covers your studies at the course or programme, during the time for which you have paid.
The tuition fee is calculated to cover costs related to lectures, lab-work, study infrastructure (computer labs, library privileges) and other study related expenses that Umeå University incurs.
As a service to tuition fee paying students, Umeå University offers accommodation assistance via the International Housing Office.
You are also covered by the Swedish state's insurance, FAS+ for the duration of your studies.
Umeå University also provides one Swedish Language class, at beginner level, free of cost to all tuition fee paying students. Invitations to apply are sent out via email to students that fulfill the criteria.
When do I need to pay my tuition fee? What happens if I cannot pay on time?
Invoices are sent out via email, along with payment instructions and the Rules for tuition fees. The payment deadlines for new students are structured so as to enable a timely processing of the student's Residence Permit application with the Swedish Migration Agency. Delay in payment of the tuition fee will mean a delay in the processing of your application by the Swedish Migration Agency. We therefore advise you to pay your invoice as early as possible.
The deadline to pay the invoice for new students is 10 June for the autumn semester and 10 December for the spring semester.
Not paying your invoice before the due-date means that you will lose your spot in the course/programme.
Current students studying within a programme need to pay the invoice within 20 days of the issue of the invoice. Current students that do not pay their invoice before the due-date will be suspended from further studies within that programme.
In case you make the payment close to the due date, it might not reach us on time. In this situation you must notify us about your payment before the current due-date passes.
I am a citizen of a EU/EEA country. Why have I received a tuition invoice?
It is likely due to the fact that your citizenship is not documented in the university records. Please provide supporting documentation, as instructed on the University Admissions website.
Upon completion of this formality, the tuition will be waived.
I have been granted a residence permit in Sweden for reasons other than studies. Can I study without paying the tuition fee?
If you have been granted a residence permit for reasons other than studies, you are exempted from paying tuition fees.
You must however document your status by uploading supporting documentation to the University Admissions website. Please visit the University Admissions website for information about who is required to pay tuition and fees.
I paid for a course and was not able to finish the studies. Can I study the course again next semester without paying extra?
Yes, you may re-register for the course, if it is offered, without paying any extra tuition. Please contact the department of your studies for more information.
I have not received the information or invoice I am waiting for, how come?
Please check if the email or invoice you are waiting for has landed in your spam folder.
Please also be aware that if you have changed your email address on your University Admissions account, you also need to send an email to tuitionfees@umu.se about the change of your email address. The two systems are not connected and we need to update your email address manually in our system.
I need to change the email address I use for contact with an invoices from the university, how do I do this?
If you during your studies wish to change the email address you use for contact with and invoices from Umeå University, you must:
Read more about Umeå University's scholarships.
Download the guide to studies as a PDF (867 kb).
All you need to know as a new student at Umeå University.
