# Mobility Studies in Sweden Canonical URL: https://vedette-legal.com/service/mobility-studies-in-sweden/ Published: 2025-08-14T10:47:23+00:00 Last modified: 2026-09-17T15:32:11+00:00 Mobility Studies in Sweden   2026 update: Sweden has different procedures for students participating in qualifying mobility programmes. The original article has been preserved below. Updated information about qualifying mobility arrangements, the 2026 financial requirement, work restrictions, address reporting, and the difference between a mobility notification and a Swedish residence permit is explained in the Q&A update section at the end.   Students participating in EU or multilateral programmes that require part of their education to be conducted in Sweden fall into two distinct categories. Depending on your existing residence permit status in another EU country, the process for staying in Sweden will vary. Below we outline the requirements and procedures for each group.   Group 1: Notification for Mobility Studies with a Permit from Another EU Country If you already have a residence permit for higher education in another EU country and your studies include a mandatory component in Sweden, you are not required to apply for a new Swedish residence permit. Instead, you must notify the Swedish Migration Agency at least 31 days before entering Sweden. It is important that you do not travel to Sweden until you have received a decision from the agency.   Your stay in Sweden must be part of a structured EU or multilateral programme, not a standard exchange agreement. To qualify, your studies must be full-time, conducted on-site, and at the higher education level. You will also need comprehensive health insurance that covers emergency and ongoing medical care, hospitalisation, emergency dental treatment, and medical repatriation. Financial self-sufficiency must also be demonstrated for the full duration of your stay, which can last for up to 360 days.   You are required to submit documentation proving your identity, your current residence permit in another EU country, confirmation of your admission to a Swedish institution, and proof of both insurance and financial maintenance. Acceptable forms of financial documentation include recent bank statements, confirmed scholarships, sponsor letters, or student grants and loans. These documents must show not only the amount and frequency of funding but also that they are allocated to cover your living expenses in Sweden.   Financial support must meet or exceed the monthly maintenance requirement of SEK 10,584 (2025). If your institution or a sponsoring organisation provides free housing or meals, you may reduce the maintenance threshold accordingly.   Group 2: Residence Permit for Mobility Studies Without a Prior EU Permit If you do not hold a mobility residence permit from another EU country but are enrolled in an EU or multilateral programme that includes a study component in Sweden, you must apply for a standard residence permit for higher education. (Link to Residence Permit for Higher Education in Sweden) This process requires a full application including proof of admission, comprehensive insurance, financial resources, and a valid passport. Unlike the notification route, this is a residence permit application and must be approved before your arrival in Sweden.   In both cases, students are allowed to work while studying, provided their stay is approved. However, it is essential to use the correct pathway, as exchange students are not typically eligible under the mobility notification route and must apply under the regular higher education category.(Link to Residence Permit for Higher Education in Sweden)   Key Points:   - Group 1 (with EU permit): Notify the Swedish Migration Agency 31+ days before travel; do not apply for a new residence permit - Group 2 (no EU permit): Apply for a standard Swedish residence permit for higher education - Financial maintenance: Minimum SEK 10,584/month (2025), with possible reductions for housing/food - Maximum stay for Group 1: 360 days - Work is permitted during the approved study period   At Vedette Legal, we provide expert guidance on selecting the correct category and submitting complete applications or notifications to ensure timely and compliant entry into Sweden.     Important Immigration Law Update – 2026 The procedure for studying in Sweden through a mobility programme depends on whether the student already holds a qualifying residence permit for higher education in another EU country. The following questions explain the two routes and the rules applying in 2026. Which mobility-study route applies to me? There are two main routes: * Group 1 – Mobility notification: You already hold a residence permit for higher education in another EU country, and completing part of your education in Sweden is required under a qualifying mobility arrangement. * Group 2 – Swedish residence permit: You do not hold a qualifying residence permit from another EU country covering your mobility stay in Sweden. You must apply for a Swedish residence permit for higher education. The routes are not interchangeable. A notification under Group 1 does not result in a separate Swedish residence permit. What qualifies as mobility studies under Group 1? Your studies in Sweden must form part of: * An EU programme containing mobility measures * A multilateral programme containing mobility measures * An agreement between two or more higher education institutions that establishes a permanent mobility arrangement The Swedish component must be required as part of the qualifying programme or arrangement. You must also: * Hold a valid passport * Hold a valid residence permit for higher education in another EU country * Be finally admitted to full-time higher education studies in Sweden * Study on-site rather than through distance learning * Have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance * Have sufficient financial resources for your entire stay in Sweden Do ordinary exchange studies qualify for the notification route? Usually not. An ordinary exchange agreement generally does not have the permanent or structured mobility arrangement required for the notification procedure. If you will attend a Swedish institution as an ordinary exchange student, you will normally need to apply for a Swedish residence permit for higher education instead. However, the title of an arrangement is not decisive by itself. An agreement between two or more higher education institutions can qualify if it creates a permanent mobility arrangement and the other legal requirements are satisfied. When must I submit my mobility notification? You must notify the Swedish Migration Agency as soon as possible, but no later than 31 days before entering Sweden. Before submitting the notification, you must have received the residence permit card issued by the other EU country. You should not enter Sweden until the Swedish Migration Agency has made a decision and confirmed that it has no objections to your stay. Which documents must I submit with my notification? You must normally provide: -  Copies of your valid passport - Evidence of your residence permit for higher education in another EU country - A certificate from the Swedish higher education institution - Confirmation of the start and end dates of your Swedish studies - Evidence that you have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance - Documents showing that you meet the financial maintenance requirement Documents should be in Swedish or English. Certified translations should be provided when the original documents are in another language, together with copies of the original documents. What must my health insurance cover? Your insurance must be valid throughout your stay in Sweden. It must cover: - Emergency and other medical care - Hospitalisation - Emergency dental care - Transportation to your country of origin for medical reasons If your Swedish higher education institution provides insurance, you may submit a certificate from the institution. An admission decision may also be accepted when it clearly confirms that the institution’s insurance covers you. How much money do I need in 2026? For notifications or applications submitted in 2026, the financial maintenance requirement is at least SEK 10,656 per month. This replaces the 2025 amount of SEK 10,584 per month stated in the original article. If you receive free food or accommodation through a higher education institution or an organisation involved in international exchange, the monthly requirement may be reduced by: - SEK 2,960 for free food - SEK 4,736 for free accommodation - You must demonstrate sufficient financial resources for the entire planned period of study in Sweden. Which forms of financial support can I use? You may use or combine: - Personal bank assets - Scholarships - Student grants or loans from your country of origin - Support from an accepted sponsor - Income from employment The documents must clearly show the amount available, the period covered, the payment schedule where applicable, and how much is intended for living expenses in Sweden. Private individuals are not accepted as sponsors. Money received from relatives or other private individuals must normally be transferred to a bank account in your name and treated as personal bank assets. A job offer alone is not sufficient evidence of employment income. An employment certificate is normally required. How long can I stay in Sweden under the Group 1 notification route? A stay under the mobility-notification procedure may last for a maximum of 360 days. The approved period cannot extend beyond the validity of your passport or the underlying residence permit issued by the other EU country. Is there a fee for submitting a Group 1 notification? No. The Swedish Migration Agency does not charge a fee for a notification of planned mobility studies. Can I work in Sweden under the Group 1 notification route? Yes. If the Swedish Migration Agency has no objections to your stay, you may work alongside your mobility studies. The 15-hour weekly restriction introduced for certain holders of Swedish residence permits for bachelor’s and master’s studies does not govern the Group 1 notification route. Group 1 is based on an approved mobility notification and a residence permit issued by another EU country, rather than a new Swedish residence permit. What if I do not hold a qualifying residence permit from another EU country? You must use the Group 2 route and apply for a Swedish residence permit for higher education. This is required when: - Your mobility programme begins in Sweden - You do not hold a qualifying higher-education residence permit from another EU country - Your existing EU permit does not cover the planned mobility arrangement - Your studies are ordinary exchange studies rather than qualifying notification-based mobility studies The Swedish residence permit must normally be issued before you travel to Sweden.   What must I show when applying under Group 2? As a Group 2 applicant, you must normally demonstrate that you: - Hold a valid passport - Have been finally admitted to full-time, on-site higher education studies - Have paid any required tuition fees - Have sufficient financial resources for the entire permit period - Have, or have applied for, comprehensive health insurance when required The application is processed under the regular rules for Swedish residence permits for higher education.   How much money do I need under Group 2? The 2026 financial requirement is generally SEK 10,656 per month. The same 2026 reductions may apply when qualifying free food or accommodation is provided: - SEK 2,960 per month for free food - SEK 4,736 per month for free accommodation If family members apply with you, additional financial support must normally be demonstrated under the rules for higher-education residence permits. Can I work while holding a Group 2 Swedish residence permit? The original article’s general statement that students in both groups may work must now be read together with the rules introduced on 11 June 2026. If you hold a Swedish residence permit for bachelor’s or master’s-level studies granted on or after 11 June 2026, you may generally work for a maximum of 15 hours per week during semesters. You may work without that weekly limit: - During June, July, and August - When the work forms part of your education, such as a qualifying internship - When the work involves student representation, administration, research, or artistic research at your institution - When the work is otherwise connected to your education under the applicable exception - Working beyond the permitted limit may result in your residence permit being withdrawn or may affect a future extension application. - The 15-hour restriction does not apply to a Group 1 student using the mobility-notification route.   Do I have to report my address under Group 2? If your Swedish residence permit for bachelor’s or master’s-level studies is granted on or after 11 June 2026, you must normally report your Swedish residential address to the Swedish Migration Agency. You must report your address: - Within 30 days after entering Sweden with the permit - Within 30 days after the permit is granted if you are already in Sweden - Within 30 days after moving to a different address This obligation does not apply if you are registered in the Swedish Population Register. The address-reporting requirement connected to a Swedish study permit does not apply to the Group 1 notification route because a new Swedish residence permit is not issued through that procedure. Other registration requirements may nevertheless apply. What study progress must I make under Group 2? If you later apply to extend a Swedish residence permit for full-time higher education studies, you must demonstrate acceptable study progress. For permits subject to the rules introduced on 11 June 2026, acceptable progress generally means completing: - At least 62.5% of the expected studies during the first study year - At least 75% of the expected studies during each subsequent year For a standard full-time programme of 60 credits per year, this generally corresponds to: - 37.5 credits during the first year - 45 credits during each subsequent year An exception may be possible if there are special reasons for insufficient progress. How long can my Group 2 residence permit remain valid? A Swedish residence permit for higher education may generally be issued for one or two years, depending on the institution and programme, but not beyond the duration of the studies or the validity of the passport. If the mobility programme begins in Sweden and is intended to last for at least two years, a residence permit may be granted for up to two years. What is the main difference between Group 1 and Group 2? The central difference is the legal basis for the stay: - Group 1: You rely on a qualifying residence permit issued by another EU country and notify the Swedish Migration Agency. No new Swedish residence permit is required, the notification is free, and the stay may last up to 360 days. - Group 2: You apply for a Swedish residence permit for higher education. The permit must normally be issued before travel, and the standard Swedish rules on work, study progress, address reporting, maintenance, and extensions apply.   [ Book a consultation to get started](https://calendly.com/vedette-legal/15min?month=2025-11)   --- Source: https://vedette-legal.com/service/mobility-studies-in-sweden/