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University · Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm School of Economics (SSE)

By

Location
Stockholm
Students
About 2,000
Non-EU tuition
SEK 360,000 / programme
Founded
1909
The short answer

The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE, Handelshögskolan i Stockholm) is a private business school in central Stockholm with about 2,000 enrolled students.[1] English is the main language of instruction; the school offers 2 bachelor’s, 6 master’s, 3 PhD and 2 Executive MBA programmes.[2]

Citizens of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and Ukraine pay no tuition for bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Other students pay SEK 360,000 per programme, if required to pay; the MSc in Economics page gives SEK 180,000 per academic year for its two-year programme.[3][4] SSE charges no application fee for its master’s programmes.[5] We found no overall QS position; the 2024 annual report places SSE 23rd of 100 in the Financial Times European Business School ranking.[1]

Key facts

Official nameHandelshögskolan i Stockholm (Stockholm School of Economics, SSE)
LocationCentral Stockholm, district of Vasastan (Bertil Ohlins gata 4; main building at Sveavägen 65; postal address Box 6501, SE-113 83 Stockholm)[6]
TypePrivate higher education institution; the sources we read do not state its legal form[1]
FoundedSchool inaugurated in 1909; the supporting association, Handelshögskoleföreningen, was formed in 1906 with a donation from K. A. Wallenberg[1]
StudentsAbout 2,000 enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s, PhD and MBA programmes[1]
Organisation6 departments, 34 research centers and 4 research institutes[2]
ProgrammesBachelor: Business and Economics; Retail Management. Master (all two-year): Accounting, Valuation and Financial Management; Business Innovation; Economics; Finance; International Business; Public Policy. PhD: Business Administration; Economics; Finance. Executive MBA: two programmes[2]
AccreditationEQUIS-accredited since 1999; re-accredited in 2023 for five years[1]
Financial Times European Business School ranking23rd of 100 (2024 table in the annual report)[1]
QS World University Rankings 2027No overall position found in the sources we read; SSE is a business school
Tuition, non-EU/EEA/Swiss/Ukrainian studentsSEK 360,000 per BSc or MSc programme; MSc in Economics: SEK 180,000 per academic year (academic year not stated)[3]
Application feeNone at SSE for master’s programmes[5]; University Admissions charges SEK 900 to non-EU/EEA/Swiss bachelor’s applicants[7]
Official websitehhs.se

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About the Stockholm School of Economics

Donations from K. A. Wallenberg and capital raised on the initiative of Olof A. Söderberg and Joseph Nachmanson led to the founding of the Handelshögskoleföreningen (the school association) in 1906, with the aim of creating a business school in Stockholm. The school was inaugurated in 1909.[1] Wikipedia calls it the first business school in Sweden and describes the main building, designed by Ivar Tengbom and completed in 1926, on Sveavägen in central Stockholm.[8]

SSE has about 2,000 enrolled students and describes itself as an independent academic institution.[1][2] It has 6 departments, 34 research centers and 4 research institutes.[2]

Private, but partly state-funded: the 2024 annual report calls SSE a private institution. Handelshögskoleföreningen together with related funds and foundations provided 24 percent of its funding in 2024, and the agreement with the Swedish state gave a grant equal to 15 percent of total income. Under a resolution of 1909 the association appoints five members of the school’s board.[1] We found no source that states the school’s legal form, so we do not describe it as a foundation.

How is the Stockholm School of Economics ranked?

SSE is a business school. We found no QS World University Rankings 2027 position for it in the sources we read.

The 2024 annual report says SSE is ranked as the best business school in the Nordics and the Baltics, at 23rd of 100 ranked European business schools in the Financial Times European Business School ranking (2024 table).[1] The report also lists SSE as EQUIS-accredited since 1999, re-accredited in 2023 for five years, and as a member of CEMS, GNAM, CIVICA and APSIA.[1] Wikipedia says the MSc in International Business placed 7th of 100 in the latest Financial Times Masters in Management ranking, without naming the edition.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the Stockholm School of Economics?

SSE lists 13 degree programmes:[2]

  • Bachelor’s (2): Business and Economics; Retail Management.
  • Master’s (6, each two years, all taught in English): Accounting, Valuation and Financial Management; Business Innovation; Economics; Finance; International Business; Public Policy.[9]
  • PhD (3): Business Administration; Economics; Finance.
  • Executive MBA (2): SSE MBA Executive Format and SSE Nordic Defense MBA.

It also offers executive education, The Swedish Program and The Short Program.[2]

How much does the Stockholm School of Economics cost?

ProgrammeWho paysFee
Bachelor’s (BSc)Non-EU/EEA/Swiss/Ukrainian citizensSEK 360,000 per programme
Master’s (MSc)Non-EU/EEA/Swiss/Ukrainian citizensSEK 360,000 per programme
PhDNo oneFree; SEK 26,000 per month scholarship
SSE MBA Executive FormatEveryone (excl. 25 % VAT)SEK 645,000
SSE Nordic Defense MBAEveryone (excl. 25 % VAT)SEK 700,000

SSE’s fee page names no academic year, and fees are paid in one instalment per semester, due before the semester starts.[3] The MSc in Economics page, for a two-year programme, states SEK 180,000 per academic year for non-EU/EEA/Swiss/Ukrainian citizens, which matches SEK 360,000 for two years.[4] Citizens of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and Ukraine pay no tuition for bachelor’s or master’s studies. Your status on the payment deadline decides whether you pay; students who receive their status after 1 June must pay for the first semester but are exempt from the next.[3]

Application fee

SSE’s master’s application is free of charge.[5] For the bachelor’s you apply on universityadmissions.se as well as in SSE’s own portal: SSE charges no fee, but University Admissions charges SEK 900 to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, with some exceptions.[7]

Scholarships

  • Tuition waivers (BSc and MSc): several half tuition waivers and a limited number of full waivers for non-EU/EEA/Swiss/Ukrainian citizens, applied for within the programme application.[10]
  • American Friends of SSE (MSc): fully covers the MSc tuition for applicants from the United States or Canada; living costs are not included.[10]
  • Af Jochnick scholarships (MSc): for applicants from Eastern Europe and Türkiye, two awards a year; living costs are not included.[10]
  • SI Scholarship for Global Professionals (MSc): full tuition, SEK 12,000 a month and a one-time SEK 15,000 travel grant, administered by the Swedish Institute.[10]

For rent and living costs, see our Study in Sweden guide.

How do you apply to the Stockholm School of Economics?

Master’s. You apply in SSE’s own online application portal.[9] For the MSc in Economics the steps are: choose one programme (you can be admitted to only one), take the required tests, upload a statement of motivation of up to 500 words and a one-page CV (references and a short video are optional), possibly take a 20–30 minute video assessment, and wait for a holistic decision.[5] The MSc in Economics requires a bachelor’s degree with at least 90 ECTS in social sciences, including at least 30 ECTS in economics; requirements differ by programme, so check yours.[5]

Tests. The MSc in Economics asks for a GMAT (at least 555 in the current format, 600 in the previous one) or a GRE (at least 155 in quantitative reasoning).[5] SSE accepts GMAT and GRE for MSc and PhD; if you apply to several MSc programmes you send your GMAT score to only one.[11]

Bachelor’s. International applicants submit two applications: first to universityadmissions.se (diploma, transcripts, English test, passport), then to SSE’s portal (admission test score and a one-page CV). Without the second application your application is incomplete. SSE asks for a high-school or IB GPA equivalent to at least 17.0 out of 20 on the Swedish scale, with country-specific minimums and specific mathematics and English requirements, and a SAT score of at least 1300, an ACT of at least 28 or an ITB-Business score of at least 112.[7]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year; they are shown on the programme pages.

Which English level do you need?

For the MSc in Economics the English requirement is an IELTS Academic score of at least 7, or a TOEFL iBT score of at least 100 on the 0–120 scale for tests taken before 21 January 2026 or 5.0 on the 1–6 scale for tests taken after that date. CAE (grade B), BEC (grade B), CPE (grade C) and PTE Academic (68) are also accepted. Exemptions apply to native English speakers, to holders of a bachelor’s degree from a fully English-taught programme, to applicants with “English 6” from Swedish upper secondary school and to IB graduates.[5] SSE accepts TOEFL iBT (including the Home Edition) and IELTS (test centre and online).[11]

Bachelor’s applicants can meet the English requirement through their diploma or an accepted test, with scores tied to the level “English 6”.[7] Other master’s programmes may set different requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Stockholm School of Economics cost for non-EU students?

SEK 360,000 per bachelor’s or master’s programme, if you are required to pay. The MSc in Economics page gives SEK 180,000 per academic year for its two-year programme.[3][4]

Is the Stockholm School of Economics a public university?

No. The 2024 annual report calls it a private institution, although the Swedish state provides a grant equal to 15 percent of income.[1]

Is there an application fee at the Stockholm School of Economics?

SSE does not charge one. For the bachelor’s, University Admissions charges non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens SEK 900.[7] The master’s application is free of charge.[5]

Do I need the GMAT or GRE for SSE?

For the MSc in Economics yes: a GMAT of at least 555 (current format) or a GRE quantitative score of at least 155. Applicants with a Swedish bachelor of science or an SSE Riga degree are exempt.[5]

Are there scholarships at the Stockholm School of Economics?

Yes: tuition waivers within the application, the American Friends of SSE scholarship, Af Jochnick scholarships and the Swedish Institute’s scholarship for global professionals.[10]

More about studying in Sweden

More university profiles in Sweden

Sources

[1] Handelshögskolan i Stockholm: Annual report 2024 (in Swedish) (report for the financial year 2024; students, funding, accreditation, Financial Times table)

[2] Stockholm School of Economics: About us (page without a date)

[3] Stockholm School of Economics: Tuition fees (page without a date; no academic year given)

[4] Stockholm School of Economics: MSc in Economics (page without a date; next programme start August 2027)

[5] Stockholm School of Economics: MSc in Economics, application and admission (page without a date; requirements differ by programme)

[6] Stockholm School of Economics: Contact (page without a date)

[7] Stockholm School of Economics: BSc FAQ for international applicants (page without a date)

[8] Wikipedia: Stockholm School of Economics (history, building and a ranking claim; secondary source)

[9] Stockholm School of Economics: Master programs (page without a date; promotes the 2027 intake)

[10] Stockholm School of Economics: Scholarships (page without a date)

[11] Stockholm School of Economics: Accepted tests (MSc, PhD) (page without a date; no minimum scores listed)

Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.