Stockholm University is a public research university in Stockholm with 45,170 registered students (32,267 full-time equivalents) and 1,224 active doctoral students in 2025.[1] It is ranked 167th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and describes itself as fourth among Swedish universities.[2]
Citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland pay tuition: SEK 90,000 per academic year in the humanities, social sciences and law, SEK 140,000 in the sciences, and amounts in between for some programmes.[3] They also pay an application fee of SEK 900.[3] Master’s applicants need English at the level of Swedish upper secondary English 6.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Stockholms universitet (Stockholm University) |
| Location | Stockholm, Sweden (main campus at Frescati)[5] |
| Type | Public research university[5] |
| Founded | 1878 as a college; university status since 1960[5] |
| Students (2025) | 45,170 registered students, 32,267 full-time equivalents[1] |
| Doctoral students (2025) | 1,224 active[1] |
| Staff (2025) | 5,401 employees, among them 561 professors[1] |
| Faculties | Four: law, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences[5] |
| English-taught programmes | More than 100 master’s programmes and seven bachelor’s programmes[6] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 167th globally, 69th in Europe, 4th in Sweden[7] |
| Tuition, non-EU/EEA/Swiss, per academic year | SEK 90,000 (humanities, social sciences, law) · SEK 140,000 (sciences) · amounts in between for some programmes; a few joint programmes cost more[3] |
| Application fee (non-EU/EEA/Swiss) | SEK 900, once per semester applied for[3] |
| English requirement | Equivalent of Swedish upper secondary English 6; some programmes require more[4] |
| Official website | su.se |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Stockholm University
Stockholm University was founded as a college in 1878. In 1960 it was granted university status and became Sweden’s fourth state university.[5] Most of its operations moved to the main campus at Frescati in 1970.[5] It has four faculties: law, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.[5]
For 2025 the university reports 45,170 registered students, which is 32,267 full-time equivalents, 1,224 active doctoral students and 5,401 employees including 561 professors.[1] The introduction of the same page rounds the student figure to 33,600 full-time equivalents, so the two figures on the page differ; we give the table values.[1]
How is Stockholm University ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, presented on 18 June 2026, Stockholm University is 167th in the world. The university places this 69th in Europe and 4th in Sweden; Lund University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Uppsala University come first.[7][2] It also ranks 40th in the world on QS’s international research network indicator.[2]
Other rankings on the university’s ranking page: ARWU (Shanghai) 2026, 103rd; Times Higher Education 2027, 231st.[7] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Stockholm University?
The university offers more than 100 master’s programmes taught in English within science, the humanities, social sciences and law, and seven bachelor’s programmes taught in English.[6] Its master’s programmes are grouped in seven areas:[6]
- Arts and Humanities
- Business and Economics
- Computer and Systems Sciences
- Human, Social and Political Sciences, and Law
- Language and Linguistics
- Media and Communications
- Science and Mathematics
The full list of courses and programmes is in the university’s digital course catalogue.[6]
How much does Stockholm University cost for international students?
| Field | Tuition per academic year |
|---|---|
| Humanities, social sciences, law | SEK 90,000 |
| Sciences | SEK 140,000 |
| Some programmes | Between SEK 90,000 and SEK 140,000 |
These amounts apply to citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. The page notes that a few joint programmes cost more and does not name the academic year; it gives no per-programme examples, which are in the course catalogue. The page was last updated on 2 December 2025, so check the programme page for your intake.[3] Tuition is paid in instalments before each semester begins.[3]
Application fee
The application fee is SEK 900, paid to University Admissions in Sweden once per semester applied for. Students already registered at a Swedish university do not pay it.[3]
Who does not pay?
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland do not pay tuition. The university says there are exceptions to the general rule and refers to the exemption criteria on universityadmissions.se; one example is a residence permit granted for reasons other than studies.[8]
Scholarships
The Stockholm University Scholarship Scheme covers the whole tuition fee for a master’s programme. You must be a fee-paying citizen of a country outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland and be admitted in the first (international) admission round; selection is based on academic merit, and applicants who list Stockholm University as first choice on universityadmissions.se get priority. You pay your own living costs.[9] The Swedish Institute, a government agency, also offers scholarships, but only to citizens of selected countries and for specific programmes.[9] For living costs in Stockholm, see our Sweden guide and the Study in Sweden guide.
How do you apply to Stockholm University?
All applications go through universityadmissions.se, the national portal.[10]
- Create an account on the portal, search for programmes and rank your choices; the order matters.[10]
- Pay the application fee (SEK 900) if you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland. The page we read says the application is not reviewed without it, and one fee covers one semester however many programmes you choose.[11]
- Upload your documents on the previous studies you rely on; EU/EEA and Swiss applicants document their citizenship instead of paying a fee.[10]
- Look for scholarships. To be considered for the university’s scholarship scheme you need to be admitted in the first international round.[9]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. Check the programme page before you start. The portal page we read dates from 2021, so use the programme page for current steps.[10]
Which language level do you need?
All courses and programmes require proof of English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. You can show this through certain upper secondary or university studies or an internationally recognised test. Exchange students are exempt and should contact their host department. Some programmes, for example some in the Department of English, require higher scores, so check the programme.[4]
The national portal accepts, among others, IELTS Academic with an overall score of 6.5 and no section below 5.5, and Pearson PTE Academic 62 with 61 in writing. For TOEFL iBT, results from 21 January 2026 need a total of 4.5 on the new 1–6 scale with no section below 4 (for earlier results: 90 in total and 20 in the written test). Exemptions include a degree with English as the main subject and 60 ECTS credits taught in English; the portal page was updated on 13 October 2025.[12] Stockholm University’s own page names no test scores.[4]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Stockholm University cost for non-EU students?
SEK 90,000 per academic year in the humanities, social sciences and law, SEK 140,000 in the sciences, and amounts in between for some programmes. A few joint programmes cost more.[3]
Is Stockholm University free for EU students?
How is Stockholm University ranked?
167th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, 4th in Sweden by the university’s own account.[2]
Is there a scholarship for international master’s students?
Yes. The Stockholm University Scholarship Scheme covers the whole tuition fee for a master’s programme for eligible fee-paying students admitted in the first international round. The Swedish Institute offers scholarships for selected countries and programmes.[9]
Which English test do I need?
Can I study a bachelor’s degree in English at Stockholm University?
Yes, but there are only seven bachelor’s programmes taught in English, against more than 100 English-taught master’s programmes.[6]
More about studying in Sweden
- Sweden: best universities
- Study in Sweden: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Sweden
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- Chalmers University of Technology
- Halmstad University
- Jönköping University
- Karlstad University
- Karolinska Institutet
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Linköping University
- Linnaeus University
- Luleå University of Technology
- Lund University
- Mälardalen University
- Malmö University
- Örebro University
- Stockholm School of Economics (SSE)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
- Umeå University
- University of Gothenburg
- Uppsala University
Sources
[1] Stockholm University: Facts in numbers (page updated 16 Oct 2026; figures from the annual report 2025)
[2] Stockholm University: Stockholm University ranks 167 in the QS ranking (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (news item updated 22 Jun 2026; QS edition released 18 Jun 2026)
[3] Stockholm University: Costs, fees and scholarships (page updated 2 Dec 2025)
[4] Stockholm University: English requirement (page updated 17 Oct 2025)
[5] Wikipedia: Stockholm University (history, campus and faculties)
[6] Stockholm University: Our courses and programmes (page updated 28 Oct 2026)
[7] Stockholm University: Stockholm University in world ranking tables (page updated 4 Nov 2026)
[8] Stockholm University: General rule and exemptions from paying the tuition fee (page updated 9 Mar 2026)
[9] Stockholm University: Scholarships (page updated 20 Oct 2025)
[10] University Admissions in Sweden: Apply to master’s studies (page updated 15 Oct 2021, so check current steps on the programme page)
[11] University Admissions in Sweden: Paying your application fee (non-EU/EEA applicants, master’s) (page updated 18 Sep 2026)
[12] University Admissions in Sweden: English language requirements (page updated 13 Oct 2025)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.