Uppsala University

Key facts

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

About Uppsala University

Uppsala University was founded in 1477 and calls itself the first Nordic university.^[1] A papal bull of Pope Sixtus IV chartered it, and it is Sweden’s oldest university.^[7]

It has nine faculties, grouped into three domains: humanities and social sciences, medicine and pharmacy, and science and technology. About 60 departments and similar units belong to it.^[1] In 2026 it has 49,860 registered students and 2,415 doctoral students; its 7,539 employees correspond to 6,648 full-time equivalents.^[1] The university’s turnover is SEK 9,235 million.^[1]

How is Uppsala University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Uppsala University is 87th in the world, up six places from 93rd. It is third among Swedish universities, behind Lund (71st) and KTH (82nd). The university says it has risen from 128th to 87th in five years.^[2]

In the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2026 Uppsala is 94th, one place lower than the year before. It is the second-best Swedish university in that ranking, behind Karolinska Institutet (41st).^[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Uppsala University?

Uppsala offers 83 bachelor’s and 102 master’s programmes and doctoral studies.^[1] Not all of them are taught in English. The master’s programme in Computer Science is taught in English,^[4] while the master’s programme in Educational Sciences – Education is taught in Swedish and requires knowledge of Swedish.^[9]

How much does Uppsala University cost?

Students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland must pay application and tuition fees; a residence permit for studies does not exempt you.^[3] The master’s fees page (last modified 28 October 2026) says one semester of full-time study costs between SEK 49,500 and SEK 90,000 depending on the programme, and refers to each programme page for the exact fee. It gives no academic year.^[3] Two programme examples, in Swedish kronor (SEK):

Both programme pages show no date for the page itself.^[4][9] Tuition is paid through the university website by credit card or bank transfer. Refunds are possible only when extraordinary circumstances prevent you from taking part.^[3]

Application fee

Applicants who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens pay SEK 900 to University Admissions. The fee cannot be waived or paid to Uppsala University, and late payment makes the application late and ineligible for scholarships.^[5]

Uppsala University Global Scholarship

The scholarship covers the full tuition fee of an international master’s programme but not living costs. It is open to citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who show academic talent. The Uppsala programme must be your first choice among the four you rank, and you must meet the entry requirements. The Swedish Council for Higher Education funds it, and only about 2 percent of applicants receive it.^[10] For living costs in Sweden, see our Sweden guide and the Study in Sweden guide.

How do you apply to Uppsala University?

For an international master’s programme you apply through University Admissions (universityadmissions.se). The steps in Uppsala’s guide:^[5]

1. Choose a programme in the catalogue.
2. Check the entry requirements: a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Swedish kandidatexamen (or be in your final year) plus any programme-specific requirements.
3. Create an account and submit your application. You can apply to up to four programmes and rank them; you can be admitted to only one.
4. Upload all documents through University Admissions. Uppsala does not accept documents sent separately.
5. Pay the SEK 900 application fee if you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.
6. Read the selection results in your account. In the international round you do not need to accept an offer, but conditional admissions must be met before the semester starts.

We give no deadlines because they change every year; check the programme page and the portal.

Which English level do you need?

Programmes taught in English require proficiency equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. You can meet it with a score on an internationally recognised test or through earlier upper secondary or university studies in some countries.^[4] University Admissions accepts, among other proofs, IELTS Academic with an overall 6.5 and no section below 5.5; TOEFL iBT with a total of 4.5 on the 1–6 scale and no section below 4 for results from 21 January 2026 (90 points for earlier results); PTE Academic 62 with 61 in writing; and Cambridge C1 Advanced with at least 180.^[11] Swedish-taught programmes require Swedish instead.^[9]

More about studying in Sweden

• Sweden: best universities
• Study in Sweden: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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