EU/EEA, exchange and doctoral students
If you are an EU student, or you will be studying in Sweden on the basis of an exchange program, or you will be applying for doctoral studies, you will be exempt from paying tuition fees at public higher education institutions in Sweden. However, you will have to pay a small but compulsory registration fee (kåravgift, in Swedish) to the student union of your university. In general, the student union fee is around 300 SEK or approximately 30 EUR per semester. Upon your payment of the student union fee, you will receive a student card (studentkort) that entitles you to receive discounts at, for example, the public transportation system or stores, receive student support or participate in many activities to facilitate your social integration at your university in Sweden. Be advised that without your valid studentkort, you can't take any exams at university in Sweden.
Although you don't have to pay tuition fees at public higher education institutions in Sweden, you will have to pay for your textbooks, accommodation and living expenses.
Non-EU students
Starting in the autumn semester 2011, non-EU students will be required to pay registration and tuition fees for studies at higher education in Sweden with the exceptions as mentioned above. According to a proposal from the Swedish Ministry of Education, the registration fee will amount to about 900 SEK (ca. 95 EUR). Although institutions are free to decide the amount of the tuition fee related to their academic offer, the usual tuition fees for non-EU students are about 90000 SEK (ca. 9700 EUR) for Humanities/Law/Social Science courses and about 140000 SEK (ca. 15000 EUR) for Science courses.
Were you already studying at an institution in Sweden before the introduction of tuition fees?
If so, you may finish your studies without paying tuition fees. However, if you decide to switch to a different study program, you will have to pay tuition fees for the new program.