Lund University
Lunds universitet
Sweden's top-ranked university, founded in 1666, where 13 student nations run the social life of a small cycling city.
- Students
- 46,000
- International
- 31%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 10.2:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- SEK 125K
- From · 2026-27 (fees published for the autumn 2026 intake)
- Founded
- 1666
About LU
Lund University is one of Scandinavia's oldest universities: officially founded in 1666, it traces its roots to a studium generale recognised in 1436. Today it is a large comprehensive university with around 46,000 students and 8,500 staff across four campuses in southern Sweden, in Lund, Malmö, Helsingborg and Ljungbyhed, where its School of Aviation is based. In QS 2027 it is ranked 71st in the world and first in Sweden.
The university is organised into nine faculties, from the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) and the Faculty of Medicine to the School of Economics and Management (LUSEM), Law, Social Sciences, Science, Humanities, Theology and Fine and Performing Arts. It is the only Swedish member of both the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and Universitas 21. Lund researchers pioneered medical ultrasound, the artificial kidney and Bluetooth, and the city hosts the MAX IV synchrotron and the European Spallation Source.
For undergraduates, the key fact is language. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Swedish, but Lund offers ten bachelor's programmes in English, including International Business, Development Studies, Physics, Mathematics and Biomedicine. Studies usually run one course at a time, each ending in an exam or essay, and much of the teaching is in groups of 25 to 30. Students who are independent readers and want a big-university education in a compact, bike-friendly town tend to do well here, especially those who will get involved in the 13 student nations.
Ad utrumque
“Prepared for both” — university motto
Why students choose LU
Ten full bachelor's programmes are taught in English, from International Business at LUSEM to Physics and Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition, and non-EU students can apply for the merit-based Lund University Global Scholarship, which covers all or part of the fee.
Fee-paying international students taking full-time studies of at least 30 credits get a guaranteed housing offer through LU Accommodation.
The 13 student nations, the Academic Society's Studentafton talks and the Spex comedy musicals are why Lund calls itself Sweden's best student city.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 intake (international application round, October 2026 to January 2027)
Selectivity
There is no single university-wide admission rate. Admission is programme by programme through the national portal universityadmissions.se. Applicants who meet the general and specific entry requirements are ranked within selection groups, and for the international bachelor's programmes selection is generally based only on the upper secondary school grade average, converted to a merit rating. In the later national round, some programmes also admit part of the class on the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (for International Business, 66% on grades and 34% on the test).
Typical entry requirements
| General entry requirements (all bachelor's programmes) | Completed upper secondary education (post-16), English at the level of Swedish English 6, and mathematics equivalent to Swedish Mathematics 1. Conditional admission is not possible, so you must have finished school by the document deadline. |
|---|---|
| International Business / Economy and Society | Mathematics 3b/3c and Social Studies 1b (or 1a1 + 1a2), English 6 |
| Physics | Physics 2, Chemistry 1 and Mathematics 4, English 6 |
| Mathematics / Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science | Mathematics 4 (plus science courses for Physical Geography), English 6 |
| Biomedicine | Biology 2, Chemistry 2 and Mathematics 4, English 6 |
| Swedish-taught programmes (most bachelor's and engineering degrees) | The same general requirements plus proof of Swedish-language proficiency |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 English 6 (renamed English Level 2 in Sweden's 2025 upper secondary course names): IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with at least 20 in writing (tests taken up to 20 January 2026) or 4.5 on the new 1-6 scale with no section below 4 (tests from 21 January 2026). Some school-leaving qualifications also count; see universityadmissions.se. Some programmes set a higher level. |
Deadlines
- International admission round (autumn 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Application opens 16 October 2026. Supporting documents and application fee due 1 February 2027. Bachelor's admission results published 8 April 2027. This is the round non-EU applicants need.
- National admission round (autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027
Opens 15 March 2027. Intended for Swedish applicants; EU/EEA citizens and residents may also apply, and all international bachelor's programmes are open in this round. Results 9 July 2027.
Dates from University Admissions in Sweden's autumn 2027 key dates page. Non-EU applicants should apply in the international round because of residence permit and fee timelines.
How to apply
Apply online at universityadmissions.se (up to several ranked choices in one application), then upload your upper secondary transcripts and diploma plus proof of English by the document deadline. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens pay a SEK 900 application fee. The music programmes and Fine Arts have extra steps (auditions or portfolio).
What admissions looks for
- Full eligibility at the time of application: completed upper secondary school plus the specific subject courses the programme lists.
- Strong upper secondary grades, since selection for the English-taught bachelor's programmes is generally based on the school grade average alone.
- Proof of English at English 6 (or higher where a programme says so).
- For Fine Arts and the music programmes, artistic work: a portfolio or successful admission tests.
Tips for applying to LU
- 1 Check the specific requirements against Swedish course names (for example Mathematics 3b/3c or Mathematics 4); a missing course makes you ineligible regardless of grades.
- 2 You cannot be admitted conditionally, so make sure your final diploma or an accepted proof of completion reaches University Admissions by the document deadline.
- 3 Upload documents and pay the SEK 900 fee well before 1 February 2027; incomplete applications are not assessed.
- 4 Apply for the Lund University Global Scholarship at the same time as your programme if you are a non-EU fee payer; it is merit-based.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 (fees published for the autumn 2026 intake) · figures in SEK
There are no tuition fees for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Non-EU fee payers can apply for the merit-based Lund University Global Scholarship, which covers all or part of the tuition fee, and some students are eligible for Swedish Institute scholarships or programme-specific awards.
- About SEK 28 million
- Scholarships awarded by Lund University in 2025
- Over 130
- Lund University Global Scholarships awarded (2025)
- SEK 900
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn and spring); courses usually taken one at a time, 30 ECTS credits per semester
BSc in Business and Economics: International Business
A three-year English-taught business degree at LUSEM, with selection on school grades in the international round.
BSc in Development Studies
An interdisciplinary programme where you major in economic history, human geography, political science or sociology.
BSc in Physics
Taught by the Department of Physics, home of 2023 Nobel laureate Anne L'Huillier, with MAX IV and ESS on Lund's doorstep.
BSc in Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
A rare English-taught undergraduate degree in earth-system and climate science.
Bachelor of Medical Science in Biomedicine
Faculty of Medicine programme open to international applicants, with an exemption from the Swedish-language requirement.
BSc in Economy and Society
Combines economics with economic history and social science at LUSEM.
Research
- MAX IV, a national synchrotron radiation laboratory hosted by the university, inaugurated in 2016.
- The European Spallation Source (ESS), a major neutron research facility under construction in Lund.
- Lund researchers developed diagnostic ultrasound (Inge Edler), the artificial kidney (Nils Alwall) and Bluetooth technology.
- Anne L'Huillier, professor of atomic physics at Lund, shared the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for attosecond light pulses.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Engineering (LTH)
- Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- School of Economics and Management (LUSEM)
Student life
Student life in Lund revolves around the 13 nations: student societies named after Swedish regions that run pub nights, cheap dinners, clubs, sports and parties, and that anyone can join. The Academic Society (AF) adds Studentafton interviews with high-profile guests, student radio and theatre, and the Spex comedy musicals, all accessed through the shared Studentlund membership. Traditions run deep: the academic quarter still means lectures start 15 minutes after the hour, a custom from when the cathedral bells kept time.
- 13 student nations, the oldest (Östgöta Nation) dating from 1668
- Studentafton evening interviews, whose guests have included Emmanuel Macron and the Queen of Sweden
- Spex comedy musicals, student radio and student theatre run by the Academic Society
- The academic quarter: classes start 15 minutes after the scheduled time
Housing. The university does not own housing, but LU Accommodation guarantees a room to fee-paying international students on full-time studies, with typical rents of SEK 4,000 to 8,000 per month; others use AF Bostäder, Bopoolen.nu or private landlords.
Location
Lund is a compact, historic city of about 130,000 people in southern Sweden, with cobbled streets, old houses and the university in the middle of town, so most students get around on foot or by bike. Malmö, Sweden's third-largest city, is 15 minutes away by train, and Copenhagen is under an hour away, making Lund part of the Greater Copenhagen region with its jobs, nightlife and airport.
Nearest airport: Copenhagen Airport (CPH), about 35 minutes by train
Notable alumni
- TE Tage ErlanderPrime Minister of Sweden from the 1940s until 1969
- CL Carl LinnaeusBotanist who created modern taxonomy; began his studies at Lund
- IE Inge EdlerCardiologist who pioneered echocardiography (medical ultrasound)
- NA Nils AlwallPioneer of haemodialysis and the artificial kidney
- ET Esaias TegnérPoet and philologist, one of Sweden's most influential 19th-century writers
- SP Stefan PerssonFormer CEO and chairman of H&M
- BH Bertil HultFounder of EF Education First
- SM Sven MattissonEngineer credited with developing Bluetooth technology
Frequently asked questions
Is Lund University free for international students?
It is free for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Non-EU citizens pay tuition, which for the English-taught bachelor's programmes starting in autumn 2026 ranged from SEK 125,000 to SEK 205,000 per year, plus a SEK 900 application fee.
Does Lund University teach bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, but only ten: Biomedicine, Development Studies, Economy and Society, Fine Arts, International Business, Mathematics, two Music programmes, Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, and Physics. Most other bachelor's programmes are taught in Swedish.
When is the deadline to apply to Lund for autumn 2027?
Apply on universityadmissions.se between 16 October 2026 and 15 January 2027, and submit documents and the application fee by 1 February 2027. Bachelor's results come out on 8 April 2027.
What grades do you need to get into Lund University?
There is no fixed grade: you must meet the general and specific subject requirements, and for the English-taught bachelor's programmes applicants are then ranked on their upper secondary grade average. Cut-offs change each year with competition.
What IELTS score does Lund University require?
Most programmes require English 6 (now also called English Level 2), which means IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with at least 20 in writing (4.5 on the new TOEFL scale for tests from 21 January 2026).
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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