Stockholm University
Stockholms universitet
A big capital-city university, founded as a radical alternative in 1878, strong in social and environmental science.
- Students
- 45,170
- Tuition
- SEK 90,000
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1878
- QS World Ranking
- #167
- 2027 edition
About SU
Stockholm University began in 1878 as Stockholm University College, founded, in its own words, as a radical alternative to the traditional educational establishment, and gained university status in 1960. Svante Arrhenius, Sweden's first Nobel laureate, and Sofia Kovalevskaya, the first woman in modern Europe to hold a full professorship in mathematics, both worked here. Today it is one of Scandinavia's largest universities, with about 45,000 registered students (around 32,000 full-time equivalents), 1,200 doctoral students and 5,400 staff.
The university has four faculties, Humanities, Law, Social Sciences and Science, and the human sciences account for most of its students. Its main campus is Frescati, north of the city centre, and the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences is based at the Kista campus. Its research is strongest in the social and environmental sciences: QS places its Social Policy, Environmental Sciences, Sociology and Geography in the world's top 50, and it is home to the Stockholm Resilience Centre.
Most bachelor's teaching is in Swedish, but five bachelor's programmes are taught entirely in English, including International Business and Politics and Business, Ethics and Sustainability. They suit students who want a capital-city university with a social-science and policy focus.
Why students choose SU
The Bachelor's Programme in International Business and Politics combines business administration with political science and economic history, with an elective or exchange semester in year three.
Four QS subject areas are in the world top 50: Social Policy and Administration, Environmental Sciences, Sociology and Geography.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition.
Tuition-paying international students are eligible for furnished university housing close to campus or the city centre.
Admissions
Autumn semester 2027 (first admissions round)
Selectivity
Stockholm University does not publish an overall admission rate. For autumn 2026 its English-taught bachelor's programmes drew 2,059 applicants for International Business and Politics, 1,348 for Business, Ethics and Sustainability and 883 for the new International Bachelor's Programme in Political Science and Regional Studies. Overall, 23,612 people applied to the university in the international round.
Typical entry requirements
| General entry requirements | Completed upper secondary education, English 6, and mathematics equal to Swedish Mathematics 1a, 1b or 1c |
|---|---|
| International Business and Politics (specific requirements) | English 6, Mathematics 3b or 3c, and Social studies 1b (or 1a1+1a2) |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 English 6 level via University Admissions in Sweden: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with 20 in writing (4.5 with no section below 4 on the new scale from 21 January 2026). Certain upper secondary or university studies can also meet the requirement. |
Deadlines
- First admissions round (international) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027, midnight CET
Opens 16 October 2026. Application fee and supporting documents due 1 February 2027; bachelor's selection results on 8 April 2027. Recommended for all non-EU/EEA applicants because of residence permit timelines.
- Second admissions round (mainly Swedish and EU/EEA) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027, midnight CET
Opens 15 March 2027. Too late for most non-EU/EEA students to get a residence permit before the semester starts on 30 August 2027.
Dates are from Stockholm University's 'Important dates' page for the autumn semester 2027.
How to apply
Apply online at universityadmissions.se in the first (international) admissions round, rank your choices, and upload school transcripts, diploma and proof of English. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants pay a SEK 900 application fee to University Admissions.
What admissions looks for
- Completed upper secondary education that meets Sweden's general entry requirements, including English 6 and basic mathematics.
- The programme's specific subjects: for International Business and Politics, Mathematics 3b/3c and Social studies 1b.
- Good results in the subjects that matter most for the programme; most programmes require them, according to the university.
- Complete, correctly submitted documents on universityadmissions.se by the documentation deadline.
Tips for applying to SU
- 1 Apply in the first round (deadline 15 January 2027) if you need a residence permit; the second round leaves too little time.
- 2 Check the specific entry requirements on the programme page: International Business and Politics needs mathematics to Swedish Mathematics 3b or 3c.
- 3 Pay the SEK 900 application fee and upload documents by 1 February 2027, or your application will not be processed.
- 4 If you pay tuition, apply for university housing early; it is limited but tuition-paying students studying at least one semester are eligible.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in SEK
Stockholm University and the Swedish Institute offer scholarships to tuition-paying students from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, but these are for master's students; the university does not list bachelor's scholarships. The SEK 900 application fee is paid once per semester of application. Tuition is paid in instalments before each semester.
- SEK 900 per application semester
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA)
- Master's students only
- University scholarships
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (academic year from late August to early June)
Bachelor's Programme in International Business and Politics
English-taught at Stockholm Business School with political science and economic history; 2,059 applicants for autumn 2026.
Bachelor's Programme in Business, Ethics and Sustainability
One of five English-taught bachelor's programmes, with 1,348 applicants for autumn 2026.
International Bachelor's Programme in Political Science and Regional Studies
A new English-taught programme that drew 883 applicants in its first intake round (autumn 2026).
Bachelor's Programme in Latin American Studies
English-taught, with a specialisation in Spanish or Portuguese.
Master's Programme in Data Science, Statistics and Decision Analysis
Stockholm University's most applied-for international master's for autumn 2026, with 1,427 applicants.
Research
- The Stockholm Resilience Centre is a collaboration between Stockholm University and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
- Bert Bolin, founder of the UN climate panel (IPCC), was one of the university's scientists.
- Svante Arrhenius, Sweden's first Nobel laureate, worked at Stockholm University College.
- Research and doctoral education account for 60% of the university's SEK 6.5 billion revenue (2025).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
Student life
Student life centres on Studenthuset at Frescati, home of the Stockholm University Student Union (SUS), whose members get discounts on public transport, coffee and tea on campus and in hundreds of shops. There are two departmental unions, DISK for computer and systems sciences in Kista and Föreningen Ekonomerna for business students, and six big faculty clubs that run student pubs, seminars and career fairs. Student Union Associations cover a wide range of interests, and sport is available on campus at student prices.
- Studenthuset, the student union building at Frescati.
- Six faculty clubs, including the Law Students' Association and the Natural Sciences Faculty Club.
- Three student unions: SUS for all students, plus DISK (computer and systems sciences) and Föreningen Ekonomerna (Stockholm Business School).
- Aula Magna, the university's main auditorium.
Housing. The university has a limited number of furnished rooms and apartments for tuition-paying and exchange students, rented per semester (SEK 24,000-90,750 per semester for 2026/27, from corridor rooms to two-bedroom apartments); others must find housing on their own.
Location
Stockholm is Sweden's capital and largest city. The Frescati campus lies north of the city centre, surrounded by open green space, and the Kista campus hosts the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences. Stockholm is expensive and student housing is limited, so the university advises budgeting at least SEK 12,000 a month.
Nearest airport: Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN)
Notable alumni
- DH Dag HammarskjöldUN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; doctorate in economics from Stockholm University
- GM Gunnar MyrdalNobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 1974; law degree and doctorate in economics from Stockholm University
- TT Tomas TranströmerNobel Prize in Literature 2011; graduated as a psychologist from Stockholm University
- OP Olof PalmePrime Minister of Sweden; enrolled at Stockholm University after military service
- CB Carl BildtPrime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden; attended Stockholm University
- GT Greta ThunbergClimate activist; began a bachelor's programme at Stockholm University
Frequently asked questions
Does Stockholm University offer bachelor's programmes in English?
Yes, five programmes are taught entirely in English, including International Business and Politics, Business, Ethics and Sustainability, and a new International Bachelor's Programme in Political Science and Regional Studies.
When is the Stockholm University application deadline for autumn 2027?
15 January 2027 (midnight CET) in the first admissions round on universityadmissions.se, which opens on 16 October 2026. Documents and the application fee are due by 1 February 2027.
How much is Stockholm University tuition for international students?
Non-EU/EEA students pay SEK 90,000 a year in humanities, social sciences and law, and SEK 140,000 in the sciences, plus a SEK 900 application fee. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition.
What IELTS score does Stockholm University require?
The standard English 6 level: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with at least 20 in writing. Some programmes set higher requirements.
Does Stockholm University offer housing to international students?
Yes, but it is limited: tuition-paying and exchange students studying at least one semester can apply for furnished university rooms and apartments, rented per semester.
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.
- Stockholm University: How to apply
- Stockholm University: Important dates
- Stockholm University: Costs, fees and scholarships
- Stockholm University: Entry requirements for bachelor's level studies
- Stockholm University: English language requirement
- University Admissions in Sweden: English language requirements
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