Contract or specialisation education residence permit

Here you will find information about residence permits for people who will be studying in one of the following: a contract education programme under the Ordinance (2002:760) on Contract Education at Higher Education Institutions a specialisation education programme for doctors or dentists that requires such an exception as referred to in Chapter 4, Section 4 of the Patient Safety Act (2010:659).

You must be finally admitted to full-time studies in Sweden. You cannot be granted a residence permit for distance learning as a form of study.

Admission decision from the higher education institution The admission decision must state that you have been finally admitted to full-time studies in a programme or courses, as well as that you will be studying on site in Sweden.

If you need to pay a tuition fee, it must be paid before you apply for a residence permit.

If you have been admitted to studies that will last less than a year, you need comprehensive health insurance. If you do not have insurance through your higher education institution, you must have or have applied for your own insurance.

Your means of “financial maintenance” must be sufficient for the entire period for which you are applying for a residence permit.

The maintenance requirement is at least SEK 10,656 per month, if you applied in 2026 at least SEK 10,584 per month, if you applied in 2025.

No. A residence permit for contract or specialisation education does not give you the right to work in Sweden.

If any of your family members also want to apply for a residence permit, they can do so at the same time as you. “Family members” are considered to include spouses, registered partners, cohabiting partners, and children under the age of 18.

You can be granted a residence permit for a maximum of four years, but not for longer than your studies are supposed to last. You can never be granted a permit for longer than your passport is valid. If you are granted a residence permit for the entire duration of your studies, the Swedish Migration Agency will add an extra two weeks to your permit period, to give you enough time to complete your studies and leave the country. Your residence permit can be extended.