International student guide

Students from EU/EEA countries
As an EU citizen, you do not need a residence permit before you arrive in Sweden. You will need a valid passport or an identity card proving your citizenship when entering Sweden.

Students from countries outside the EU/EEA
In general, all students from non-EU/EEA countries have to apply for a residence permit if they plan to study in Sweden for a period longer than three months. Please keep in mind that the process for a residence permit for studies takes time. We advise you to start the application process as soon as you receive your admission letter from us.

Please note that students do not need to send a certificate to the Swedish Migration Agency stating that the tuition fee has been paid, as it is sent electronically from BTH.

You will find all the necessary information about how to apply for a residence permit on the Swedish Migration Agency.

False phone calls regarding residence permits
BTH would like to draw your attention to a fraud attempt regarding residence permits. Applications for residence permits (including extensions) are handled only by the Swedish Migration Agency. The Swedish Migration Agency, or the Swedish Embassy, never discuss fees or other money issues over the phone.

BTH scholarship programme for prospective students is available to citizens from non-EU/EEA countries who are required to pay tuition fees for Swedish university education.

Students can only apply for this scholarship before commencing a programme. Applicants to distance education at BTH are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Visit our scholarship page for more information.

National Registration and Personal Identity Number
If you are planning to study in Sweden for 12 months or more, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency and be registered in the Swedish Population Register.

Watch the Swedish Tax Agency video on the five important steps the student needs to take to submit a complete registration of moving to Sweden, called How do I report moving to Sweden?

When you are finished with the process and have been listed in the register, you will be given a Swedish personal identity number and be able to apply for a Swedish ID card.

To watch the video and read more about the process, visit the Swedish Tax Agency’s website.

Coordination number
If you will be studying in Sweden for less than 12 months and have never been listed in the Swedish Population Register, you may be eligible for a coordination number (samordningsnummer).

A coordination number is needed if you, for instance, have plans to work during your time in Sweden, or if you want to open a Swedish bank account. Please note that some banks will only accept personal identity numbers issued to students who are here for longer than 12 months.

Application for a coordination number.

In June 2024, improvements concerning the control of identities through biometric equipment, such as machine document review of the ID document an applicant carries for identification, were implemented.

Read more on the Swedish Tax Agency’s website.

All students at BTH are insured through personal injury insurance when they are on the University's premises as well as when travelling to and from BTH. You are insured if you are on an internship or at a workplace approved by the University.

However, it is crucial to make sure that you have additional medical insurance coverage in case of an emergency or if you fall ill during an off-campus activity.

Read more on Kammarkollegiets website.

Visit the Insurance page on our website to get more information regarding what type of insurance you need.

• European health insurance card (for European students),

• Your VISA/Master card or Travel card,
• Your original academic documents, such as diploma and transcripts, if required (for example, if you are conditionally admitted).

The nearest larger airport is in Copenhagen. If you travel to Copenhagen Airport, there are direct trains to Karlskrona (sometimes this route includes one change). If you want to be sure you get on a direct train, pick one with Karlskrona as the final destination. The train station is located at the airport; you just have to follow the signs and train platform displays.

You do not need to book tickets in advance as these trains do not require you to reserve a seat. You can simply buy a ticket from one of the ticket machines at the airport and then step on the train. However, seats located in coach 11 are bookable, and we therefore advise you not to sit in this coach. Please note that you cannot reserve a specific seat. If you are unsure or have a question, ask the staff on board the train.

The ticket machines at Copenhagen Airport are located in the arrivals hall. Look for the signs saying ”Track 1. This track is Sweden-bound”. You can use the machines with the words ”Skånetrafiken” or ”Tickets to Sweden” on them. To use the ticket machines, you must have a VISA, Mastercard or similar. Usually, cash will not be accepted. We therefore recommend that you have a credit/debit card ready before you come to Sweden. If you are unsure, ask the staff at the airport. Please note that it might be possible to use cash if there are cashiers open at the time, but since this is not something we can guarantee, we still recommend bringing a VISA, Mastercard, or similar.

When you buy a ticket, you will be asked to pick your final destination, which is Karlskrona. You might also be asked to select if you want to travel to Sweden from Denmark via the bridge or ferry. Please pick the bridge, as this is the only way to travel directly to Karlskrona.

It is possible to buy tickets using apps. However, this requires you to have internet access during the whole journey. If you are unsure, we recommend you use one of the ticket machines.

There are no meal plans available at BTH. Students can choose to cook for themselves, visit the on-campus cafeteria or restaurant and pay individually for each meal. There are microwaves and fridges located on campus that you can use if you want to bring pre-cooked food.

Read more about our different dining options.

Studying in Sweden for less than 12 months
For students staying in Sweden for less than 12 months, opening a Swedish bank account might prove difficult. We therefore strongly recommend that you make all necessary bank arrangements with your home bank before you move to Sweden.

In Sweden, it is more common to pay using payment cards rather than cash. It is thus recommended to bring a VISA/Mastercard/Travel Card from your home country and/or make sure you have the possibility to use internet transaction services through your home bank accounts in order to make payments in Sweden.

Transaction and conversion fees
Keep in mind the transaction and conversion fees added to frequent international transactions. Students in this situation may be required to handle their expenses in cash. However, card payment is much more common in Sweden, and not all businesses accept cash payments.

Studying in Sweden for more than 12 months
If you are planning to study in Sweden for more than 12 months, it will be easier for you to handle everyday financial matters, such as paying rent and other household bills, if you open a Swedish bank account.

Usually, most banks require a Swedish personal identity number, among other things. Please search for available bank branches in the area of Karlskrona to find what they require in order to obtain a bank account as an international customer.

Please note, it is not recommended that you bring large sums of cash due to the money laundering legislation. To comply with legal requirements, the bank must verify a customer's identity and understand the purpose of the requested service. If the customer is unable to provide this information, the bank cannot process the request and may otherwise be subject to penalties or sanctions.

If you need assistance, you can visit the Student Union website, where you will find more information about banking in Sweden. If you run into problems, you can also contact them via email at economy@bthstudent.se.

We understand why students might want or need to get a job while staying in Sweden. However, it is not something that we recommend because full-time studies in Sweden correspond to approximately a 40-hour week (the same as a full-time job).

When you are not expected to be on campus for lectures, seminars or other meetings, you are expected to spend your time working on assignments, group projects, etc.

In Sweden, there are two semesters each year. The first semester, referred to as the Autumn semester, begins in August or September and lasts until early January.

There is no official Christmas break. However, there will be no classes during the Christmas week. Please note that you might still be expected to work, for example, on written assignments.

The second semester is called the Spring semester and begins in mid-January and lasts until early June. Followed by the second semester is the summer break, which lasts until the next Autumn semester begins.

Each semester is divided into two study periods.

Read more about the academic calendar.

We have several support functions where the staff will support you during your studies. If you feel ill or have trouble keeping up with your studies and need a little extra study support, you are welcome to contact:

• General study counselling
• Academic Skills Centre
• Conversational support
• Studying with Disabilities

At BTH, one of the following scales is to be employed:

• G, Ux, U (G = Pass, Ux = Insufficient, supplementation required, U = Fail).
• A, B, C, D, E, FX, F (A = Excellent, B = Very good, C = Good, D = Satisfactory, E = Sufficient, FX = Insufficient, supplementation required, F = Fail).

Sweden has a system of credits (in Swedish: högskolepoäng) used for academic studies. A normal 40-week academic year corresponds to 60 credits. The system is compatible with ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System).

If you would like to stay in Sweden after completing your studies at BTH, there are opportunities to do so. International students who have completed a higher education degree in Sweden can apply for a residence permit to look for work or explore the possibility of starting a business.

Once you have found employment and meet the requirements, you can apply for a work permit and continue building your career in Sweden. Requirements and regulations may change, so we recommend checking the latest information on the Migrationsverket website.

Visit the Migrations Office website for more information.

When you have completed your studies in Sweden and plan to return home or move away from Sweden (for one year or more), you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency.

Moving away from Sweden after your studies
If you move abroad and plan to stay away for a year or longer, you shall no longer be registered in the Swedish Population Register. In such cases, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency that you are moving abroad at least one week before departure.

If you move to another Nordic country (Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Norway), the regulations of that country determine whether you are entered into its population register. You must notify the authorities in the other Nordic country of your move there, and inform the Swedish Tax Agency that you are leaving Sweden. You will be removed from the Swedish Population Register once the other Nordic country to which you will be moving has decided to register you in their population register.

What should you do if you return to Sweden after being deregistered?
If you move back to Sweden for further studies, work or other reasons, you should again notify the Swedish Tax Agency. You should then use your personal identification number that you received the first time you were registered in Sweden.

Read more about moving away from Sweden.