Study costs & money in Sweden
Tuition, living-cost context, banking, taxes and practical money guidance for students planning to study in Sweden.
Read the complete Sweden study abroad guide.
Bank Accounts
Most Swedish banks will not open an account without a personnummer, and BankID, the digital identity used to sign in to almost every Swedish service, generally follows the bank account. This is the practical reason the population register matters so much.
Sweden is close to cashless. Cards are accepted essentially everywhere, and many shops, cafés and buses accept no cash at all. Swish, an instant payment app tied to your phone number and BankID, is how Swedes split bills and pay individuals.
Bring a working international card for your first weeks. Expect a gap of several weeks between arriving and holding a Swedish account and BankID, and plan for it.
Source: https://www.skatteverket.se/servicelankar/otherlanguages/englishengelska/individualsandemployees/movingtosweden.4.7be5268414bea064694c40c.html
Taxes
If you work in Sweden you pay Swedish income tax, which is deducted at source by your employer. Your tax rate depends on the municipality you live in and your income. Skatteverket, the Tax Agency, handles both the population register and taxation, so a single visit often does double duty.
Students are not exempt from tax, though a low annual income may mean little or none is finally due. If you earn under the threshold for a given year you can apply for an exemption so that tax is not withheld from every payslip.
Scholarships intended to cover living costs are generally tax free. Employment income, including a doctoral salary, is not.
Source: https://www.skatteverket.se/servicelankar/otherlanguages/englishengelska.4.12815e4f14a62bc048f4edc.html
Common questions
What should international students know about banking in Sweden?
Bank account and BankID generally require a personnummer. Sweden is close to cashless.
What should international students know about taxes in Sweden?
Income tax is withheld at source. Skatteverket handles both tax and the population register.