MBA in Sweden for Indian Students: Requirements, Cost, Scholarships

Studying an MBA in Sweden is a great choice for Indian students who want affordable education, top universities, and global job opportunities. Many MBA programs are taught in English and are offered by world-ranked universities in Sweden. Students can apply to study MBA in Sweden after completing a bachelor's degree and good English scores with a few years of work experience.

Pursuing MBA in Sweden is a great choice for those students who want to make a career in areas such as Finances, Human Resources, Marketing, Strategy, and Operations Management. Students are attracted to Swedish universities that offer over 1000 courses taught in English, 600 Master’s Programmes and over 500 scholarship opportunities. Master in Business Administration is one of the popular courses in Sweden for International students.

Top-ranked universities in Sweden offer admission to eligible international students. The annual tuition fee for MBA in Sweden for Indian students is SEK 200,000–360,000 per year (INR 16-30 Lakh). It is relatively cheaper than in other European countries. Scholarships are available for students with a brilliant academic record that covers tuition as well as living expenses.

MBA in Sweden – Quick Overview

Why MBA in Sweden?

Students opt for studying MBA in Swedish universities due to their stress on creativity, innovative and independent thinking, and encouragement of research abilities. As international students ingrain these qualities while studying here, they are able to bag their dream job or start their own business, in or out of the country, and build a successful career. Right from high school, students are encouraged to take independent decisions regarding education. Same freedom is given to college students with an opportunity to question the status quo by developing one’s ability and accessing information. Student study groups are rampant and an innovative approach to any field is welcomed with open arms, be in technology, science or business. Thus, students get to learn through internal interactions and come face-to-face with diversity in the cultural background as well as language.

With each passing year, more Swedish universities are finding their way in the top international universities’ list as set by the Academic Ranking of World Universities and the Times Higher Education. The curriculum focuses on developing a student’s rational thinking while providing the opportunity to implement the theories in real life. Well-adapted to the needs of international students, it provides a good number of courses in English. Moreover, Sweden is home to top multinational companies such as Ericsson, IKEA, Volvo, H&M, Tetra Pak, and so on. This offers multiple opportunities for students to start their career with a reputed firm. Learning from the best enables business studies students to gain knowledge on international business techniques and the practices they follow. Receiving a job offer, while studying, makes you eligible to apply for a work permit.

Semester System followed by Swedish Universities

Generally, universities in Sweden use the semester-wise system that spans 20 weeks for two semesters each in an academic year. The term starts from August till January (the first semester) and from January to June is the second semester. Unlike other Master’s Programmes for business studies, Sweden offers two types of postgraduation Degrees, namely, Masterexamen and Magisterexamen. The Masterexamen (Master’s Degree) is of a two-year duration programme awarded by research universities, particularly while, on the other hand, the Magisterexamen (Magister Degree) is a one-year programme offered through any university, it is like a certificate program in master's. Other executive MBA programmes are available as a part-time degree spanning over months’ duration, with one intake per year during October.

Documents Required for MBA Application in Sweden

For study in Sweden, applications for a majority of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are processed through a central application service system - universityadmissions.se - maintained by the Swedish Council for Higher Education. However, you can apply directly through the university websites by submitting the following documents:

• Proof of English language proficiency to showcase that you have studied English for the required number of years
• Tests scores of GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS or Pearson PTE Academic, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, as per university requirements
• Transcripts and related educational proofs and documents (schooling and college), translated in English
• Bank statements and financial documents or loan documents
• Visa documents

Apart from this generic documentation procedure, universities ask for individual essays and resumes as a part of their application process, such as:

• Statement of Purpose (SOP)/ Motivation Letter
• Essays/Academic Statement
• Resume/CV
• Letter of recommendation (LORs) from college professors and employers
• Visa Letter

Tuition Fees and Scholarships available for Study in Sweden

Along with exchange students and Swedish residents, citizens of the European Union/European Economic Area and Switzerland can avail of free tuition. Most Swedish universities are public-funded, hence, the tuition fee is exempted for national and EU students. For international students, the fees may vary from SEK60,000 to SEK250,000 per academic year, as per the degree programme. Of the remaining private university, three universities charge SEK150,000 to SEK247,000 per year, and in certain programmes, the fees can be expected to sum up to SEK80,000. However, the Application Fees is (Swedish Krona) SEK 900

Average tuition fees for international students in some of the top-ranked Swedish universities are listed below:

• Lund University- SEK120,000 per year
• Stockholm University- SEK45,000 per year
• Uppsala University- SEK50,000 per year
• Karolinska Institute- SEK100,000 per year 

Almost all Swedish universities offer scholarships to international students. There are about 375 scholarships in Sweden available for international students. The cost and coverage of a scholarship may vary from university to university, but there are some scholarships that are tailor-made for students hailing from a particular country such as the USA, Chile, Japan, and China. You can get more information on country-wise scholarship by self-research on state government sites for your country.

In addition to this, various international organisations and foundations offer scholarships and travel grants to study in Sweden based on certain prerequisites. These scholarships are common for students from any country:

• The Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership Scholarships
• Open Society Foundation Fellowships and Scholarships
• UNESCO Fellowships
• Rotary International District and Global Grants
• The World Bank Scholarship and Fellows Program

While there are a number of scholarship options available, it is best to do your own research about the university before deciding on any one scholarship. Some scholarships provided by universities for MBA and Master’s Programmes include:

• Swedish Institute Study Scholarships
• The Visby Programme Scholarships
• Blekinge Institute of Technology Scholarship Programme
• University of Borås Tuition Fee Waivers
• Chalmers IPOET Scholarships
• The University of Gothenburg Study Scholarship
• Halmstad University Scholarships
• Karlstad University Global Scholarship Programme
• Karolinska Institutet Global Master’s Scholarship
• Kristianstad University Scholarships
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology Tuition Fee Waivers
• Linnaeus University Scholarships
• Linköping International Scholarships
• Lund University Global Scholarship Programme
• Mälardalen University Scholarships

Check out these scholarships to study in Sweden for Indian students.

Accommodation, Travel, and Study-Related Expenses

While scholarships and grants can cover the tuition fees, travelling expenses, study expenses, etc, students need to create a yearly/ monthly budget according to the average living expense in Sweden. A student requires approximately SEK9,000 per month to cover all the living expenses including rent, food, groceries, and so on. Yet, this amount may differ depending upon the location, personal preferences, personal needs, and conveyance options.

Average living costs for an international student in some cities in Sweden are:

• Goteborg and Stockholm: SEK4,000 - SEK6,500 per month 
• Uppsala: SEK5,000 - SEK8,000 per month
• Linkoping and Lund: SEK 8,600 per month (approximately) 

Accommodation expense takes over 40% of a student’s monthly budget. Here is a rough idea of accommodation expenses according to the number of people staying together:

• Students staying with partner/children: 600 EUR/month
• Students staying alone: 500 EUR/month
• Students staying in residence halls: 365 EUR/month

Residence Hall accommodation is served on a first come first served basis by the university. Only 28% of the total number of students admitted to a Swedish university is granted a place in residence halls. A European study done on the availability of residence halls in Swedish Universities revealed that 71% of students are satisfied with the living conditions of the halls. Also, 60% of the international students are happy with the facilities provided in these halls. This recent study portrays good housing conditions and a healthy lifestyle promoted by Swedish Universities.

Coming to food, you can expect your food expense to be around 200 Euros per month. Depending upon your cuisine preference and eating habits, this number may vary. However, you can always fall upon Willy’s, Lidl, or supermarkets in city suburbs for an economical meal. Dining out might cost you 8-10 Euros while a three-course meal in a fancy restaurant can cost you 45-65 Euros. An outing with friends and colleagues for a drink would lighten your pocket by 6 Euro.

Students in Sweden prefer travelling in public transport as it only costs 40-55 Euros per month. One can also buy a bicycle that would cost 110 Euros to get them to places if in hurry. After including books, research material, social activities and other study expenses, your monthly expense would pan out as 240-250 Euros per month.

International students, outside of the EU/EEA zone, need to get health insurance for the complete duration of their stay if they plan to stay more than a year. Usually, any health insurance starts as low as 30 Euros per month. Also, you would need to register yourself with the Swedish Tax Agency. If you are planning to stay less than a year, you need to check university policies regarding health insurance coverage.

Work Options During and Post Study in Sweden

It is always advisable to start working alongside your studies as there is no official limit to the number of work hours. You can start working part-time as long as it does not hamper your 40-hour study hours. You will find most universities provide the opportunity to work part-time in Sweden through their career and placement services. Universities hold career fairs and special events in collaboration with companies seeking employees so that the students can start their careers early. Some major fairs you can keep an eye out for job opportunities are Uniaden at Umeå University, EEE-days at Lund University, Handelsdagarna at the Stockholm School of Economics, and CHARM at Chalmers in Gothenburg.

With well-established companies like Ericsson, IKEA, Volvo, and H&M, there are numerous internship opportunities for those seeking a strong foundation in the field of business. For internship inquiries, you can also contact international student organisations such as AIESEC and IAESTE. Students can also submit their complete profile and CV on websites like Academic Work and Student Consulting for job-seeking. Joining trade union confederations like SACO, TCO and LO might also be in job-related matters, right from creating an attractive CV and advice on salary negotiations to workplace matters.

While a good grasp of English is a prerequisite to applying for study in Sweden, you can always learn Swedish as an extra language. If not working part-time, you can invest your free time in learning Swedish as it would provide you with an edge over other non-Swedish-speaking candidates while applying for jobs. Students planning to extend their stay need to apply for an extension of the residence permit for six months and post receiving a job offer, they should apply for a work permit.

To know more about MBA and other courses in Sweden, get in touch with our Study Abroad experts.