According to figures from Swedish Council for Higher Education, Sweden is becoming popular as a study nation since the number of students admitted to Swedish institutions who had not previously been educated in the nation has increased for the 2021 academic year. According to statistics, the number of accepted students who had never been schooled in Sweden grew from 27,746 last year to 28,666 in 2021.
The growth was fueled by an increase in masters students, who totaled 26,563 this academic year, up from 25,647 the previous year. In 2020, 2,289 bachelor’s degree candidates were admitted, up from 2,276 in 2020.
Enrolment figures and the number of real students who came in the nation to study in 2020 are still unavailable.
According to the most recent official data, 39,600 new students studied courses in Swedish universities in 2019/20, with 13,100 being exchange students and 26,500 being so-called “freemover-students” who enrol in courses outside of organised student mobility programs.
8,800 of the 26,500 freemovers paid their annual student fees, an increase of about 800 from the previous year. 73 percent of the freemovers were from Asia, including about 2,000 from India.
When asked why the numbers had risen, Douglas Washburn, senior marketing manager at Study in Sweden, stated, “Sweden is just becoming more recognised as a study destination.”
“Students like studying and living in Sweden, but it takes time for a country to establish itself as a study destination and for students and alumni to spread the word.
While the number of students admitted is encouraging, it is unknown how many of those admitted will really enrol. However, starting the 2021/22 academic year, Swedish authorities have eliminated the need to attend on-campus classes, which was previously necessary to acquire a residency visa for studies, he noted.