Sweden: High costs deter foreign students

Living costs and new tuition fees in Sweden are keeping foreign students away, writes University World News.

One in three of those accepted into universities did not take up the places because living costs are too high, according to a government survey on the impact of tuition fees on international students in Sweden. Sweden recently introduced fees for non-EEA (European Economic Area) students.

Only 29 per cent of the 4,600 fee-eligible students accepted for a study place actually registered, compared to 79 per cent of Swedish students.

Lund takes most non-European students

Rector of Stockholm University Kåre Bremer, calls for grants to help make Sweden more price-attractive again on his blog.

»What is now needed are more grants that do not only cover tuition fees but also living costs, or at least some of the living costs,« he says.

Some 31 out of 37 higher education institutions accepted non-EEA students this year, the highest number being at Copenhagen’s Swedish neighbour Lund University (213) followed by Chalmers Technological University (134), Royal Technological University-KTH (119) and Uppsala University (115).

miy@adm.ku.dk

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