Sweden isn’t the first country most African applicants think of, but it’s worth a serious look: a large number of English-taught master’s programs, genuinely funded scholarship options for non-EU students, and a tuition structure that’s transparent even if it isn’t free.
Figures reflect general published guidance as of August 2026 and vary by university and program — confirm current tuition and scholarship amounts directly on your target university’s admissions page before applying.
Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students
Sweden charges non-EU/EEA students tuition (EU/EEA and Swiss citizens study tuition-free), and the amount depends heavily on your field: humanities, social sciences, and law programs tend to sit toward the lower end, business and economics programs in the middle, and engineering, science, design, and architecture programs toward the higher end. Ranges vary widely by university, so treat any single figure as a starting estimate and confirm the exact amount for your specific program.
Living costs
Stockholm is the most expensive city to live in, with Lund, Uppsala, and Linköping and other smaller university cities running noticeably cheaper, mainly because of lower accommodation costs. Rent is consistently the largest line item in a Swedish student budget regardless of city, so factor housing availability and cost into where you apply, not just program quality.
Scholarships that actually cover the gap
The Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) is the flagship option for non-EU students — it’s designed for students from a defined list of low- and middle-income countries (several African countries are typically included, though the list is reviewed periodically) and, for competitive applicants, covers full tuition plus a living allowance, insurance, and travel. Beyond SISGP, individual Swedish universities also offer their own full or partial tuition waivers tied directly to the admission process, with application windows commonly falling in January or February — meaning your scholarship application and your program application often need to happen together, not as two separate steps.
Why Sweden is worth comparing against your other options
Sweden combines a large catalog of English-taught master’s programs with a genuinely high quality of life and strong English proficiency across the population, which matters for day-to-day life outside the classroom. It’s not a “cheap” destination in living costs, but between SISGP and university tuition waivers, a well-prepared non-EU applicant has real funded pathways that don’t exist in every European destination.
Planning the rest of your application
Once you’ve shortlisted Swedish programs, see Sweden Student Residence Permit: Complete Guide for African Applicants for the immigration side, and Proof of Funds: What Counts Across Different Countries for how Sweden’s financial requirement compares to other destinations you might be weighing it against.