English

The Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN) is the government agency that manages Swedish student finance, i.e. grants and loans for studies. We also manage driving licence loans and repayment of home equipment loans. You can find out more about the various finance options here. The information in English is of a general nature.

Information in English and other languages

We provide information about our various forms of grants and loans in different languages. Quite a lot of information has been translated into English. The most important information has been translated into other languages, such as Arabic, Spanish, etc.

Student finance – grants and loans for studies

There are various kinds of student finance, depending on what you are studying and how old you are. Here are the most common ones:

Study allowance – grant for those studying at upper secondary school and aged 20 or younger

If you are studying at upper secondary school you can obtain a study allowance up to and including the spring term in which you reach the age of 20. The study allowance consists of different grants, for example student grant and supplementary allowance. The supplementary allowance is a grant that you can apply for if your family has a low income.

Study allowance for studies in Sweden

Study allowance for studies outside Sweden

Student grants and loans

Student funding consists of grants and student loans. You can apply for student grants and loans as of the autumn term in which you reach the age of 20. If you are to study at a post-secondary course, for example at university, you can apply for student grants and loans even if you are below the age of 20. You must repay the student loan.

Student grants and loans for studies in Sweden

Student grants and loans for studies outside Sweden

Repay student loan

Education entry grant – grant for those who are unemployed

The education entry grant is for those who have been unemployed for a long time and need to pursue a compulsory school or upper secondary school course in order to get a job. This is a grant that you can receive for a maximum of 50 weeks if you are studying full time.

Education entry grant

Student finance for transition and retraining

Student finance for transition and retraining is aimed at adults who have already entered the labour market. The student finance allows you to study and broaden your skills to improve your employability, either by further developing your expertise within your chosen field, or by starting down a new path.

Student finance for transition and retraining consists of a grant of up 80 per cent of your salary, up to a maximum amount, and a loan that you can use to top up your income, if you are looking to do to. It is available for 44 weeks or longer, should you choose to study part-time.

Student finance for transition and retraining

The right to Swedish student finance for foreign citizens who want to study in or outside of Sweden

The qualifications you need to fulfil in order to have the right to Swedish student finance depend on if you are planning to study in Sweden or abroad, and what citizenship you have.

The right to Swedish student finance - for foreign citizens who want to study in or outside of Sweden

Repaying student loans

Those who have studied with student loans from CSN start repaying their debt when they put their studies on hold or complete the studies for which they have received student financial aid. This applies even if you are unemployed, receiving parental benefit or moving abroad. Here you will find information on how to repay your loan and what you can do if you are having difficulties repaying.

Repaying student loans

Home equipment loans – for refugees

The Swedish parliament has decided to terminate the option to apply for home equipment loans, effective 1 January 2022.

If you have already been granted a home equipment loan, you are to continue making repayments on your loan as normal. You start to repay the loan two years after receiving the first payment.

Repaying home equipment loans

Driving licence loan

From January 1 2024 you will not be able to apply for a driving licence loan. The Swedish Parliament has decided that it will no longer be possible to apply for a loan from this date.

If you already have a driving licence loan, there will be no change. If you have a valid loan, it applies up to and including the due date stated on the decision you received most recently from CSN.

If you have started repaying your driving licence loan you must continue to do so until the debt is fully paid. If you haven't started repaying yet, the same rules still apply to your repayment. Here you will find information on how to repay the driving licence loan.

Driving licence loan

New arrivals in Sweden - refugee

If you are a refugee or guardian for an unaccompanied minor you find more information under New arrivals in Sweden. The information is available in many languages.

New arrivals in Sweden

Children – information for persons under the age of 18

The United Nations (UN) have rules about the rights of children. The rules are known as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. From 1 January 2020 your rights as a child in Sweden are even more protected. Since then the UN convention is a Swedish law, the Rights of the Child Act.

Read more about your rights as a child with CSN

About cookies and processing of personal data

When you visit csn.se, cookies will be stored on your computer.

Cookies

If you are applying for student finance, a home equipment loan or a driving licence loan from CSN, you must provide certain personal information.

Processing of personal data

Information about CSN for foreign schools

Here you can find information about CSN and the financial study support.

Information for foreign schools

Official statistics on student financing

Sweden’s Official Statistics contains data that are essential for describing Sweden. Official statistics contribute to the development of our society by being objective and relevant. CSN has been assigned by the Government to be responsible for official statistics describing student financing.

Official statistics om student financing

Contact us

The information on the English web sites is only of a general nature. If you wish to know more, please contact us at CSN.

Contact us at CSN

Updated: 2024-01-01
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