New PhD students 2026

Congratulations on your admission to SSE! We look forward to welcoming you to the School very soon. Below, you will find all the practical information you need to prepare for your studies.

  • Before the start of your studies

    Admission letter

    The admission letter you have received confirms your admission as a PhD student at SSE.

    If you require a residence permit to study in Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency may ask for the official protocol confirming the admission decision. This is a standard procedure, and SSE will send the protocol directly to the Swedish Migration Agency. Please contact Conrad Bakka if you receive such a request.


    Immigration

    Depending on your citizenship, you may need a residence permit to study in Sweden. Please refer to the Swedish Migration Agency website for information relevant to your situation.

    If you require a residence permit, it must be granted before your arrival in Sweden. To ensure that you receive your decision in time for the start of the program, it is very important that you submit your application as soon as possible.

    As a PhD student, you may be granted a residence permit for up to four years at a time, depending on the validity period of your passport. If your passport expires within four years, we strongly recommend renewing it before applying for your residence permit so that you can receive the full permit period.

    As part of the residence permit process, you will need to be photographed and fingerprinted. Depending on your country of residence, you may either visit a Swedish embassy before traveling to Sweden or complete the process at a Swedish Migration Agency office after arrival. As appointments may be difficult to secure, we strongly recommend starting the visa process immediately.

    The certificate of admission and certificate of studies provided by SSE serve as proof of your admission to the PhD program and contain the information required for your residence permit application.

    Please also note that student residence permits may begin as early as August 1, regardless of the official program start date. Arriving earlier can provide additional time to settle into life in Stockholm.

    In some cases, the Swedish Migration Agency may ask you to provide the official protocol confirming the admission decision. Although this document is automatically sent by SSE, it may occasionally arrive after your application has been submitted. If you receive such a request, please contact Conrad Bakka.


    Accompanying partner and children

    Spouses, registered partners, and children accompanying a PhD student to Sweden may apply for residence permits based on the PhD student’s permit.

    To simplify the process, it is important that all family members apply at the same time. The same recommendation applies to applications for Swedish personal identity numbers.

    Housing

    SSE has a small housing office that offers rooms and apartments to some international students. Please review the available options on the housing page.

    Before contacting the housing office, please check with your department, as housing arrangements may already have been made on your behalf.


    Insurance

    It is important that you purchase travel insurance covering your journey to Sweden and ensure that you and any accompanying family members have valid health insurance during the initial weeks in Stockholm before receiving a Swedish personal identity number.

    Students from EU/EEA countries should bring a European Health Insurance Card from their home country or documentation proving comprehensive private health insurance coverage.


    Swedish personal identity number

    A Swedish personal identity number (“personnummer”) is essential for many aspects of daily life in Sweden and should be prioritized after arrival.

    It is not possible to apply for a Swedish personal identity number before arriving in Sweden. Please note that you must apply as a student, not as an employee.

    Non-EU citizens may complete the online application immediately after arriving in Sweden. EU citizens must wait until they receive their enrollment letter during the introduction day on August 24, 2026.

    The Swedish Tax Agency regularly offers free webinars about moving to Sweden. Additional information and short informational videos are available on the Swedish Tax Agency website.

    Financing

    All admitted PhD students receive a scholarship from SSE during the first two years of the program and are guaranteed continued funding throughout the PhD studies, conditional upon satisfactory academic performance.

    Please note that scholarship payments follow Swedish payroll procedures and are paid at the end of each month. The first payment from SSE will therefore be made on September 25, 2026.

  • Introduction days

    We are welcoming all our newly admitted PhD students at SSE with a full day of activities on August 24, 2026. The introduction day is mandatory for all students and it is officially your first day at SSE, so please mark your calendar already now. Depending on which program you have been admitted to, you will also receive an invitation to introduction activities for your specialization. 

    Academic calendar:

    Academic Calendar 2025 / 2026

  • Verify completion of your Master's degree

    If your Master's degree is not from SSE

    If you have not already submitted them as part of your application, please send a copy of your official Master diploma and transcript of records by email to phd.admissions@hhs.se as soon as possible.

    If you have not yet completed your degree, you must submit your final official Master transcript together with a certificate from your home university confirming that all Master degree requirements have been completed by August 24, 2026.

    Once your diploma has been issued, please also send a copy of your official Master diploma and transcript of records as soon as they become available.

    For MSc students or graduates from SSE (except students enrolled in the MSc-PhD Parallel Enrollment Track)

    You must have completed all MSc courses required for the degree before the start of the PhD program. Your eligibility will be verified by SSE before registration.

  • Let’s stay in touch

    Moving to a new country - or simply starting at a new School - can feel like a big transition, and we are here to support you throughout the process.

    For general questions about SSE, including registration, immigration, student life, the introduction day on August 24, 2026, and other practical matters, please feel free to contact Conrad Bakka.

    For questions related specifically to your PhD program, such as courses, introduction activities within your specialization, or department-specific matters, please contact:

  • Checklist
    • Accept your offer of admission and obtain your acceptance letter.
    • Check whether you require a visa to study in Sweden and, if applicable, submit your application as soon as possible.
    • If you are an international student, please check with your department regarding housing arrangements before contacting the housing office.
    • Make sure you have valid health insurance covering your first weeks in Sweden before you are registered in the Swedish system.
    • Plan your arrival so that you are at SSE on August 24, 2026, when you will be officially enrolled as a PhD student.
    • Once in Sweden, apply for a Swedish personal identity number.
    • Apply for a Swedish national identity card.
    • Open a bank account in Sweden.
  • Would you like to learn Swedish?

    Although all programs at SSE are taught entirely in English - and English is widely spoken throughout Sweden - many international students choose to learn some Swedish to feel more connected to everyday life in Stockholm and Swedish society.

    The Swedish Institute offers a range of helpful resources, language tools, and study tips for students who would like to begin learning Swedish before arriving in Sweden or continue improving their skills during their studies.


    SSE also offers Swedish language courses at different levels for students who would like to learn the language while studying at the School.

    Even a basic understanding of Swedish can make it easier to navigate daily life, meet new people, and gain additional insights into Swedish culture and society. 

    In addition, feel free to check out the following Swedish courses as well: 

Guide

Download the Guide for International Students

Click the button below to download our guide for international students and learn more about moving to Sweden.

The guide covers the following topics:

  • Immigration and visas
  • Tuition fee payments
  • Housing, packing and insurance
  • Swedish personal identity numbers
  • Safety and security
  • Banking
  • Healthcare in Sweden
  • Swedish cultural norms
  • Shopping, sports and recreational activities
Download the guide