https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Sweden in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Anna Metreveli, a Russian PhD student in sociolinguistics, had her application to switch to a new residence permit rejected on the grounds that she did not leave Sweden to reapply, which has left her education and her son's right to specialised education and healthcare in the country up in the air. https://www.thelocal.se/20260420/phd-student-refused-swedish-permit-and-told-to-apply-from-abroad-despite-sons-disability Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:28:36 +0200 phd-student-refused-swedish-permit-and-told-to-apply-from-abroad-despite-sons-disability The Centre for Justice has taken on Indian researcher Fahima Ayub Khan's migration court case, which her lawyer describes as "part of a much broader system failure" in Sweden. https://www.thelocal.se/20260409/we-are-not-bonded-labourers-university-researcher-fights-swedish-deportation-order Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:29:53 +0200 we-are-not-bonded-labourers-university-researcher-fights-swedish-deportation-order Applications for Sweden's university autumn semester open on March 16th, and did you know that tuition-free degrees and shorter courses are available to a lot of foreign residents in the country, too? https://www.thelocal.se/20210415/who-can-study-for-free-in-sweden Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:17:48 +0200 who-can-study-for-free-in-sweden Thinking of taking a university course in your spare time in Sweden? Applications for the autumn semester close on April 15th. Here's everything you need to know to get started with your application. https://www.thelocal.se/20200928/how-do-i-apply-to-university-in-sweden-heres-what-you-need-to-know Mon, 28 Sep 2020 16:20:13 +0200 how-do-i-apply-to-university-in-sweden-heres-what-you-need-to-know Six out of ten foreign doctoral students stay in Sweden at least three years after graduating, but they struggle to compete with their Swedish peers on the job market. https://www.thelocal.se/20260303/six-in-ten-foreign-doctoral-students-still-in-sweden-three-years-after-graduating Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:02:20 +0100 six-in-ten-foreign-doctoral-students-still-in-sweden-three-years-after-graduating Losing your work permit doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no chance you can stay in Sweden. But what other permits are there, and how do you qualify? https://www.thelocal.se/20240930/how-can-i-stay-in-sweden-if-i-lose-my-job Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:36:46 +0200 how-can-i-stay-in-sweden-if-i-lose-my-job Whether you are a student looking for a place to study or someone who works remotely and is looking for a new atmosphere, Stockholm caters to a diverse range of preferences and needs. https://www.thelocal.se/20240221/ten-easy-access-cafes-and-libraries-to-study-or-work-from-in-stockholm Wed, 21 Feb 2024 11:29:55 +0100 ten-easy-access-cafes-and-libraries-to-study-or-work-from-in-stockholm Sweden's government has said it intends to push forward with a long-delayed plan to bring in better residency permit rules for foreign researchers and PhD students, with a bill scheduled to be published in March. https://www.thelocal.se/20260112/sweden-plans-to-publish-bill-easing-rules-for-researchers-and-phds-in-march Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:42:56 +0100 sweden-plans-to-publish-bill-easing-rules-for-researchers-and-phds-in-march Sweden's Migration Agency from the start of this month is aiming to process all complete residence permit applications from researchers and PhD students within 30 days. We spoke to Maral Pichgah Larsson, unit chief at the Migration Agency, about what the new pledge entails. https://www.thelocal.se/20251006/qa-how-swedish-migration-agencys-30-day-pledge-for-researchers-will-work Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:48:11 +0200 qa-how-swedish-migration-agencys-30-day-pledge-for-researchers-will-work The university term kicked off recently for many students in Sweden, and you may be wondering how formal Swedish universities are if you've never attended one before. https://www.thelocal.se/20230821/reader-question-how-formal-are-swedish-universities Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:45:57 +0200 reader-question-how-formal-are-swedish-universities The Local guides you through Sweden's ancient universities' top academic traditions all foreign students need to know about. Each university has its own unique traditions, but these are some of the most common ones. https://www.thelocal.se/20150902/seven-bizarre-swedish-academic-traditions Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:00:00 +0200 seven-bizarre-swedish-academic-traditions The vice-chancellors of four of Sweden's largest universities are warning that Europe could end up 'a scientific backwater' unless it deepens its collaboration with China. https://www.thelocal.se/20250625/swedish-universities-call-for-increased-collaboration-with-china Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:00:50 +0200 swedish-universities-call-for-increased-collaboration-with-china Sweden's streets are filled with jubilant high school students. Why are they there, and what are they doing? The Local looks at the background behind this tradition. https://www.thelocal.se/20070607/7532 Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:17:00 +0200 7532 Sweden’s university union SULF has lashed out at the government’s “exploitative revolving door” migration policy, and is calling for reform. What exactly do they want the government to change? https://www.thelocal.se/20250519/interview-misleading-to-say-sweden-welcomes-international-talent Mon, 19 May 2025 15:16:39 +0200 interview-misleading-to-say-sweden-welcomes-international-talent Sweden has launched a number of initiatives in recent months aimed at foreign researchers, but what do researchers themselves think Sweden should be doing to make the country a more attractive choice for academics? https://www.thelocal.se/20250506/five-things-sweden-should-do-to-attract-foreign-researchers Tue, 06 May 2025 16:20:26 +0200 five-things-sweden-should-do-to-attract-foreign-researchers In a new report, the Swedish Association of University Teachers and Researchers (SULF) has slammed the government’s “exploitative revolving door” migration policy, arguing that it harms international researchers and denies them stability in the country. https://www.thelocal.se/20250512/swedens-university-union-slams-exploitative-migration-policy Mon, 12 May 2025 15:55:49 +0200 swedens-university-union-slams-exploitative-migration-policy As part of a long-term plan to attract researchers based outside of Europe to Sweden, the government has tasked the Swedish Research Council with making information about support available to researchers more accessible. https://www.thelocal.se/20250505/swedish-government-launches-new-plan-to-attract-foreign-researchers Mon, 05 May 2025 11:37:41 +0200 swedish-government-launches-new-plan-to-attract-foreign-researchers Richard Mason, originally from Wales, moved to Sweden in 2020 for a postdoctoral position at Umeå University. The Local spoke to him about his research and his experience of life in northern Sweden as an international academic. https://www.thelocal.se/20250424/my-swedish-career-try-to-understand-how-the-swedish-system-works Thu, 24 Apr 2025 13:57:11 +0200 my-swedish-career-try-to-understand-how-the-swedish-system-works US President Donald Trump has targeted businesses and academia since he was sworn in for a second term, cracking down on diversity programmes and effectively banning some types of research. Now, Sweden hopes to attract the American talent Trump is pushing away. https://www.thelocal.se/20250417/never-waste-a-good-crisis-how-sweden-wants-to-attract-us-talent-fleeing-trump Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:25:30 +0200 never-waste-a-good-crisis-how-sweden-wants-to-attract-us-talent-fleeing-trump The government has appointed an inquiry to look into whether legislative changes are needed to strengthen academic freedom – a topic which has grabbed headlines after the Trump government's attempts to crack down on diversity and inclusion initiatives at universities. https://www.thelocal.se/20250425/sweden-launches-inquiry-to-safeguard-academic-freedom-at-universities Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:58:52 +0200 sweden-launches-inquiry-to-safeguard-academic-freedom-at-universities