Medicine Schools and Programs in Sweden

Medicine Studies in Sweden

In Sweden, medicine is studied in a single six-year programme, the Läkarprogrammet, which leads straight to the medical degree. Since autumn 2021 the programme has covered 360 credits over 12 semesters, and graduates can apply directly for a licence to practise. Teaching is in Swedish. SpainExchange lists two Swedish universities that teach medicine: Uppsala University (Uppsala universitet), founded in 1477, and Lund University (Lunds universitet), founded in 1666.

How the medical degree is organised

The Läkarprogrammet leads to the läkarexamen, which Uppsala University translates as Master of Science in Medicine. It is a professional qualification that starts at bachelor's level and finishes at advanced level: at Uppsala, semesters 1 to 6 are first-cycle courses and semesters 7 to 12 second-cycle courses. Swedish higher education credits follow ECTS, with 30 credits per semester and 60 per academic year. The academic year runs from late August to early June.

The two universities organise the six years differently, which is one reason why changing university during the programme is difficult:

• Uppsala University divides the programme into three stages of four semesters: basic sciences and clinical skills, then disease and diagnosis, then longer clinical placements. Students are placed at a primary care centre in Region Uppsala from the first semester.
• Lund University uses problem-based learning (PBL) in groups as its main teaching method. Semesters 1 to 3 are mainly in Lund, later semesters in Lund, Malmö or Helsingborg and at other hospitals in southern Sweden, and semester 10 is a degree project.

Licence and specialist training

Since autumn 2021 the medical degree qualifies graduates directly for a licence (legitimation) from the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen). Doctor is a protected title in Sweden: to work as a doctor you need a Swedish licence. After the licence comes the basic service (bastjänstgöring, BT), introduced in 2021 as the first step of specialist training (ST). Students who began the older programme before autumn 2021 still complete at least 18 months of internship (allmäntjänstgöring, AT) before they can apply for a licence. Uppsala University counts more than 70 medical specialties, among them general practice, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry and obstetrics and gynaecology.

Admission and language

Places on the medical programme are allocated through the national admissions system. Applicants need general entry requirements plus upper secondary Biology 2, Physics 2, Chemistry 2 and Mathematics 4 (or equivalents). At Uppsala, 66% of places are allocated on school grades and 34% on results in the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (högskoleprovet). For the autumn 2026 intake at Uppsala the application deadline was 15 April 2026; for spring 2027 it is 15 October 2026.

The programme is taught in Swedish. Much of the course literature is in English, but Uppsala University stresses that good Swedish is essential for talking to patients. International applicants therefore need a high level of Swedish before they apply. Lund University's Faculty of Medicine also offers master's programmes taught in English in Biomedicine and Public Health; these are not medical degrees and do not lead to a licence.

Fees, residence permit and living costs

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland do not pay tuition fees. Other students generally pay an application fee and tuition fees. Applying through the national portal costs SEK 900, however many programmes you choose. At Uppsala University, the full medical programme costs SEK 1,710,000 in tuition fees for fee-paying students, with a first instalment of SEK 142,500.

Students from outside the EU/EEA need a residence permit from the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). You count as finally admitted only once the first tuition fee is paid, and you must show that you can support yourself. Under rules in force since 11 June 2026, students must complete 37.5 credits in the first year to have their permit extended. Study in Sweden, the official portal, estimates living costs at around SEK 10,656 per month.

Careers

Licensed doctors work in hospitals, primary care, private clinics, occupational health services, research laboratories, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies. Because the läkarexamen is an advanced-level degree, graduates can also go on to doctoral studies. Doctors trained outside the EU/EEA follow a separate route to a Swedish licence; Lund University's Faculty of Medicine runs supplementary training for this group.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study medicine in Sweden?

The medical programme lasts six years (12 semesters, 360 credits). Since 2021 the degree leads directly to a licence, followed by basic service (BT) and specialist training.

Can I study medicine in Sweden in English?

No. The medical programmes at Uppsala and Lund are taught in Swedish, and good Swedish is needed to work with patients. Some related master's programmes, such as Biomedicine and Public Health at Lund, are taught in English.

How much does the medical programme cost for non-EU students?

At Uppsala University the total tuition fee for the programme is SEK 1,710,000. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens do not pay tuition fees.

Which universities teach medicine in Sweden?

SpainExchange lists Uppsala University and Lund University. Both offer the six-year Läkarprogrammet.