Lund University, founded in 1666, is one of Scandinavia’s oldest and largest universities, based in the historic university town of Lund in southern Sweden, with campuses in Helsingborg and Malmö too. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 71st in the world and the highest-ranked university in Sweden. It’s known for medicine, the life sciences, physics, engineering, economics and development studies.
Lund offers a few bachelor’s programmes and many master’s programmes in English, and applications for autumn 2027 are already open. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Lund University’s own guidance and official Swedish government information.
1. Find a programme taught in English
Most of Lund’s bachelor’s programmes are taught in Swedish, but several are taught in English, including International Business and Development Studies, and some science programmes such as Mathematics and Physics. Most of Lund’s master’s programmes are taught in English. Each programme page shows the language, entry requirements and fees.
2. Apply through University Admissions in Sweden
You apply to Lund University, and to other Swedish universities, through the national website Universityadmissions.se, where you can rank several programmes in one application. For autumn 2027, the international round opens on 16 October 2026 and closes on 15 January 2027, and you must upload your documents and pay the SEK 900 application fee by 1 February 2027. Results are announced in April. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland should apply in this first round, because the second round doesn’t leave enough time for a residence permit. University Admissions: application fee.
3. Meet the general and specific entry requirements
For a bachelor’s programme, you need to have completed upper secondary school, meet the English requirement and, in most cases, have studied mathematics to at least the level of the Swedish course Mathematics 1. Most programmes also have specific requirements: International Business, for example, asks for the equivalent of Mathematics 3b or 3c and Social Studies 1b. Lund: International Business bachelor’s programme.
4. Prove your English
For most bachelor’s and master’s programmes taught in English, you need the equivalent of the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. You can meet it through your school studies in many countries, or with a test such as IELTS Academic with an overall score of 6.5 and no section below 5.5 (IELTS General Training isn’t accepted). Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests. University Admissions: English requirements.
5. Send the right documents for your country
University Admissions has country-specific instructions for the school documents you need to submit, such as certified copies of your final diploma and transcripts. Make sure your application is complete by the 1 February deadline, because incomplete applications aren’t assessed.
6. Apply for the Lund University Global Scholarship
The Global Scholarship is a merit-based award for top students from outside the EU/EEA who must pay tuition fees, and it covers part or all of the tuition fee but not living costs. It’s mainly for master’s students, but applicants to the bachelor’s programmes in Development Studies, Mathematics, Physics and Physical Geography are also eligible. Lund University Global Scholarship.
7. Understand the fees
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t pay tuition fees. Other students do: for autumn 2027, the full three-year fee is SEK 375,000 for Development Studies and SEK 390,000 for International Business, and science programmes cost more (SEK 555,000 for Sciences with a Mathematics specialisation). You pay in instalments, one semester at a time.
8. Look for housing early
Lund is a busy student town and housing can be hard to find, especially at the start of the autumn semester. Start looking for accommodation as soon as you’re offered a place, and budget for living costs in addition to your tuition.
9. Pay your first instalment, then apply for a residence permit
EU/EEA citizens don’t need a permit to study in Sweden, and Swiss citizens apply for a residence permit for Swiss citizens. If you’re from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, your offer from Lund University is only final once you’ve paid your first tuition instalment, and the Swedish Migration Agency won’t approve your residence permit for studies until Lund University confirms the payment. You must also show that you can support yourself, with at least SEK 10,656 a month if you apply in 2026, and have comprehensive health insurance if your studies last less than a year. Apply as soon as you’ve paid, because processing can take time. Swedish Migration Agency: studies at higher education.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
The rules on working changed in 2026. If your residence permit for bachelor’s or master’s studies was granted on or after 11 June 2026, you can work a maximum of 15 hours a week, and working more can lead to your permit being withdrawn. There are exceptions for work that’s part of your education, such as an internship, and once you’ve completed the equivalent of two semesters you can work more for the rest of your permit. After you graduate, you can apply for a residence permit for up to one year to look for work or start a business, but you must apply before your student permit expires. Swedish Migration Agency: look for work after your studies.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Lund?
Most Lund master’s programmes are taught in English, and you apply in the same round through University Admissions, with a bachelor’s degree that meets the programme’s subject requirements. The Global Scholarship and the Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals, which cover tuition and a living allowance of SEK 12,000 a month for selected countries, are both open to master’s applicants. PhD positions in Sweden are paid jobs, advertised by each department. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Lund’s English-taught programmes are popular, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to KTH, Uppsala University, Stockholm University and Chalmers. Our guide to studying in Sweden explains how the Swedish system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Lund University’s official programme and scholarship pages, University Admissions in Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on Lund University’s study website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Lund University.