universityadmissions.se: How Sweden's National Application Portal and Meritvärde Work
By Muntasir • Published Jun 16, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Education Planning, Study in Europe, Admissions & Applications
universityadmissions.se is Sweden's single portal for international bachelor's and master's applications. You rank up to four programs, get ranked yourself by meritvärde (a converted merit score), and go through two selection rounds before enrollment.
📩 One account, one document set, up to four ranked program choices.
⏱️ Main application period for autumn intake runs mid-October to January 15.
🎓 Meritvärde converts your foreign grades into a comparable Swedish merit score.
Two selection rounds: first results, then a second round based on how you replied.
One portal for the whole country
Almost every Swedish university runs its international bachelor's and master's admissions through a single national system, universityadmissions.se. You register once, upload one set of documents, and rank up to four programs in order of preference, rather than filing separate applications at each university.
Application periods
For autumn-semester programs taught in English, the application period for international applicants runs from mid-October to January 15 (universityadmissions.se ). A smaller intake for spring-semester programs opens June 1 with a deadline of August 15. Late applications are only accepted for programs with spots remaining after the main rounds close.
Meritvärde: how you get ranked
Once your application closes, universityadmissions.se converts your foreign secondary or university qualification into meritvärde, a merit score comparable across applicants with different national grading systems. Bachelor's applicants are assessed on this converted score together with whether they meet the specific subject prerequisites for each program. Master's applicants are ranked mainly on academic background and program-specific requirements rather than a single merit number.
The two-round process
| Round | What happens |
|---|---|
| First selection | You receive a Notification of Selection Results: admitted, reserve (waitlisted), or not admitted for each of your four choices |
| Reply | You confirm which offers or reserve spots you want to keep before the deadline |
| Second selection | Based on how applicants replied, some reserve-list candidates move up to admitted |
| Final reply | You confirm your final place, tuition fee payment (if applicable) follows |
Landing on a reserve list rather than getting a direct offer does not end your chances. You can still be admitted later if higher-ranked applicants decline their places. Reserve status sometimes carries conditions too, such as an outstanding document or a first tuition installment still due (universityadmissions.se ).
Fee-paying vs EU/EEA applicants
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens pay no application or tuition fees and follow the same portal and process as everyone else. Non-EU/EEA applicants pay a one-time application fee when they submit their account, plus tuition fees per semester if admitted, unless a scholarship covers them.
Documents you upload once
You upload one set of supporting documents to your universityadmissions.se account rather than sending separate files to each of your four program choices. Typical requirements include certified copies of your diplomas and transcripts, proof of English proficiency (IELTS or TOEFL for most English-taught programs), and, for some master's programs, a CV, personal letter, or letters of recommendation uploaded directly against the specific program's requirements.
Programmes vs single courses
universityadmissions.se also lists individual courses, not only full degree programmes. If you want a full bachelor's or master's qualification, apply to a programme rather than mixing in standalone courses, since programmes guarantee your place across consecutive semesters while single courses only admit you one term at a time.
After you accept your place
Once you confirm your final offer, your university's international office sends instructions for the next steps: residence permit applications for non-EU/EEA students, health insurance, and housing. Many Swedish universities run their own student housing queues separate from universityadmissions.se, so register for housing as soon as you accept your offer, some cities have long waiting lists.
Scholarships run through a separate process
Tuition-fee scholarships, including university-specific waivers and government-funded options such as the Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals, are not part of the universityadmissions.se application itself. You still need an admission notice from universityadmissions.se first, then apply for funding separately through the scholarship's own deadline and portal.
Why your program order matters
List your four choices in the order you actually prefer them, not in order of how competitive you think they are. If you rank a less-preferred program first, the system prioritizes admitting you there over a more-preferred program you could have also gotten into, so an inaccurate ranking can cost you your real first choice.
Practical steps
Rank your four program choices honestly, in the order you actually want them. Ranking affects which offer you receive if more than one comes through.
Upload certified translations of your qualifications where a program requests them, incomplete documents delay your meritvärde conversion.
Reply to every notification by its deadline, even to keep a reserve spot. Missing a reply deadline removes you from that round.
Check individual program pages for entry requirements beyond the general merit score, some master's programs set their own selection criteria.