Due to the corona epidemic, teaching at the country's universities and colleges has been conducted at a distance since the beginning of March to reduce the spread of infection.

For foreign students who want to continue studying in Sweden this fall, this can cause problems.

"They have been in a situation that no one could have expected, because of the pandemic," says Daniel Grynfarb, head of the Migration Law Unit at the Migration Board.

One of the requirements for granting a residence permit is physical attendance at the teaching.

- In normal cases, we require full-time study on campus. We have now made an assessment that under current circumstances, it is sufficient that a large part of the studies are on campus, says Daniel Grynfarb.

Different assessments

This applies during the current pandemic and only if other conditions are also met; Acceptable results before, insurance, valid passport, secure supply and so on.

So far, different educational institutions are making different assessments of how they will be able to conduct teaching during the next academic year.

- It can not guarantee anything, but they simply have to tell us what assessment they make. Then we understand that reality can change, says Daniel Grynfarb.

- But some higher education institutions may already see that it will only be distance education and that is the case, while others make a plan and change some things - you may have smaller groups and other things that make you think you can conducting teaching on campus.

The number of students applying for an extension of a residence permit has decreased this year. So far, there are just under 1,900 applications compared to just over 2,100 corresponding period last year.

Fewer want to come

Regarding the number of new foreign students who want to come to Sweden, there is an even clearer decline: 1,800 applications so far this year, compared with almost 4,700 in the corresponding period last year.

- For them we make the same assessment in terms of distance / not distance. The big difference for this group is the entry ban that applies in Sweden right now. As long as it prevails you cannot enter even if you get a residence permit, says Daniel Grynfarb.

The entry ban has been decided by the government and currently applies until June 15.