Admitted students

Find your legal residence process

Most students who study abroad in Scandinavia need to obtain a visa and other documents to legally live and study here. This is called the “legal residence process,” and your process will be unique to you, depending on where you will study and where your passport is from.

Luckily, DIS is here to guide you every step of the way.

Entry visa requirements

In both Sweden and Denmark, there are regulations stating which passports can enter their borders with or without a visa.

Consult the lists below to see if you will need a visa to enter Scandinavia with your passport.

Browse through all legal
residence processes

Do you already know which visa process applies to you? Skip to your timeline below.

Copenhagen semester students
Entry visa-free

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with entry visa-free passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Copenhagen semester students
Entry visa-required

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with entry visa-required passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Copenhagen semester students
Nordic passports (non-Danish)

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with Nordic passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Copenhagen semester students
EU passports

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with EU passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Stockholm semester students
Entry visa-free

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with entry visa-free passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Stockholm semester students
Entry visa-required

Below is a general timeline of the legal residence process for students with entry visa-required passports. We will send more information with key details, dates, and guidance via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Traveling independently
outside Scandinavia

Whether you will be studying in Stockholm or Copenhagen, here are a few essential tips for your travels abroad.

Within the Schengen region

Denmark and Sweden are included in the Schengen region, a zone consisting of 29 European member countries. If you will be traveling or studying in the Schengen area for an extended amount of time before your semester starts, we strongly advise you to contact the DIS North American Office to ensure that there will be no complications with your stay in Scandinavia.

Once you have spent 90 days in the Schengen Region, you must carry both your passport and your residence permit with you when traveling outside of Denmark or Sweden. We also recommend traveling with photocopies of both your passport and Residence Permit. Store these copies separately from the originals in case of loss or theft. 

Outside of the Schengen region

If you’re planning to travel to the United Kingdom while studying abroad in Scandinavia, you will have to complete an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).  Keep this in mind if you plan on visiting the UK during your time at DIS, whether independently or with your Study Tour.