How long: a doctorate is 240 credits, i.e. about 4 years (in practice 4.2 years on average in 2019); a licentiate of at least 120 credits takes about 2 years.
Your status: doctoral positions are employment with a salary and full social security. Doctoral education is free of tuition fees.
How to get in: a master's degree, or 240 credits with at least 60 at master's level. Universities admit candidates themselves, usually to advertised positions.
Where to look: doctoral positions and calls are published on the websites of universities and their doctoral schools and on EURAXESS. Programmes in Sweden in our database: Sweden – 352 doctoral programmes (as of November 2026) »
Sources: Eurydice – national description of third-cycle (PhD) programmes (updated 27 November 2023). As of October 2026.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.
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