Impact of Tuition Fees on International Student Mobility in Sweden: A Decade of Reflection

Per A. Nilsson and Lars Westin Umeå University, Sweden

Abstract

In 2009, the Swedish parliament introduced tuition for students outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. In 2011, the first fee-paying students arrived. Before the decision was made, industrial leaders, students, and representatives of higher education institutions had debated and questioned the decision. In this chapter, we reflect on the intervention of the introduction of tuition for postsecondary education in Sweden within a European context. What were the experiences, impacts and development of student mobility 10 years after tuition was introduced? Did tuition turn out to be a serious mistake, or are the objectives fulfilled with the reform? A direct consequence was a decrease of 80%t in the number of students in Sweden from outside the EEA and Switzerland. However, today, the number of students from outside Europe has increased, but the mix of students from different countries has changed. The analytical research of the chapter holds significance for policy making that affects entry points to education.

Keywords: Tuition Fees, Fee-Paying Students, Sweden, Student Mobility, Post-Secondary Education, International Students, Higher Education Institutions, European Context, Entry Points

How to cite this chapter: Nilsson, P. A., & Westin, L. (2024). Impact of tuition fees on international student mobility in Sweden: A decade of reflection. In J. Luan, L. Habte, D. L. Di Maria, & K. Bista (Eds.), Entry points to US education: Accessing the next wave of growth (pp. 266-283). Star Scholars Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/4r0sfm57