Refunding of tuition fee

In certain situations, you may be eligible for a partial or full refund of your tuition fee.
Refunds are only made to the same bank account from which the payment was originally made.

Before you apply

  • You can withdraw from a course or programme without financial consequences before paying the tuition fee
  • Refunds are normally only granted for courses or programmes you have not registered for

When can I get a refund?

You may be eligible for a refund if you are unable to start or continue your studies due to special circumstances, for example:

  • you are not granted a residence permit in Sweden
  • your residence permit is revoked
  • you do not meet the conditions for a conditional admission
  • you have been granted a deferral of studies
  • you have been granted leave from studies
  • you are admitted to another Swedish higher education institution
  • you are unable to study due to medical reasons
  • you are required to complete mandatory military service in your home country
  • the course or programme is cancelled by the university
  • your tuition fee status changes (for example, you become exempt after payment)

Each case is assessed individually.

When refunds are not granted

You are not eligible for a refund if:

  • you have registered for your studies.
  • you are suspended or expelled from your studies
  • your admission is revoked due to incorrect information
  • you fail your courses
  • you complete your studies faster than the nominal study pace

How to apply for a refund

You must submit an application and provide supporting documents.

Your application should include:

  1. a signed letter explaining the reasons for your refund request
  2. proof of payment of the tuition fee
  3. your bank account details (account number, IBAN, SWIFT, and bank address)
    • the account must be the same as the one used for the payment
  4. a copy of your passport
  5. any supporting documents (for example, a decision from the Swedish Migration Agency)

Send your application by email to:admission@kau.se 

or by mail to: Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden

Administrative fee

If a refund is granted, Karlstad University will deduct an administrative fee:

  • SEK 5,000 for studies corresponding to 30 ECTS credits or more
  • a proportional amount for smaller courses

No refund is made if the remaining amount is less than SEK 1,000 after the deduction.

No administrative fee is charged if the course or programme is cancelled by the university

Payment of refunds

  • Refunds are only made to the original bank account
  • No interest is paid
  • You are responsible for any bank charges

Important to know

Karlstad University complies with international regulations, including anti-money laundering legislation. This may affect how and where refunds can be processed.

Submitting a refund application means you are declining your offered place and you will not get a residence permit based on studies at Karlstad University.

Normally, the refund decision will be made within 30 days of applying. Further handling time by the banks may apply, depending on which country the money is sent to. Bank transfers can take a long time, up to 4 months.

Change of tuition fee status

When a decision is made regarding fee status, it applies to courses that begin on or after the decision date.