Can I get student aid from CSN in Sweden?
Yes — you can get student aid (studiemedel) from CSN if you study and meet the conditions. It consists of a grant, which you never repay, and a loan, which you do. For 2026 the grant is 1,030 kr per week and the loan 2,368 kr per week for full-time study — together 3,398 kr a week. You may earn up to the free amount, about 114,676 kr per calendar half-year, before the aid starts to be reduced. The trap: if you choose to take only the grant, the week is still counted off your total weeks of aid. You can get the grant up to and including the year you turn 60, and the loan right tapers from 51. The loan is repaid at 2.135% interest in 2026, normally over a maximum of 25 years.
📋 The rules
- Student aid = grant + loan (the grant is not repaid)
- Grant 2026: 1,030 kr/week; loan 2,368 kr/week (full-time)
- Free amount 2026: about 114,676 kr per calendar half-year
- Grant up to and including the year you turn 60
- The loan is repaid at 2.135% interest 2026, max 25 years
🔓 Exceptions
- You can take only the grant or borrow less, but the week still counts
- Full sickness benefit or establishment benefit can block the aid
- Unpaid repayment claims can stop new student aid
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Student aid is tax-free, so no tax bill is waiting. But false information leads to a repayment claim — earn more than the free amount of about 114,676 kr per half-year without saying so, and the excess becomes a debt back to CSN. On suspected benefit fraud, CSN is obliged to file a police report; it is not a judgement the agency makes case by case. And unpaid repayment claims can stop new student aid, which is the consequence that does the most damage: an old debt can block you from studying further.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How much student aid can I get?
In 2026 the grant is 1,030 kr per week and the loan 2,368 kr per week for full-time study, together 3,398 kr. The grant you never repay, while the loan is repaid later with interest.
How much can I earn on the side?
Up to the free amount, about 114,676 kr per calendar half-year, before the aid starts to be reduced. Earn more without reporting it and the excess becomes a repayment claim from CSN.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. You can get the grant up to and including the year you turn 60, while the loan right already tapers from 51. The older you are, the less of the aid can therefore consist of loan.
Must I take the loan?
No, you can choose to take only the grant or to borrow less. But the week is counted off your total weeks of student aid anyway, so declining the loan saves you no weeks — only money you will not have to repay.
What interest does the student loan have?
For 2026 the rate is 2.135%, and the loan is normally repaid over a maximum of 25 years. The grant part carries no interest at all, since it is never repaid, so only the 2,368 kr weekly loan ever costs you anything.
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