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1. Free or cheaper
If you are Swedish, an EU citizen, or have a specific visa, it will most likely be free. Even if you do not meet these requirements then the fees are still cheaper than the U.S. In particular for undergraduate and Master’s courses.
However, if you are eligible for free education, be wary of student loans as many new graduates have high debt-to-income ratios. Especially those that study in expensive cities like Stockholm. Many students I know use student loans to pay for expenses, including housing and food. However, their interest rates are negligible in comparison to those in the U.S.
2. Depending on the degree you may earn an income
If you decide to pursue a Ph.D. then you are considered both a student and am employee. So, you earn a monthly income, approximately 4 years worth. It does depend on which city you decide to study in, the less popular cities give students a higher income. If you decide to study in Stockholm, you will get a smaller income than your counterparts, but you will live in the capital city.
3. You may be eligible for permanent residence after graduation
This is available for doctoral students mainly. After you live and study in Sweden for 4 years out of the last 7 years, you are eligible for permanent residency. This is useful for non EU citizens who want a path to remain in Europe legally. You can read more here.
This is one of the benefits that Sweden gives to international students students to encourage them to stay.
4.Unicorn Factory
Sweden is one of the world’s leading ‘start-up’ countries. These includes Spotify, H&M, IKEA, and so many more! Many Swedish companies also have benefits for those that are wanting to create a start-up, mainly it is an unpaid leave of absence. The benefit is that if it takes longer than 6 months to get it off the ground, then the individual can return to their former position.
5. The language
It is Swedish, however, many Swedes speak a near-native English which means that those who speak English can easily communicate with them. It helps that the movies are not dubbed into Swedish, which is why the speak at a near-native level. Unfortunately, it does make learning Swedish difficult because generally if they see you struggling then they will likely switch to English.
Despite this, learning the language is important to understanding Swedish culture and to create a social circle.
6. Access to universal healthcare
If you are an EU/EAA , Nordic or Swiss citizen then all you need is European Health Insurance Card. If you are not, you are eligible for same healthcare benefits of Swedish citizens, as long as you are studying longer than 1 year. You will just need to register yourself at the tax office, once you have your visa in place. Fortunately, most programs are longer than a year, so you should be fine.
You do have to pay a co-pay when you visit a doctor, this is approximately 100 SEK, however once you have reached approximately 1000 SEK in copays, then a large portion of your healthcare is free after that. This does not include everything though, mainly just doctor visits.