Finding accommodation is also hard for people studying in Sweden. Unlike in many countries the universities do not have an obligation to provide accommodation to students. Even if you are an Erasmus or another kind of exchange student, you will not be guaranteed accommodation. It might be a good idea to add your name to a University hall waiting list even before you are officially accepted to the University you are applying for.
This shortage of student accommodation is even worse in major student towns, such as Lund and Uppsala. The number of students often exceeds the number of rooms offered by the universities and university colleges.
If you are not able or do not want to find a place in student accommodation, you can try to find a place on your own. Renting is not easy in Sweden and you will probably need to sub-let an apartment. Shared flats are a good solution.
Help does exist. Student unions and associations can be found on the campus of the major universities and will help you with landlord listings. Many specialised websites exist:
- The Swedish Student Accommodation Association provides useful help, through their website.
- If you are studying in Stockholm, you can try the student’s own housing company website, which is also available in English .
- A good site for general information visas and other foreign students’ reviews and tips about studying in Sweden is study in sweden .
Another good option is to ask your fellow students about housing. They might know someone looking for a flatmate, or an old landlord to contact. If you are going on an exchange, ask the previous generation of exchange students from your university to give you tips.