Student cities in Sweden
Do you want to be a student in Sweden? How to make the right choice when choosing the city where to study?
Almost all students in Sweden are faced with a dilemma when it comes to the important decision of choosing where to continue their education. When we get to the point where we will arrange the universities according to your wishes, we offer to review together the places where the higher education institutions are located and to make the best possible choice for yourself. The options need to be well thought out, as this will be where you will spend the next few years of your life. It is important that it fits as much of your priorities as possible.
Which is better for the student in Sweden – a smaller or a larger city? Maybe something in the middle? And why not the capital Stockholm? This is not an easy solution, but we at Danbul Study will help you choose!
Many students and their parents, considering higher education in Sweden, immediately and only focus on Stockholm and the universities there. As the capital and largest city in Sweden, this is probably the most logical choice. But is Stockholm really the right choice? The answer to this question is strictly individual and we will try to give you the information you need to make the right decision for your future. We must mention that worldwide some of the most prestigious universities are located in much smaller cities – Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard (if we take the example of the UK and the USA). This is by no means accidental, as it gives the students a greater opportunity to concentrate on their education.
1. Rent is significantly cheaper in smaller cities.
You need to plan an amount of 250-350 euros per month, and this amount can be significantly less if you play your cards correctly and submit documents for student dormitories earlier than everyone else. In contrast, a price of 500 euros per month is quite normal for Stockholm. We have dedicated a whole page to the accommodation in Sweden.
2. Accommodation process.
The larger the city, the greater the demand for accommodation, both from foreign students in Sweden, Swedish and locals. When you do not live in Sweden, getting your first accommodation is a slightly more complicated process. The bigger the city, the higher the possibility of being scammed if you do not follow the necessary recommendations!
3. Costs – the bigger the city, the more expensive the life is.
This applies to the prices in the shops, as well as to any services you may want to use – hairdressers, beauty studios, mechanics, repair shops, locksmiths, etc. As students in Sweden, this may really burden your budget, especially in the beginning, when you have not found your part-time job yet, which will be enough for you to support yourself further on.
4. Distances – a huge advantage of the smaller towns is that almost everything is 15 minutes by bike from you, in the worst case.
This automatically excludes your public transport costs, which you must add in the other case! We should also mention the inconvenience of Stockholm with the huge distances that often prevent students from seeing each other – lack of time and money… It can take more than an hour to get to the center from some districts of the capital.
5. United community – this is probably the most important factor to adapt as a newly arrived student in Sweden.
Every new beginning is difficult and finding good friends to spend time with is irreplaceable. The smaller cities offer the opportunity for international students in Sweden to feel part of a large family. This is quite difficult to achieve in the capital. On the weekends, you will have fewer places to relax, which means you will almost always find one of your friends (or a whole group) wherever you go. If you want to have a party, be sure that you will not be left alone! Do not think that you will be bored – in every city there are enough student organizations and activities that will fill your time quite quickly, as long as you really want it.
6. Student work – where and what are our chances?
Of course, the bigger cites have their advantages and the biggest of them is the significantly larger number of businesses, which means more jobs. Finding a job in Stockholm is much easier than it is anywhere else in Sweden. Of course, remember that over 90% of the international students in Sweden work, regardless of the city in which they are located.
7. Opportunity for professional development
Many international companies, where the English is the main language, are based in the capital – also called the “Second Silicon Valley” after the one in the United States. Stockholm is the Mecca of technological development, innovation and world-renowned multimilliondollar companies. After completing their education, many students move to Stockholm to start working in their sphere. If the big city is not for you and you prefer the tranquility and compactness of the small town, you may need to consider starting to learn Swedish while studying.
Let’s take a look at some of the cities that most international students in Sweden go to.
Stockholm – The Green Capital of Europe
As the capital of the country, it is the largest city in terms of population and number of universities in Sweden. Most students here study at the four major universities: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm School of Economics. The city itself is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges. Stockholm combines a traditional attitude towards nature with modern building design and the high-tech progress of the 21st century! With 750 years of history and a rich cultural life, Stockholm offers everything for everyone – a wide selection of world-class museums and many attractions. It is the most international city in Sweden – half of the population in Stockholm are foreigners.
Lund – “The oldest city in Sweden”
If you want to enjoy the proximity to nature without having to comply with the claims of the big city, just take the train to Lund. The small and very cozy town of Lund in Sweden offers peace and quietness, access to many museums, cathedrals and other historical sites. This is one of the greenest cities in the country, so it is no coincidence that its name translates as “a small forest”. Here is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, The University of Lund, which attracts many international students to Sweden.
Malmö – “Sweden’s most charming city”
It is the third largest city in Sweden. Here is the tallest building in Scandinavia, home to many beautiful parks, remarkable modern museums and superb cuisine. It is also only 30 minutes from Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. The two cities are connected by the famous Oresund Bridge, which turns into an underwater tunnel. Malmö is also the most multicultural metropolis in Sweden. More than 160 nationalities call this city their home. You will enjoy unique nightlife, street stalls offering valuables from around the world, kebab stands, Italian coffee culture and hipster parks for skateboarding. All students in Sweden love this place. Malmö University, with over 26,000 students is the university that will be the reason to start your student adventure in Sweden.
Gothenburg City – “Particle from the Netherlands in Sweden”
When you first come to study in Gothenburg, you may think you have caught the wrong plane for another city! Like Amsterdam – the capital of the Netherlands, Gothenburg is a city of canals – partly because of its origins as a Dutch colony! The city is the second largest in Sweden and offers many opportunities for development! It has attracted people from all over Europe, which makes the atmosphere in the city quite international and different. Here you will have the opportunity to experience hundreds of different cultures! The students in Sweden go to the University of Gothenburg, the third oldest university in the country and one of the largest in all of Scandinavia. If you enjoy adrenaline rides, then you should know that the unique amusement park Liseberg is also situated here.
Uppsala – “Home of the oldest university”
The fourth largest city, just a few minutes by train from the capital, is of interest to the vast majority of students in Sweden. They are attracted to the oldest institution of higher education in the country, the University of Uppsala, which is in the Top 100 of the best universities in the world, preserving centuries of high academic traditions. This city is also home to the oldest cathedral in Sweden. Here you can also find many botanical gardens and natural parks. Beautiful eco-trails, extreme cycling tracks and canoeing opportunities make students’ stay in Sweden truly unforgettable.
Blog
Blog post 1 EN
test