Kalmar is a city in the southeast of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities. Kalmar is the third-largest urban area in the province and cultural region of Småland.
Housing
Linnaeus University has campuses in both Växjö and Kalmar. Where you live often depends on what city your programme/course is offered in.
In Kalmar, Linnaeus University has an agreement with Kalmarhem covering a few student accommodations situated in various locations around the city. These are dorm rooms with access to a bathroom. The prices range between 3,500 and 4,500 SEK per month. If you are offered to house by Kalmarhem, you will pay your rent monthly.
You are not allowed to share these rooms with anyone else. If you plan to live with your spouse or children you must find accommodation on your own.
Please note that there is no guarantee that you will be provided with accommodation so you should not count on the university’s housing assistance. Therefore, you should sign up on different housing companies’ websites as soon as possible to start collecting queue points. Students who will be provided with accommodation through the university may only stay in housing for the first semester of their studies at Linnaeus University. After that, you must find housing on your own.
The Linnaeus Union website tells you how to search for housing on your own. You can find it here.
As a new student, you can apply for housing if you fulfil the following criteria:
- You are admitted to on-campus studies
- You have paid your tuition fees in time
- You have not previously lived in housing provided by the university.
Kalmarhem is a non-profit housing company owned by Kalmar municipality.
Before you can register with Kalmarhem, you must have received your Notification of Selection Results. You can then register to start collecting points in its queue system, you get one (1) point per day. The one who has been in the queue the longest has the most points and the greatest chance of getting an offer for the accommodation they have applied for.
International students who wish to apply for student housing at Kalmarhem must be admitted to at least 30 credits at Linnaeus University based at Kalmar Campus, Växjö or distance.
Kalmarhem’s student accommodations are almost always unfurnished. If there is no information about the furniture you can assume that the accommodation is unfurnished. If it says it is furnished the room will have a bed, a bookshelf, and a desk. Keep in mind that you can only live alone in student accommodation with shared spaces.
Student accommodation with 10-month rent (”period of payment: 10 månaders students”) is rental free between 16 June-15 Aug. This means that the basic rent is reduced to half the amount of your June and August invoices and completely reduced on the July invoice. Of course, your agreement runs on until further notice, until you choose to terminate it.
Internet and any individual measurement of household electricity and/or hot water will be charged as usual on the rent invoice even during the summer. It is only the basic rent that is reduced during this period.
For payment by credit card, it is recommended by Forex Bank. Bank details for making payment from a foreign bank:
- IBAN: SE52 95000099603403768264
- BIC/ SWIFT: NDEASESS
Account holder: Kalmarhem AB
Bank name: Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Sverige
Always write your name (if it’s possible) and OCR number on the payment. Also, please note that you need to pay in SEK, not in EUR/USD.
Transportation
You can travel to Kalmar by car, bus, train, air, or boat.
With a bicycle, you can easily get around the whole of Kalmar. As a student at Linnaeus University, you also have the opportunity to borrow a Kalmar City bike for free! Kalmar City bike is a yellow bike with its own Instagram account @kalmarcitybike.
Kalmar, Bus terminal is located about 441 m from the town centre, which is only a 6-minute walk.
At Kalmar, bus station you can find a toilet, luggage storage, kiosk, coffee bar (The Pantry Kalmar), fast food (The Pantry Kalmar) and parking lot. Near Kalmar, coach station you can find: ATM (285 m), exchange office (285 m), hotels or hostels (254 m – Frimurarehotellet) and mall or supermarket (498 m – Baronen Köpcenter).
In case you want to continue your travel you have the following transport services available near Kalmar, bus station: central train station (Kalmar C) and public bus stop.
Bus services on Öland are run by KLT as Rural Bus that goes on schedule and definite lines. Furthermore, KLT runs commuter traffic on Öland with predetermined routes but where you have to call in advance and order the trip. See KLT for further info on routes and timetables.
KLT’s lines are all cashless.
Shopping
Kalmar offers everything from well-known chain stores to small, cosy shops. Stroll around on Kvarnholmen – the attractive city centre where you sense the pulse of history – or make an excursion to some of the city’s shopping centres.
You can visit the following trade areas in Kalmar:
Life in Kalmar
In Kalmar, the university is city-integrated and most students live close to the city centre. Regardless of where you live, you have the university, the Baltic Sea, and the city centre within biking distance. Our students in Kalmar live in apartments, dorms or collective housing.
The city of Kalmar is located on the coast, something Linnaeus University recently took advantage of by building new university buildings right by the harbour. As the harbour is located in the city centre, students can go about their daily business downtown and fill the city with the buzz of activity. Kalmar has roughly 65,000 inhabitants and a long history dating back to the Middle Ages – which will not go unnoticed as the majestic Kalmar Castle lies just a few hundred meters from campus. The city has been voted Sweden’s summer city more than once, perhaps thanks to the many days of sunshine, the beaches dotted around town, and the events and concerts.
Wherever you go in Kalmar, you can feel the echoes of history. Many of the old buildings host charming shops, restaurants and pubs. For example, you can buy coffee at “Gerdas” in one of Sweden’s oldest retail premises built-in 1667. You can also visit Westholms glass studio at “Västerport” – Kalmar’s old gateway through the city walls.
All year round, events and activities take place around the city. Listen to a free concert at the city square, become a knight at the Kalmar Castle, see all the participants in the IRONMAN competition or visit the art museum in the beautiful city park. In Kalmar, there’s always something going on!
Here, you can always sense the nearness to the sea. Take a swim at “Kattrumpan” – a beach located right at the end of the main shopping street. Behind Kalmar Castle, you will find the newest and largest beach “Kalmarsundsbadet” with a 150-meter long bridge.
You can combine several interests in one holiday. Close to Kalmar, you’ll also find the beautiful island Öland and the Kingdom of Crystal.
Freemovers at Linnaeus University, Sweden – This group, managed by Linnaeus Union (Linnékåren), is for free movers (a student who has applied to LNU on her/his own). Also, international PhDs are welcome. The group provides information, contacts and help – from the Student Coordinator as well as new and old free movers, and local students.
Linnékåren Kalmar is a welcoming student union with strong roots among the students, at the university and in the surrounding community. We take the initiative and are a strong voice to create the best study time for our students.
