Housing in Sweden can be an issue if you do not start to do research as soon as you are being offered by the university. There are several housing options depending on the university and city you have been offered. Luckily, Swedish universities offer you several accommodations, especially if you are from non-EU countries.
Living in university housing in the initial months makes it easy to adapt to the new environment and as some accommodations are tried to be arranged only for foreigners, it helps you to find new friends easily from around the world.
Different universities will have different rules when it comes to getting housing guarantees for incoming students. While some universities will offer a housing guarantee for all international students, others may only offer a housing guarantee for international students who do not come from the EU. Lastly, some universities may not offer a housing guarantee at all. It is important that you look up the rules of your university before sending in your applications because if you are worried about accommodation, you would be better placed at a university where your housing is guaranteed.
There are some private companies and nations that also offer housing which may be cheaper, newer and has some other benefits like deposit free housing or having a 9-month contract (which means that you can live 12 months instead of paying just for 9 months).
One more critical note is that, as soon as moving into the apartment, you need to inspect through the instructions that will be provided by the housing company. Any issue should be mentioned in the fault report and sent to the company to be free from the unnecessary payment at the end of the contract. Additionally, cleaning properly during moving out is also a must. Otherwise, you may be fined with substantial amounts that are being withdrawn from your deposit.
Finally, do not forget to check if your name has been put in your mailbox by the housing company.
Note: If you are a Swedish Institute scholarship holder, the deposit amount and the rent for the first month are being postponed after your arrival to Sweden by some university accommodations. You need to send an email and ask them about the possibility.
