SWEDEN

Contact @ NTU: Jackie Stephens (NTU Sweden Coordinator)

Living and Working Abroad Contact: Kia Kertbo (N0080604@ntu.ac.uk)

Quick Facts and Figures:

• Capital city: Stockholm (1,729,274)
• Population: 9,016,596
• Official language: Swedish
• Currency: Swedish Krona
• 1 SEK = 0.07 GB
• 1 GBP = 13.4 SEK
• GDP Per Capita: £20,000 (ca)
• Time zone: GMT +1
• Unemployment rate: 5.8%

Education
Sweden is an open, multicultural society that currently hosts some 26,000 foreign students who are
studying in Sweden; making for a vibrant, international study environment. English is widely
spoken in Sweden, therefore you shouldn’t be worrying that you won’t be able to understand or
make yourself understood! You will have a lot of opportunities to make Swedish and international
friends during your stay in Sweden. Student life is usually revolving around the students union so
its advisable to sign up with the students union of the university you are attending.

Education is highly stressed in Sweden where total public expenditure on education in 2003,
including subsidies to households, stood at 7.5% of GDP, in compared to an OECD mean of 5.5%.

Sweden’s foreign student population is growing according to a report by the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
OECD = Organization of developed nations (North America, Most of Europe, Australia, Japan)

Sweden’s National Agency for Higher Education states that an annual growth in foreign student
numbers has been around 14% for the last 8 years, based on their research.

Of Sweden’s foreign-student population enrolled in 2004:

20,254 came from Europe

4,411 came from Asia
1,441 from North America
1,026 from South America
954 from Africa
325 from Oceania
The distribution of international and foreign students by field of education shows that over one
third choose to study social sciences, business or law in Sweden (34.8 %). This is followed in
popularity by engineering, manufacturing and construction (17.9%), humanities and arts (17.6%),
sciences (12.4%) health and welfare (9.1%), education (4.8%), services (1.8%) and agriculture
(1.1%).

An assessment of non-native English speaking countries shows that Sweden is one of only four
OECD countries where “many education programmes are offered in English”.

Incoming students say the main advantages of studying in Sweden are “no tuition fees and
many courses in English. Sweden is considered safe and clean and most believe the quality of
courses to be very high here.”

Tuition fees
In Sweden, education is free of charge for everyone, including visiting students. This comes from
the fundamental belief that means should not dictate access to higher education. Every citizen
should have the possibility to study at any level desired. The Swedish government has decided to
offer this possibility also to citizens from outside Sweden and Europe. This means that the program
we offer does not charge tuition fees. However you need the means to finance your living expenses
and study material etc.
What is there to do in Sweden?
To begin with the capital city, Stockholm, is a must visit destination if you are going to be living in
Sweden for a longer duration. There are loads of youthful, trendy, creative fashion and design shops
in this beautiful and cosmopolitan city situated on the Swedish archipelago, plus a wealth of
restaurants, bars, cafés, and markets. If you are interested in film you will have a plenitude of
cinemas to choose from. There are also many beautiful parks in Stockholm to visit amongst them
being Skansen, which is also a Zoo, and Kungstradgarden. If you are looking for thrilling rides and
excitement there is Grona Lund; Sweden’s 3rd largest amusement park. If you are looking for
something more relaxing maybe you prefer to watch a play at the National Theatre. Stockholm also
has many large department stores, international brands, luxury shops, museums, galleries, and
nightclubs.

Most people go out for a drink at the weekend, and there are long queues from early on outside the
more popular places. Some nightclubs charge an entrance fee, usually ranging from £ 3.7 (SEK 50)
to £ 7.4 (SEK 100). The age limit for buying alcohol in Systembolaget (state owned liqueur stores)
is 20. If you are under 25, you will probably have to present some proof of your age when buying.
In bars and restaurants the legal drinking age is 18. Some establishments - mainly in the bigger
cities like Stockhom - may only admit people over 20 or 23. To find out where to go just ask a
fellow Swedish student or pick up a copy of your local newspaper. As a student, however, you have
an invaluable social resource in your local student union.

Outdoor activities are big in Sweden! Especially sports. Winter sports like snowmobile safaris, dog-
sledding, skiing, and snowboarding are available for you to try out. Other sports that are big in
Sweden are football, hockey, and tennis. There is plenty of nature to discover in Sweden, where you
can go hiking, trekking, or camping with your friends.

Good to know before you get there!

Driving
Sweden, like most European countries, has right-hand traffic. The legal driving age is 18 and you
are expected to have your driver's license with you when driving. A foreign driver's license is valid
for a maximum of one year. The laws on drinking and driving are very strict and such behaviour is
generally not socially accepted.

Tipping (in restaurants and taxis)

Service charge is included in the price. But it is normal practice to leave a small tip if you feel you
have been treated well.

Opening hours
Shopping hours are generally between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Shops close between 1 p.m.
and 4 p.m. on Saturdays. In larger towns, department stores remain open until 8-10 p.m. and some
are also open on Sundays between 12 noon and 4 p.m. Shops generally close early on the day
before a public holiday.

Weather
It can get quite cold in wintertime so bring warm clothes!!! If you’re lucky you might even
experience a snow storm!
Important Dates in Sweden!
Important days in the Swedish calendar:

2006 2007
New Year’s Day 1 January 1 January
The Eve of Epiphany, Twelfth Night 6 January 6 January
Valentines day 14 Februari 14 Februari
Thursday before Easter 13 April 5 April
Good Friday 14 April 6 April
Easter Saturday 15 April 7 April
Easter Sunday 16 April 8 April
Easter Monday 17 April 9 April
Walpurgis night 30 April 30 April
May Day 1 May 1 May
Ascension Day 25 May 17 May
Pentecost Saturday 27 May 26 May
Pentecost Sunday 28 May 27 May
Mothers day 28 May 27 May
Sweden’s National Day 6 June 6 June
Midsummer’s eve 23 June 22 June
Midsummer’s day 24 June 23 June
All Saint’s Day 4 November 3 November
Fathers day 12 November 11 November
Lucia 13 December 13 December
Christmas Eve 24 December 24 December
Christmas Day 25 December 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December 26 December
New Year’s Eve 31 December 31 December

Living Costs
An average monthly budget is set out below to give you some idea of the cost of living in
Sweden.

Food: SEK 2,400 - £ 178

Student accommodation: SEK 2,100 - £ 155
Local travel: SEK 500 - £ 35
Telephone: SEK 300 -£ 20
Insurance, medical care and hygiene: SEK 250 - £ 18
Clothing, hobby/leisure: SEK 600 - £ 45
Student union fee: SEK 60-70 – £ 4 or 5

Total: SEK 6,676, or about £ 456.

Below, you'll find the approx. prices of some items in (2006, 1 Pound = approx. SEK 13.4):

Milk: SEK 8/litre - £ 0.59

Bread: SEK 10-20/loaf - £0.7-1.4
Cornflakes (box): SEK 30 - £ 2.2
Margarine/Butter: SEK 20 /500g tub - £ 1.4
Cheese: SEK 50/kg - £ 3.7
Lamb: SEK 60-90/kg - £ 4.4- 6.6
Beef: SEK 70-140/kg - £ 5.2- 10.4
Pork: SEK 50-100/kg - £ 3.7- 7.4
Chicken: SEK 30-50/kg - £ 2.2- 3.7
Eggs: SEK 2 each - £ 0.14
Rice: SEK 30-35/kg - £ 2.2- 2.6
Pasta: SEK 12/kg - £ 0.9
Soda: SEK 5/33 cl - £ 0.37
Cigarettes: SEK 35.50/packet – £ 2.7
Beer: SEK 6-10/33 cl (at food shop) - £ 0.44- 0.7
Wine: SEK 55- /75 cl bottle (at Systembolaget - the Swedish alcohol retailing monopoly) - £ 4.1
Newspaper: SEK 12 - £ 0.9
Cinema: SEK 85 - £ 6.3
Theatre: SEK 50-200 - £ 3.7- 14.8

Working in Sweden
Who can work in Sweden?
If you are enrolled at a Swedish university or university college you can work in Sweden without a
work permit. You do, however, need a residence permit. Nordic, EU and EEA students need to get a
residence permit if they are staying in Sweden for longer than three months. All other nationalities
need to get a residence permit before they arrive in Sweden. Visa’s only apply to non-EU citizens
who plan to visit Sweden.

For information on obtaining a residence permit, contact your nearest embassy or consulate or the
Swedish Migration Board directly.

Employment Trends
Employment trends in Sweden are quite good. The economy and labour market has experienced
positive growth in the past few years and the unemployment rate is very low – 5.8% (2005). There
are many job opportunities in the private service sector for you as a student. Business sector
prospects are relatively good. Large multinational companies based in Sweden (which are Swedish)
are: IKEA, Ericsson, Electrolux, Hennes & Mauritz, Saab, Scandinavian Airline Sysyems (SAS),
Securitas, Tetra Pak, Volvo, Swedbank, Systembolaget. Many international companies have
regional offices in Sweden as well, like Sony, DaimlerChrysler, and Nokia. There are also many
vacancies in the tourism sector in tourist centred cities like Stockholm, Malmo and Gothenburg.
Where to search for jobs in Sweden

• Internet based self-service systems – Vacancy Bank (Platsbanken)

• General information can be found at the “Arbetsförmedlingen” (Swedish Public
Employment Service)
• European Employment Services (EURES)
• Placement Office at NTU

Internet addresses to the above are included in the useful links section at the end of this document.

Most British students will not find anything unusual about the application process for jobs in
Sweden as they are practiced in the UK as well. You can apply to jobs through written applications
or through internet based applications; which will usually require a covering letter and CV. Other
means are job interviews where usually you are expected to dress smartly; but depends on what
kind of job you are applying for. And lastly getting in touch with the employer directly can also be a
good way of initiating the application process unless the company specifies otherwise.

Very helpful links on Sweden!

The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education
http://english.hsv.se/2.7cb94a2910b5ac8d550800012246.html

Swedish Ministry of Education, Research and Culture

http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2063

Sweden’s official website for tourism and travel information

http://www.visitsweden.com/Default____34593.aspx

Colorful and informative brochures on Sweden (Download Page)

http://uk.swedeninfo.se/

Study in Sweden
http://www.studyinsweden.se/

Gateway to Sweden
http://www.sweden.se/

Swedish Embassy in London

http://www.swedenabroad.com/pages/start____20308.asp

Statistical Centre of Sweden (useful statistics)

http://www.scb.se/default____2154.asp

Stockholm Arlanda Airport

http://www.lfv.se/templates/LFV_AirportStartPage_Arlanda____36729.aspx

Express Trains to Stockholm Arlanda Airport

http://www.arlandaexpress.com/