Getting settled in Uppsala

Arriving for the first time in another country is always stressful as one is not familiar with most of the things you need to go about. Here is a to do list which will help you get organised and settled in Uppsala directly after the formal registration.

  1. Housing: Thousands of new students move to Uppsala to begin their studies each year, and as a result, finding accommodation can be very challenging. We advise you to follow the University recommendations. Note that fee paying master students are offered accommodation (for a maximum of 22 months begining the month of August). We also recommend such students to apply for accommodation as soon as they have honored the tuition fee.
  2. Registration document: After having formally registered, get your registration document from Administration office at the Department of Engineering Sciences or alternatively from the Student Service Desk at Uppsala University.
  3. University access card & copy card: After having formally registered, go to the info desk at Ångstrom Laboratory, House 1, bottom floor, 20 meters after the Reception Desk to the right is a small Hall with a swedish sign "Campuskort och Nycklar".  Report to the desk that you are a newly registered student and ask for an access card. You should also be given instructions as to how to activate it.
  4. Personal number (personnummer): You have to get a personal number for you would need it for vurtially everything. You can't do without it! Go to Swedish tax office (Skatteverket) at Kungsängsgatan 43 and bring your registration document, a copy of your passport, proof of your health insurance and a self-signed document that you can support yourself during your studies. Better also bring your housing contract in order to fill in your apartment number - the more information you can provide them, the faster they will get your personal number.
  5. Bank account: Go to a bank of your choice (there is one with internet banking in English, ask at the introductory student fair) and bring your document that states your personal number, registration document, housing contract and your passport. It may be possible  to open a bank account with less documents but it totally depends on the employee, no bank seems to have a clear policy on that.
  6. Student nation card: get a temporary nation card during the introductory student fair in the main building. After having decided on a nation, take your admission paper or your registration document and your passport/ID and go to that nation during it's opening hours. 
  7. After having completed the above steps you are officially settled in Uppsala.
  8. Cost of living & work in Sweden - check out Financial matters.
  9. Getting about in Uppsala
  • The Welcome Reception during the Orientation week is a nice event to go to. You’ll get a general idea about Uppsala’s student life and the Nations –which will most certainly become part of your daily life in Uppsala. To get a prior information about the Nations, visit http://www.uu.se/en/admissions/student-life/the_student_nations/ . Membership is not compulsory  but if you don’t want to spend 70 SEK for a beer and 150 SEK for a burger in a normal pub, just pick one! It doesn’t matter which one. The membership fee is 280 SEK per semester and then you will have access to all 13 Nations (you won’t regret it in the end). 

  • Get a byke! Everyone will tell you that. So, get a bike. It is a cheap and easy way to get around. On the Erasmus fb group you can find lots of bikes on sale: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1430189223889433/?ref=ts&fref=ts or https://www.facebook.com/groups/595787030521195/?fref=ts

    If you live far away and you feel like taking the bus, or you are just not a bike person, get a monthly pass for 525 SEK (student pass). It is not cheap but a single ticket costs 30 SEK on board, so your monthly pass will save you lots of money. To get a monthly pass go to the closest ICA supermarket or to the UL Center (located at Uppsala Central Station). Always bring your ID card/Passport plus your Student/Nation card with you, in case bus inspectors ask to check your ticket. 

  • Do you need to learn Swedish? Probably not. But it would be good.

    In Sweden, municipalities organise SFI courses ( Swedish For Immigrants courses ) for free. See this: http://www.navetutbildning.uppsala.se/media/18688/engelskawebb6.pdf. Otherwise, you can take Basic Swedish courses at the Department of Scandinavian Languages – which also give you credits for. See this: http://www.nordiska.uu.se/Education/svenska/basic/?languageId=1

  • Free time. 

    There is a lot going on in Uppsala, so you won’t get bored.But, the one thing you should absolutely do when you are here is to ENJOY NATURE - Uppsala has some great nature reserves and forests close by, with cabins to stay overnight for free and bbq areas.

    The love story between Swedes and nature is known to anyone. Did you know about something called Allemansrätten? This is Sweden’s constitutionally guaranteed right of public access, which provides everyone with the right of roaming the countryside in Sweden in perfect peace and quiet without someone saying: “get off my land”, unless you stomp all over someone’s back garden or trample all over a farmer’s cultivated field. You rely on it whenever you go out in the Swedish countryside – whether it is to take a walk, go kayaking, pick mushrooms, climb a mountain or just sit down on a rock to think. Isn’t this the greatest thing ever? Don’t miss out on the wonderful outdoor experiences that you can have in Uppsala, and if you want some suggestions JUST ASK!

    IF YOU ARE NEW TO SWEDEN, CHECK THIS OUT: https://sweden.se/p5/ It’s the official site of Sweden with lots of cool stuff to read!

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