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Two Cheapest and Safest Ways of Getting Accommodation in Stockholm

Before you move to Sweden, of course, you need to find somewhere to live. Housing in Stockholm usually brings up the big question, especially among those who plan to relocate to Sweden. This is partly because housing in Sweden is entirely different from so many other countries. Here, you need to join a queue and the longer you are in the queue, the higher your chances of getting a nice place. How about prospective students or people outside Sweden? What is the fastest, cheapest and safest means? I will go straight to the point and share two cheapest and safest ways for students based on my personal experience.

Tall buildings

Photo by: Amaraizu Genius

Written by Amaraizu Genius

University Accommodation

Without mincing words, as a prospective student who is yet to arrive Sweden, the university accommodation is the easiest, safest and surest means of getting accommodation. This is partly because the university prioritizes its students, and majorly international free-mover students who have little or no knowledge of how exactly Sweden works. Södertörn University in fact ensures that all international students that applied for accommodation with the institution are offered a place according to their identified choices. In the housing portal with the university, you will see it written boldly: “Note that we guarantee housing for individual fee-paying Master’s students and some non-European exchange students who apply before the deadline.” Also, in most cases, it is hard to find any cheaper and safer option than the university, especially from outside Sweden. In Stockholm, the demand for housing is high, like any other big city in the world. There are many benefits of settling with the university accommodation system; you do not need to be worried about fraud, or about not getting a place, or even about loving the place you paid for. Södertörn University has many options for International students: you can go for a single room, a shared or double room and also there are two choice locations – Björnkulla and Flemingsberg Centre. While Flemingsberg is just almost at the university compound, about 5 minutes walk away, Björnkulla is close by at about 15 minutes walk to the university (and of course, you can decide to use a bus or a bicycle).

Learn more about Södertörn University Housing and how to apply.

Orange and green buildings

Credits: Cecilia Larsson Lantz/Imagebank.sweden.se

Stockholms Student Bostäder (SSSB)

When translated to English, this simple means Stockholm’s student housing. This company provides exclusively to students accommodation in the whole of Stockholm. Here is how they introduce themselves: “The students' housing company since 1958 – Stockholm’s student housing was founded by students who wanted to do something about the housing shortage in Stockholm. Today we are the largest in student housing in Sweden and we continue to build more housing - because we want to make room for even more students!” They provide accommodation to all students who are registered members of student unions that are affiliated to SSCO (Stockholm Student Union Central Organization). Gladly, the student union of Södertörn University, SöderS, is SSCO-affiliated. First step is to become a registered member of SöderS External link, opens in new window. (https://en.soders.nu/membership External link, opens in new window.), then register yourself with SSSB. Unlike the university housing, you need to join a queue with SSSB and each day you spend as a registered member of SSSB adds up to 1 queue day. When you see an accommodation you love, you can book it, and anyone who booked it too with the highest queue days gets the offer. So, the higher your days, the higher your chances of getting your dream offer. Also, unlike other queue platforms in Stockholm, you do not need a personal number or be in Sweden to be able to have an account and join the queue with SSSB. You have a 90-day window to remain in the queue without your personal number, which is an identity/social security code you receive from Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) when you finally arrive Sweden. And least I forget, it is free to join the queue.

Start here by creating an account with SSSB External link, opens in new window. (https://sssb.se/ External link, opens in new window.)

When it comes to accommodation in Stockholm, there are many options; although so is the demand for housing. Let me reiterate that the above two ways are from personal experience, which means that you can still find cheap accommodation in other platforms like relevant Facebook groups and websites like Blocket (www.blocket.se External link, opens in new window.) or even queue platforms that may not specifically be for students.

Picture of the author Amaraizu Genius

Amaraizu Genius is an International Student Ambassador at Södertörn University.

Feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/amaraizugenius External link, opens in new window.

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Page updated

31-05-2021