Sweden Reference Guide

Whether or not this is your first time away from your country, you are probably thinking about the different aspects of living in a new culture. Most grantees find that they must make some adjustments, since many things are new or unfamiliar. The process you will go through may be difficult, but it is also exciting and contributes to your personal enrichment and understanding of other ways of life.

Adapting to another culture may be frustrating at times, but there are people at your host university and at LASPAU who are able to help. Temporary problems should not discourage you. A growing familiarity with the new culture and with the resources available to you will greatly increase your enjoyment of your surroundings. You can read more about the process of cross-cultural adjustment by downloading this document in PDF format.

Immigration

Below, we have provided you with links to governmental websites containing general information about immigration requirements. Please pay particular attention to the material on visas. It is critical that you obtain the appropriate immigration documents for yourself and your family prior to entering Sweden. For further information on immigration regulations, please contact the Swedish embassy or consulate in your home country.

Health Care

If included in your contract, LASPAU will automatically enroll you in the Virginia Surety insurance plan once you become a LASPAU-administered grantee, unless you inform us that you have alternative coverage. The Virginia Surety insurance plan, provided at no cost to you, is only for you and does not include any of your dependents. Please click here for more information on the Virginia Surety insurance plan, as well as on how to obtain coverage for your dependents.

Education and Culture

The Svenska Institute provides a considerable amount of information for international students in Swedish, Spanish, and English. In particular, the Study in Sweden link will provide you with a higher education information and the Sweden.se link will provide you with information on the Swedish economy, government, climate, holidays, and many other aspects of living in Sweden.

Employment

If you or your dependents would like to work while in Sweden, you must be certain that both your program sponsor and the Swedish government will allow you do so:

If you work or receive grant funding in Sweden, you may be expected to pay taxes. Please consult with the international student advisor at your host institution or the appropriate Swedish government agency.


Housing and Your Mailing Address

Local newspapers, websites such as sokstudentbostad.se, swedenhomerentals.se, craislist.org, or expatriates.com, and your host university's international office can often serve as excellent resources when searching for off-campus or on-campus housing. You may also want to see the Study in Sweden website for useful tips on finding affordable housing.

Make sure your mailbox at your home, dormitory, or residence hall indicates your full name (first and all surnames).

You must register your address with the proper authorities in Sweden. The international advisor at your host institution should be able to give you further information.


The Swedish Post Office may provide a mail redirection service if you move while in your host country. This is generally done by filling out a mail redirection form. There is sometimes a small fee for the forwarding service. You may also want to visit the post office if you need to ship your belongings home at the end of your academic program.


Please note that the external websites listed above are not maintained by LASPAU, and LASPAU is not responsible for any of their contents. Please let us know if you find other online resources that might be helpful to international students in Sweden.


Last revised: July 7, 2006