My Exchange at Stockholm University
Going on exchange was my first time being away from family and living on my own, so it was quite challenging at the beginning. While it was hard since the sun went down at 3pm and the culture was not anything I was used to, it was relatively easy to make friends with the people in my classes. However, making friends with Swedes was a bit harder, but if you are willing to talk to them first, they are usually nice and easy to talk to thereafter! The accommodation had all the basics and management was easy to contact and responded relatively quickly.
Classes were a lot smaller than what I was used to, but this combined with several group assignments created a nice bonding experience with the people in the class! One thing I wish we did have was more structure or support – I was the only one from New Zealand and many of the other exchange students were from elsewhere around Europe, therefore had organizations like Erasmus or other friends who had come on exchange with them to help make the transition and adjustment a lot easier. However, there were quite a few orientation/welcome events, so by going to some of those I was able to make some friends and start forming some connections!
Cost of living is relatively similar to Auckland as long as you don’t go out to eat for every meal (it’s hard to find anywhere under $25), but in Swedish culture, it is more common to buy groceries and make meals at home, with people associating those who buy frozen and instant foods being more likely to be students.
The city itself is quite nice and layout is more similar to Auckland, with a busier city center but a more spread out suburb area. Parks and green space are very integrated throughout the city, so you never find yourself far from a nice outdoor space to relax or run/walk through. Swedish culture also promotes equality and safety, so seeing a primary kid on a bus by themselves is completely normal, with many parents taking their kids and strollers with them on their daily errands. You definitely do not need a car to get around as public transport is pretty reliable and easy to navigate – definitely something I miss even now haha.
There is quite a variety of food and cuisines available, however you may need to search a bit to find one that is truly “authentic” or the best quality. Sweden is relatively well connected to the rest of Europe, which makes travel easier, however it is quite far up north, so there are some limitations when it comes to travel, especially to other countries via train or bus.
Overall, I would say it was a really rewarding experience, but definitely had quite a few highs and lows. Be prepared to be quite influenced by the seasons (as seasonal depression is definitely a thing), but also be blown away by the nature in this world. It’s a unique opportunity that I’ve been grateful to have and have no regrets about and the friends you make are sure to be some of the ones you’ll have for a lifetime.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
One of my classes had a 2-week field experiment where we got to go to one of the local research areas and run experiments on some different animals. I got to bond with my classmates and professors/supervisors while also getting hands on experience with ideas that could be translated to a real-world situation.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Definitely don’t miss out on the chance to go up north and see the northern lights! (as well as dog/reindeer sledding, learning about Sami culture, ice domes, etc.) It’s definitely a bit pricey, and requires quite a bit of planning and research, but well worth the money and time to see one of the coolest natural phenomena in the world!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Get Wise or Revolut – cash is very rarely used in Sweden and getting a bank account is quite hard if you’re staying less than 6 months
- If you know your travel plans, book them in advance, especially trains – I found that flights were often more expensive than flights, but if booked threeish+ months in advance, trains are a lot cheaper
- Definitely bring warm clothes! – winter is quite long and intense! When I landed it was -15 degrees and the last snow of the year was in the first week of May
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I spent a total of around $12.5k (including scholarship from 360). However, I didn’t eat out a lot and was quite strict on budgeting. I allocated around $100 per week on groceries and $100 for any other fun activities, which allowed me to stay on budget and have a little left over! One of the biggest lessons I learned was to get Wise or Revolut – since they use a local currency (SEK – Swedish krona) and cash is very rarely used, I used my New Zealand Visa card for the first half of my exchange, however, I found that there was quite a high exchange rate which added up quite fast. With Wise, I was able to directly convert from NZD to SEK and didn’t have to worry as much about exchange rate.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
I think the biggest lesson learned would be to expect the unexpected. Travelling to a new place will always come with many things and situations that are unexpected. Mistakes are costly, so you need to definitely be ready to spend more than you budgeted/expected. However, often times it is also mistakes and the unexpected that make the most lasting memories. Therefore, you have to be flexible and not get too stressed if things don’t go the way you planned, and trust that everything will work out. People are also generally pretty nice, so definitely don’t feel scared to ask someone for help!
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I went to northern Norway during the Easter holiday and got to see the northern lights! It was truly magical, and combined with other activities (dog sledding, fjord cruise), it was an experience I’ll never forget. Definitely well worth the time and money and as we live so far away from the Arctic Circle, it was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I would highly encourage anyone going to Scandinavia to take the opportunity to go up north! A lot of it depends on the conditions and weather, so do your research to see when will be a good time to try to catch the lights!
Final Comments
Sweden is definitely a hard place to feel integrated in/make local friends, but it’s definitely worthwhile. The culture is unique and nothing like the rest of the world, and the history and architecture that surrounds you everyday is truly mesmerizing. Take your time to plan, but also remember that life is an adventure and will throw the unexpected at you! Find your people and you’ll be able to experience so many fun activities (there’s also a whole lot of museums that you can explore). The semesters don’t really have a lot of break, but if you plan ahead, you should be able to do and see so many cool things!