This page is currently being worked on, if you have any questions or have suggestions on what content should be here, do not hesitate to send an email to us on webb@karservice.se.
Welcome international student!
Welcome to studentlivet.se! The entire website is available in English if you press the ”In English” button in the top-right corner, or the ”Translate” button in the bottom left. This page is however dedicated for you as an international student and we try to collect information that might be useful for you to get the most out of the student life at LiU.
What is studentlivet.se?
Studentlivet.se aims to be your information hub for everything connected to student life in Östergötland (East Sweden), except the studies themselves, for information about your studies look at LiUNet (requires a LiU-id). This website features an event calendar which gives a list of all events from student associations at LiU, the ovve-guide in which you can see all overalls at LiU (and some information about what an ovve is), a list of all associations at LiU and much much more.
Moving to Sweden and Östergötland
Are you either new to Sweden, or thinking about moving to Sweden? Welcome! Sweden is a monarchy (but the king has almost no formal power, we also have a prime minister and a democratic election every 4th year) with approximately 10 million inhabitants. The capital of Sweden is Stockholm, in a global perspective it is still very small with its 2.5 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area. It is also very close to LiU, the train from Linköping takes less than 2 hours and even less from Norrköping.
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Sweden have quite unique alcohol laws
In Sweden you can’t buy alcohol at the grocery store (or at least not over 3.5%), the only store in Sweden which sells alcohol is Systembolaget. Furthermore, Systembolaget has limited opening hours compared to grocery stores so make sure to check if it is open before you leave. Another thing to note is that if you buy any alcoholic drink in a restaurant or pub, you cannot leave the premises with your drink. This includes quick errands such as phone calls, the alcohol must stay within the premises at all times. If you are unsure where you can bring your drink, ask the bartender.
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Swedish fika
You might have heard of it before, there is something called “fika” in Sweden. It usually refers to coffee and something sweet to eat, but it can also just imply a break. Make sure to take a fika with someone, and try a cinnamon bun or chokladboll!
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Cash is not king
To pay for goods and services in Sweden you probably cannot use cash. Most larger grocery stores still accept cash, but preferably you should pay with a debit or credit card. There is also something called “Swish” in Sweden, it allows you to send money to another person (or store) instantly. It does however require a Swedish Bank account and national identity number, but if you are planning to stay for an extended period it is definitely worthwhile to get it!
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Communal traffic
Sweden has a quite well developed communal traffic system, both within cities and between cities. For travel within Östergötland, download the app “Östgötatrafiken” where you find apps. You can also pay on bus, but it is much more expensive. Furthermore, if you have the app “Mecenat” or “STUK”, and have the book on wheels icon on your student card, you can buy a discounted ticket for students. Especially in Linköping it is however very common to take the bike everywhere, you can buy bikes quite cheap second hand.
If you want to travel between campuses, use the campus bus! It is free for students, you find the schedule in the LiU-app.
For traveling between cities by train, SJ is the largest operator. They also offer a student discount, if you have a Mecenat or STUK-card with the book on wheels symbol on it.
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Weather
The weather in Sweden can be quite harsh, there is an expression that roughly translates to “There are no bad weather, only bad clothes”. Make sure that you get warm clothes if you are staying over the winter, lectures and education is not canceled because of bad weather as it might be in other countries.
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Understanding Allemansrätt: Sweden's Right of Public Access
Allemansrätt, or the Right of Public Access, is a traditional right in Sweden that allows everyone to enjoy nature. This means that you are free to roam almost anywhere in the countryside, including forests, fields, lakes, and coastal areas, regardless of land ownership. You can walk, cycle, ride, ski, and camp nearly anywhere, as long as you respect nature and the property of others.
Key Principles of Allemansrätten:
- Respect Nature and Wildlife: Avoid disturbing plants, animals, and their habitats. Don’t pick protected flowers or disturb nesting birds.
- Respect People and Property: You can pass through private land but avoid walking close to houses and gardens. Leave gates as you found them and don’t damage fences.
- Leave No Trace: Take all your trash with you. Leave nature as you found it.
- Fire Safety: Make small fires only where safe, and ensure they are fully extinguished. Follow any fire bans during dry periods.
- Camping: You can camp almost anywhere for a night or two, as long as it’s not too close to residential buildings or on farmland. For longer stays, ask the landowner for permission.
Allemansrätt promotes outdoor recreation and a connection with nature, encouraging respect and responsibility. Enjoy exploring Sweden’s beautiful landscapes responsibly!
Still have questions about Sweden? Linköping Sciencepark has created “The Insider’s Guide to Moving and Living in Sweden”, make sure to check it out here. There is also a local guide to East Sweden you can check out if you want to know more about the region.
Kombo
If you haven’t found somewhere to live yet, you can get information and support from Kombo, a part of Kårservice. At the beginning of the autmn semester Kombo has a couple of emergency-apartments where students such as you can rent a single bed (not very glamorous but much better than nothing!) for a few nights or weeks.
Regardless if you have somewhere to live or not it is worth noting that Kombo sells a packages of pillow, duvet (it can get cold!), sheets and such, which can be really nice if you’re not staying for several years and not really want to invest. If you already live in a student apartment, you may be eligible to borrow tools and games from Kombo, free of charge! Check out this page for more information.
Orbi - your gateway to all events
You may be used to trying to find events on Facebook, then having to go to another site to buy the tickets and a third place to find more information. This is not the case at LiU, we have collaborated with Orbi to simplify this experience for you.
As soon as you have received your LiU email you can download the app and register an account using your LiU-email. When you register you will need to fill out what student union you belong to, this is connected to which faculty you study at. You will also need to fill out the programme you study, and lastly if it is a bachelors or masters degree and what year. The next step is to fill in approximately what you are studying, this is used to target specific events and jobs towards what you might be interested in (but you will still be able to see all events!).
When you have completed the sign-up process, click on your profile in the top right corner. Right below your name you should se a small text that says something like “Belongs to X-sektionen”. Click that text, then klick “Linköpings Univesitet”. Now you should see a list off all associations at LiU! You already subscribe to some associations by default, such as your union, but you probably also want to check out the student union houses (Ryds Herrgård, Kårallen, Kårhuset Kollektivet in Linköping and Trappan in Norrköping), ESN and ISA. We do however encourage you to really explore the student life, almost all associations are open to everyone so don’t be afraid to reach out to them!
Orbi is also used to buy tickets to events, such as parties or sittningar (a form of dinner with entertainment) at the union houses! Remember that the tickets usually sell out in minutes, so if you want to attend a party make sure that you are ready to buy a ticket when it is released. Information about when the ticket sale begins is found in the Orbi event. This ticket is used, together with a passport or other valid ID, to get into the party.
How to find which union you belong to
To find out which faculty you study at, look up your programme or course at Studieinfo, then go to “Syllabus” and the faculty should be in the information box to the right. The unions are then divided as follows:
The student union houses
At LiU there are lots of places to meet, some of them are so-called union houses. These are owned by Kårservice, which in turn is owned by the Student Unions, and they are there to support you as a student! There are five union houses at LiU, each with a few differences. You can read more about the union houses here. Most of them are open during the days for you to study in, and in the evenings there are quite often pubs and parties to attend if you wish.
Associations at LiU
LiU is famous for the large number of associations on campus. You can find associations for knitting together, everything connected to plants, playing games together, hosting parties or job fairs, consulting towards companies, wine tasting, traveling and much much more. Almost all associations are open for everyone to apply, either if you would like to be part of the board or just become a member. There is no common rule for how to apply to an association, but a good start is to contact them! They usually have some kind of social media, and if they do you find their contact information in our association gallery.
If you have any questions or have suggestions on what content should be here, do not hesitate to send an email to us on webb@karservice.se.