The student population in Sweden is 460,000, of which 8% are international. There are just over twice as many students from outside Europe than from within it studying in Sweden. Students from China and Pakistan rank highest in the proportions of the international students studying in Sweden.

In 2011, application and tuition fees were introduced in Sweden for international students from outside the EU and EEA, which led to a notable decline in the number of applicants to international courses and programmes. These average around £8,500, second only to the United Kingdom.

Although universities in Sweden cannot administer or arrange accommodation for Swedish and international students by law, they do provide accommodation for exchange students and students that are residents of countries outside the EU/EEA.

Several different student housing companies operate in Sweden, Akademiska Föreningen (AF) Bostäder being one of the largest. Blocks of accommodation are common and most rooms are rented as part of 2-3 room student apartments with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Sweden has the lowest proportion of students living with parents (12%) and the highest proportion living in student halls (31%) according to Eurostudent.

There is a shortage of both student and other housing in Stockholm while students in the small town of Lund often live into the surrounding areas.

Students in Stockholm commonly sign up to the housing organisation Stiftelsen Stockholms Studentbostäder (SSSB) who act as intermediaries between students seeking accommodation and landlords providing housing.

It is common for students to be in the queue for accommodation through this system for a semester before finding a room.

The rental market in Sweden is highly regulated, with controls on rents. Across the Swedish cities monitored here, weekly rents average €81. There is a limited range of prices between cities. The provision of accommodation is higher than even the UK, at 23%.

High living costs and a high share of universities in the Times Top 400 attracting non-EU students may make the country appealing to private operators.

Taken from
Spotlight: European Student Housing