These weeks will also affect the way you feel about the rest of your stay. The following information aims at making settling-in as easy and comfortable as possible.

The first step is to prepare. Before leaving your home country, it may be a good idea to study some guidebooks and read up on Sweden. You may also get ideas and tips from the international desk at your university. Set out below are a few practical points you may find worthwhile considering prior to your departure. The more prepared you are the better your stay will be.

Banks and post offices

Banks are generally open from Monday to Friday, between 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. Many branches have extended opening hours at least once a week (until 6.00 p.m. in larger cities). Banks are closed at weekends. You will normally need a national registration number, “personnummer” (See Civil Registration below), to open a bank account.

It’s a good idea to check whether your bank at home has a Swedish banking partner. Some banks may be willing to let you open an account even if you don’t have a Swedish identity card (see below). You will need to show a valid passport, a receipt for your Student Union membership fee and a letter stating that you are a visiting student.

Credit cards are widely accepted in Sweden, much more so than the rest of Europe. Commonly accepted cards are Visa, MasterCard, Eurocard and American Express. Traveler's checks can also be used.

The Swedish Post Office has recently been restructured. Mail and packets can now be picked up at a number of places, including gas stations, supermarkets and kiosks. Look for the blue and yellow sign above or by the entrance of outlets providing this service. You can also buy stamps and conduct most other errands at these outlets, many of which stay open late in the evening and on weekends.

There are also traditional post offices offering the full range of services. They are usually open between 9.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. and may have extended opening hours once or twice a week. Yellow post boxes are for national and international letters and blue for regional letters.

Civil registration

If you intend to stay for longer than a year in Sweden, you can register with the civil registration authorities at your local tax office, “Skatteverket”. You will then be given a ten-digit national registration number, or personal identity number (personnummer), based on your date of birth plus four extra digits. For example, if you were born on May 25, 1982, it might look like this: 820525-1045.

To apply, take along your passport, a letter of acceptance from your educational institution, documents from the Swedish immigration authorities and, if you are married, your marriage certificate. On registration, you will be entitled to medical benefits through the Swedish National Health Insurance System. When seeing a doctor, for instance, you will be asked for your personal identity number (see Medical insurance and medical treatment below).

If your residence permit is valid for less than 12 months, Skatteverket may issue a co-ordination number, which however does not entitle you to the above medical coverage.

When your stay in Sweden comes to an end, you should notify Skatteverket with the help of this form. One reason for doing this might be to reclaim any income tax you've paid while working in Sweden.

Currency

The Swedish krona (plural kronor), is denoted by the international currency symbol SEK. One krona contains 100 öre. Bank notes are available in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 kronor, coins in 50 öre (to be phased out by September 2010), 1, 5 and 10 kronor. All major bank and credit cards are widely accepted throughout Sweden. (1 Euro = approx. SEK 11).

Drugs and medications

Prescriptions can be filled at local pharmacies called "apotek". These are open during normal shopping hours. 24-hour service is usually available only in the major cities. If you take medication, it is a good idea to make sure that you have an adequate supply before leaving for Sweden.
Over-the-counter medicines may additionally be available at supermarkets or gas stations. 

Emergencies and SOS calls

In case of emergency, dial 112 to contact the police, fire brigade or medical services. Emergency calls made from payphones are free of charge.

ID cards

An identity card, or an ID card (legitimation), is a card on which the bearer's photo and personal number are registered. Having an ID card will help in any contact you may have with Swedish authorities. It will also make it easier for you to open a bank account. To obtain a Swedish ID card you must be registered as a resident (see civil registration, above). 

ID cards are issued by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Detailed information about how to apply for an ID card is available in this pdf brochure issued by the Swedish Tax Agency. The application fee is SEK 400.

There are also national student cards which give discounts on domestic travel by air, train and bus. More detailed information on discount offers will be sent along with these cards, which you will receive about one month after you join a student union.

Local transportation

Public transport – buses, commuter trains, trams and (in Stockholm) the underground – is available almost everywhere in Sweden and provides a convenient, fast way to get around. Passes are usually valid for unlimited travel on the local network such as the underground (T-bana), local buses and commuter trains. A monthly pass for public transport costs SEK 690 in Stockholm and often less in smaller cities.

Miscellaneous — a few practical things to keep in mind

Alcohol, Systembolaget is the government-owned wine and liqueur store. It is generally open Monday through Friday between 10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m and on Saturdays between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm. Some stores stay open longer.

The age limit for buying wine and spirits in Systembolaget is 20. If you are under 25, you will probably have to present some proof of your age when buying. In bars and restaurants the legal drinking age is 18.

Allemansrätten, or the right of common access, gives everybody the right to use private as well as public land and waterways for certain activities such as hiking, jogging or boating provided that no damage is caused to the land. You must also show consideration to other people and animals and respect the wishes of private landowners.

This means that you cannot walk or sail too close to houses and private gardens. It is also a good idea to ask the landowner if you plan on pitching a tent for more than a short period of time.

Dates are often written in the order: year, month, day. E.g. October 12, 2003 is written 2003-10-12 (or just 031012).

Driving. Sweden, like most European countries, has right-hand traffic. The legal driving age is 18 and you are expected to have your driver's license with you when driving. A foreign driver’s license is valid for a maximum of one year. The laws on drinking and driving are very strict and such behavior is generally not socially accepted.

Drug laws are very strict in Sweden. Foreign citizens in possession of any type of illegal drug may be arrested and expelled from the country. What are sometimes referred to as soft drugs, for example marijuana and hashish, are illegal in Sweden.

Electricity is standard European 220 volts and 50 cycles (Hz).

Time zone. Sweden has Central European Time (CET), GMT +1. Daylight saving time (GMT +2) applies from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October. Clock time is written according to the European system, e.g. 1 p.m. is written 13.00.

Tipping (in restaurants and taxis) — Service charge is included in the price. But it is normal practice to leave a small tip (around 10%) if you feel you have been treated well.

Opening hours

Shopping hours are generally between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Shops close between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays. In larger towns, department stores remain open until 8-10 p.m. and some are also open on Sundays between 12 noon and 4 p.m. Shops generally close early on the day before a public holiday.

Telecommunications

Most international students in Sweden choose to use Skype and mobile telephones with pay-as-you-go SIM cards from companies such as Telia, Tele2Comviq, Telenor (in Swedish only), 3 (in Swedish only) and Halebop (in Swedish only), that can be easily topped up online or at newsstands. If you don’t want to buy a mobile phone in Sweden it is often possible to use a phone from your home country with a Swedish SIM card. Make sure that the phone is not locked to your previous operator. Another option is to subscribe to an mobile phone contract, but this is rare for students and usually requires a Swedish personnummer (see Civil registration above).

Photo: Jens Randecker