FAQ: Admitted students: Education: Linköping University

FAQ – Admitted master's students

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions on studying in Linköping and Norrköping as an international master's student.

Arrival

Accommodation

Country and city facts

Arrival:

When should I arrive at Linköping University?
You should arrive in time for the Information Day. Sometimes, the start of your programme may precede the Information Day - that case, you should arrive by the start of your programme. The the registration checklist for dates; see also your faculty's page.

If you are prevented from arriving in time, be sure not to miss the last day of registration. For 2013 it is September 13th.

I will arrive in Stockholm. How do I get to Linköping/Norrköping?
On arrival at Stockholm’s International Airport, Arlanda, the easiest way to get to your destination is to take a direct train from the airport which will get you to Norrköping in about two hours; Linköping is about half an hour further. There are several direct trains every day. You can also take the airport bus (Flygbussarna) into Stockholm, which stops at the City Terminal, next to the central train/bus station, where trains and busses leave frequently throughout the day. You can also take the airport shuttle Arlanda Express into Stockholm train station (this is more expensive than the airport bus).

There are also direct buses between another Stockholm airport, Skavsta, and Linköping.

Will anyone meet me at the train station/airport when I arrive?
To welcome new students at the international master’s programmes, the university sponsors the International Student Association (ISA) pick-up service in Linköping. More information will be published later.

We encourage you to apply for a peer student who can help you by showing you around on campus, meeting you upon arrival, or picking up your key if you arrive after office hours.

In order to reach Valla Campus from Linköping’s train station "Resecentrum", you could also take bus no. 12 or 20 to the bus stop “Universitetet” or "Vallfarten". If you are going to the University Hospital Campus, take bus no. 2 to the bus stop “Universitetsjukhuset maskincentralen”.

Norrköping Campus is close to Norrköping’s train station “Resecentrum”, and you can reach it by a short walk or by taking bus no. 115 to the bus stop “Skvallertorget”. The accommodation company StudentBo can also be found on campus.

I missed Information Day and I would like to get an information folder for new students.
Please visit the international master's student coordinator.

I am a master's student but I came here through an exchange agreement between LiU and my home university. Do I have to follow the same administrative rules as the rest of the master's students?
Yes, with the exception of showing your original documents to the Admissions Office in the beginning of semester. You do not have to do that since your home university already has checked that they are valid. Please also visit our exchange service to make sure your arrival has been registered and your learning agreement is in order.

Accommodation:

How do I look for accommodation in Linköping/Norrköping?
You can read about landlords and apartments here. Please note that you should start standing in line for accommodation as early as possible. It can be difficult to find accommodation in central Linköping at the beginning of the Autumn semester but it is generally easier in the surrounding areas.

If I do not find anywhere to live in Linköping before the semester starts, what should I do?
Turn to Bostadspoolen, a student accommodation assistance, for advice and emergency housing.

Community services:

What is a Swedish personal identity number?
Non-EU students who have got a residence permit and EU-students staying for at least a full year can apply for a personal identity number (a.k.a. “personnummer”) in order to facilitate contacts with Swedish authorities and companies.

Visit the Tax Agency (Skatteverket), Kungsgatan 27 in Linköping or Hospitalsgatan 23 in Norrköping.

Documents to bring with you:

EU-citizens

Non-EU citizens

• Passport/ID-card.

• Proof of admission

• Social insurance card

• Passport

• Residence permit card

The personal identity number takes between 2 and 6 weeks to issue. A registration certificate (personbevis) will be sent to you by post. Turn in this document to the Student Service Desk with a request to change the student ID-number to the personal identity number.

If I need to contact the health care or dental services, what are my options?
Read more about medical care under Life in Sweden - A to Z.

How do I get a Swedish driver's licence?
Read all about it on the website of the Swedish Transport Agency. The agency supplies information both for beginners and for those who already have driver's licences from their home countries.

Studies:

Can I influence my educational programme while I am here?
Yes, it is important for the university to know what you think about your courses. That is why you will be offered opportunities to fill in anonymous questionnaires during your studies.

When does the academic year start and end?
You can read about the academic year here.

Economy:

What is the average cost of living in Sweden?
A Swedish student usually requires approximately SEK 7,500 per month. Non-EU students must prove to the Swedish Migration Board that they have enough money to support themselves throughout the planned study period, with a minimum amount of currently SEK 7,300 per month for ten months of the year.

How do I pay my tuition fee?

Soon after you have received Notification of Selection Results to Linköping University, you will also receive an e-mail with your first invoice and information on how to pay the tuition fee for the first semester. Please accept your place offer as soon as possible. There are two ways to pay tuition fees:

Online payment using a credit card (VISA, MasterCard)
Payment by bank transfer

It is extremely important that you have your bank include your reference number stated on your notification of Selection Results. Tuition fee payments should be made in advance. Normally the deadline is set to June 1st.

If you have been granted a LiU International Scholarship, your status as a scholarship holder will be confirmed by Linköping University directly to the Swedish Migration Board. Attach the list of scholarship holders as proof of scholarship.

It is strongly recommended that you pay your tuition fee as soon as you have received your invoice at the end of May. The residence permit application process will not begin at the Swedish Migration Board until your tuition has been paid.

What is included in the master's programme tuition fee?

For students at a master programme the fee normally covers a workload of 30 credits per semester. For additional courses beyond 30 credits there will be an additional fee. The fee also includes studies and study related issues such as study administration, study/ career counseling, student health care, library access, computer labs, assistance in finding accommodation etc. Moreover, the fee also includes an introduction to the Swedish language (up to 15 credits), an introduction to advanced academic studies and the Swedish States Insurance for fee-paying students.

What is excluded from the tuition fee?

Course literature, housing costs, living expenses etc.

Is it possible to find a part-time job?
The chances of finding a part-time job are unfortunately small. Most jobs require a good knowledge of Swedish and the University seldom offers jobs for students.

How do I open a Swedish bank account?
It is generally difficult to open a bank account unless you have a Swedish identity number.

Normal banking hours are between 9.30 and 15.00. Most banks stay open till 18.00 on Thursdays. Both traveller’s cheques and international money orders may be used to set up a new account with a Swedish bank. Transferring funds from your home bank can take up to a week. Banking in Sweden may be much easier with advice from your own home bank. Check with them before leaving for Sweden to see if they have a corresponding Swedish bank partner.

The rules for opening an account vary between different banks; check with the bank of your choice. You should be prepared to show a valid passport and a proof that you are an admitted student. Some banks also demand to see your Swedish personal identity number.

If you open a Swedish bank account, make sure you cancel it before you leave Sweden.

How do I pay my bills if I do not have Internet banking?
You can for example pay your bills at a bank office in exchange for a fee. Forex is cheaper.

If you pay in cash at the tobacco shop in Ryd, the fee is lower than in the banks.

Spare time:

How do I get a Swedish friend (a peer student) before my arrival?

You can apply for a Swedish peer student through the student organisation ESN. A peer student is a local student who can introduce you to Swedish culture and student life at LiU. The main purpose of the peer student programme is to make sure that local and international students meet and mingle and to make your stay more enjoyable. To apply, please sign up here. ESN or your peer student will contact you by e-mail after the peer student selection.

Do you have any suggestions on what I can do in my spare time?
There is a large number of student associations, sections, nations, and committees linked to the University offering a wide range of recreational activities and hobbies. Read about them here.

I would like a Swedish Friend Family. Could you assign one to me, please?
Foreign guests at Linköping University, companies or public authorities located in Linköping are welcome to apply for a friend family. The families are members of the association called the Association for International Visitors (AIV). The main aim of the association is to provide a foreign guest with a friend family upon request. The guest applies by filling in a form. Follow the link for more information and the application form.

How do I take the bus in Linköping/Norrköping (including campus busses)?
Local busses, trains and trams are run by the company Östgötatrafiken and you can choose between purchasing single tickets, value cards or season tickets. You can buy or recharge value tickets at a lot of sales agents, for example the Pressbyrån stores at Linköping Central Station, Norrköping Central Station and Valla Campus. Please note that you can not pay in cash on busses and trams within Linköping and Norrköping.

As a LiU student you travel for free between US Campus, Valla Campus and Norrköping Campus with the campus bus if you show your LiU card. Read more about the campus bus here.

Country and city facts:

Please tell me more about Sweden!
For general information about studying in Sweden (what to bring, geography and climate, getting around, currency, cultural differences and more), please visit www.sweden.se.

Please tell me more about Linköping!
Over the past fifty years, Linköping has expanded from a medium-sized town to become the fifth largest city in Sweden, with approximately 145,000 inhabitants, of which 20,000 are students. It is home to industries specialising in many different sectors ranging from aircraft manufacture to emerging technologies. Despite its rapid growth, Linköping has retained a small-town charm. An excellent network of cycle paths makes it easy to get around.

Follow the link below for Linköping's official website.

Please tell me more about Norrköping!
Norrköping has a history of successful textile and paper industries. Instead of being demolished, the industrial city centre has been preserved and depicts the Norrköping of old with its cotton mills and paper mill. Today, the leading industrial sectors are paper, packaging, trade, logistics, electronics and information technology. Norrköping has 128,000 inhabitants and around 5,000 of them are students at Linköping University. The university is situated by the river side in some of the preserved industrial buildings from the 19th century.

Read more on Norrköping’s official website.

What is the weather like in Sweden and what clothes should I wear during the winter?
Sweden has four distinct seasons. In summer, temperatures can rise above 25 degrees Celsius and in winter they can drop well below -15 degrees Celsius. Warm clothes, such as gloves, caps and shoes with thick soles, are useful during the winter.