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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

anyone have a dc going to study in Sweden, or has any experience of this?

37 replies

ssd · 26/07/2018 22:55

dc is going for a term in Sept to study in Stockholm

has anyone experience of this with their dc's?

any advice at all would be welcome, eg. prices, good places to shop, travelling by public transport

also any advice about how to pay for stuff? not meaning to be silly, but she has a debit card from her bank here which I read is expensive to use aboard, but now sure what else to suggest, she is only there 4 months so it may not be worth trying to open a bank account there?..have read its a very cashless society, she doesn't have a credit card and I think a debit card would be easier to keep track of spending.

OP posts:
Original poster
ssd · 26/07/2018 22:56

accommodation is sorted, at the uni

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surroundedbyblondes · 27/07/2018 07:04

Definately get a bank account sorted. We hardly use cash at all here and from around 13 up people use debit cards or instant transfers via a smartphone app called Swish.

Banks: Swedbank or Nordea are the most common. You'll need to google a bit as there aren't many branches you can just walk into but I guess their websites have infornation in other languages so it should be fairly simple.

Get a local phone/internet subscription. Both can be sorted once she arrives. Companies like Telia or Tre (3) should be able to help. They have shops and stands in all kinds of malls/shopping areas.

Food is more expensive in my experience. Going out and drinking/eating in restaurants definately is. Supermarkets are Ica, Hemköp and Wilys. Wilys is a bit cheaper but no real difference. No boozr apart from beer in supermarkets so that has to be bought at Systembolaget (Systemet) which is open office-type hours and till lunch on Saturdays. Closed on Sundays.

What time of year will she be there? Think about proper winter clothing if she will be there till Christmas. Stockholm winters are cold!

Original poster
ssd · 27/07/2018 10:46

thank you

I read that it can be difficult getting the ID to open a bank account and it might be wise to just use a pre loaded currency card that she can top up with her smart phone and we can put money into her uk account if needed? I didn't know if having a bank account would be needed for just one semester there?

whats an instant transfer using swish, does that mean you can pay using your phone?

she'll be there from Sept to January....do you think its wise to try to take warm clothing from here, or is it not too expensive to buy it in Sweden? I'm already scared at the prices over there, we arent high earners at all and I'm trying to think of ways to keep the costs down!

also with the wifi, I though uni accommodation had this? we have no experience of student digs, dc lives at home, all this stuff is new to us.

sorry if I sound a bit dumb, I really appreciate your help!

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Original poster
ssd · 27/07/2018 10:46

sorry again, did you mean she can open a bank account here that could be used in Sweden?

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mydogisthebest · 27/07/2018 10:52

Me and DH went to Sweden on holiday last year. We had already got our holiday money when DH read online that Sweden, particularly Stockholm, is a almost a cashless society.

We didn't find that at all. In 3 weeks only 1 coffee shop would not take cash.

The price of food is horrendous so tell her to be prepared. We were expecting it to be expensive but still were shocked.

MimpiDreams · 27/07/2018 10:53

Although it is a very cashless society, I haven't used a cashpoint in years, you can still use cash. I have come across anywhere that doesn't accept cash. I have come across several places though that don't accept cards, only cash or swish.

My DD has just finished her degree, moves out next week. Student accommodation is wonderful here.

Willy's supermarket is generally cheaper than ICA but Lidl are cheaper still.

MimpiDreams · 27/07/2018 10:54

*I haven't come across a cashless place

Original poster
ssd · 27/07/2018 11:10

dd is going to be at Stockholm uni, in accommodation there MimpiDreams, was your dd there? can you give us any advice re internet, or tips on what to take that would be useful? is there a LIDL near the uni?

thanks to everyone helping me

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Original poster
ssd · 27/07/2018 11:14

I see that swish can only be used with a bank account there, I just dont know how easy it is to open a bank account if she's only there 4 months, any advice on that anyone?

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Antaresisastar · 27/07/2018 13:32

My ds,and several of his friends, are using a Monzo card for their year abroad. My understanding is that it's a debit card with no charges. Cash withdrawal up to £200/30 days is free too. Might be worth checking out?

Antaresisastar · 27/07/2018 13:34

Sorry, I meant to add that the application was online and the card arrived within a couple of days.

MimpiDreams · 27/07/2018 13:57

Sorry, my DD wasn't at Stockholm. She''s been at 2 other universities and the student accommodation in both included broadband/wifi. I would imagine Stockholm does too because it would be impossible to set up with a Swedish personal number.

MimpiDreams · 27/07/2018 13:58
  • without a Swedish personal number.

Sorry I've got my illiterate hat on today.

Strawberryfield12 · 27/07/2018 15:43

Instead of opening bank account in Sweden for a 4 months stay I would suggest you open Travelex multicurrency cash card or similar card from some other provider. I was getting charged a bomb by Lloyds for using my card abroad, but I go back to Europe few times a year both for holiday and visit my family. I picked up Travelex prepaid card, easy to topup from your usual bank account, free to use abroad, the exchange rates in line with the rest of sellers in the UK. The only thing you have to use it at least once in 18 months not to incur commission charge.

4 months will fly by, even if she manages to open bank account there, it will feel like she has to close it down in no time. While she will be able to use her Travelex card for all the other of her travels to avoid bank commissions, while Swedish bank account will be only for Sweden. Not worth the hassle in my opinion.

bevelino · 27/07/2018 19:30

OP, your dd can use a Monzo pre paid card in Sweden, which she can top up from her main bank account. My dd used it in Spain and Sweden and it was no problem at all.

wentmadinthecountry · 27/07/2018 20:03

Your lucky dd! Spent 8 months living in Stockholm and yes it was expensive. People who visited brought booze and pizza express salad dressing! Public transport was amazing - English dcs were confidently travelling alone at Y 4/6 age (we were in a nice area). Lots of free stuff to do.

Dh was working there - we didn't have a bank account.

Definitely warm clothes - if you can get Uniqlo heattech leggeings etc in the sale please do. Hat, gloves, lots of socks. We used H and M a lot. It's a beautiful magical time - the lead up to Christmas is beautiful. Am so jealous. Make sure you get cheap tickets to go visit!! And hopefully real proper snow. Wow!

wentmadinthecountry · 27/07/2018 20:04

Did mention how much I love Stockholm?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 27/07/2018 20:10

OP, your dd can use a Monzo pre paid card in Sweden, which she can top up from her main bank account. My dd used it in Spain and Sweden and it was no problem at all

Monzo no longer do the prepaid card. However the Monzo bank account lets you use your card abroad using the MasterCard exchange rate with no additional fees:

monzo.com/features/travel/

It would also allow her to withdraw up to £200 a month from an ATM fee free.

Some users have posted about their experience in Sweden here: community.monzo.com/t/monzo-in-sweden-discussion/6181/6

abilockhart · 27/07/2018 20:34

I think Revolut could be a better option.

www.revolut.com/?lang=en

surroundedbyblondes · 28/07/2018 10:56

Sorry, can't really advise on the bank account options as we live here permanently so not sure what is applicable for short term visitors. I imagine though in hindsight that having a personal number is a requirement for opening an account and as others have said there are very few places I have come accross that don't accept cash.

Regarding winter clothes she can certainly buy them here. They will be better quality and more suitable for the cold, but they're not cheap. If she buys good stuff though it will last for future trips, ski holidays etc.

We live on the West Coast which isn't as cold. I understand Stockholm is colder.

Original poster
ssd · 29/07/2018 12:02

thanks for all the answers

am looking at Monzo, but am confused.....she has a student account here with TSB, if she opens a monzo account would she need to close her TSB account and transfer everything to monzo...her loan and wages get pain into the TSB and a few DD's come out of it

is monzo like a straight forward bank account?

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/07/2018 12:06

Monzo is a straight forward bank account, and she wouldn't need to close her TSB account.

Original poster
ssd · 29/07/2018 12:43

thanks

looking at the links above, how is monzo and revolut different?

it looks to me like revolut is sort of like a pre paid card and not a bank account?

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Original poster
ssd · 08/08/2018 11:23

me again

can anyone advise me on where in the uk I could buy a network cable or a router that is functional in sweden in order to have access to wifi?

the uni accommodation has internet but not wifi so she needs a router or a network cable to access the wifi

I know she could eventually buy it there but it seems so confusing figuring out how to get about there, I thought if I bought one here it would be easier to take it with her...but it needs to be for Sweden, not the UK

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Original poster
ssd · 08/08/2018 23:25

bump

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