Arranging Student Accommodation: Tips for Tackling Housing Queues

In these days, many of the over 400,000 applicants will receive notification of whether they have been accepted to a college education or not. And with that, the great housing stress breaks out. Here are some tips on how the housing queue can be tackled.

» Published: July 10 2025 at 06:30

Arranging Student Accommodation: Tips for Tackling Housing Queues
Photo: Martina Holmberg / TT

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At the same time as the first admission notices arrive, the queues for student housing grow, especially in the large university cities such as Stockholm, Uppsala, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Lund.

But the situation has brightened a bit, according to a survey by the industry organization Studentbostadsföretagen. In the large cities, it is no longer impossible to get a first-hand contract for the upcoming term start.

It is due to the fact that a lot has been built in recent years, and that the students' movement patterns have changed. More people are studying remotely, and economic uncertainty has made more people choose to live with their parents longer and collect queue points, says Stina Olén, CEO of Studentbostadsföretagen.

It is also worth noting that a long list of study locations do not have queues, and sometimes even a housing guarantee.

Queue everywhere

Stina Olén's appeal to all who need to move is to stand in all housing queues as soon as possible, to have a chance at both student housing and regular rental apartments. In Uppsala and Lund, the nations also have housing for rent.

The next advice is to be flexible - or harsh, not to wait for the dream accommodation to be served.

Corridor rooms are a social and slightly cheaper accommodation that is easier to get. Also, be open to moving a bit from the center. Later, you can change accommodation.

Social media

Cilla Häggkvist, deputy head of Uppsala University's student department, reminds of the opportunities that social media and contacts can provide.

The classic is to create a Facebook post and share it among friends and acquaintances. In that way, you can reach people who had not thought of renting out, but want to help, for example, a friend's daughter or son.

Both Stina Olén and Cilla Häggkvist advise all who will start studying in a new location to have ice in their stomach, and remember that the pressure is highest in late summer and at the start of the term.

It's a bit turbulent in the beginning, but don't give up without trying. If you can imagine living as a lodger, or sleeping on a mattress on the floor with some friend for a while, it can be resolved very quickly, says Cilla Häggkvist.

Anna Lena Wallström/TT

Facts: Ways to student housing

TT

Stand in the housing queue(s) as soon as possible. Information about what applies can be found on the current educational institution's website. Example:

Umeå, among other things about emergency room mediation: https://www.umu.se/utbildning/darfor-umea/hitta-hem/

Lund, among other things about priority for newly arrived beginners: https://www.lu.se/studera/livet-som-student/hitta-bostad

Uppsala: https://www.uu.se/student/studentliv/bo-i-uppsala

Stockholm: https://www.su.se/utbildning/livet-som-student/studentbostader-i-stockholm

Göteborg: https://www.gu.se/studera/student-i-goteborg/boende-och-ekonomi-som-student

Luleå: https://www.ltu.se/utbildning/bra-att-veta-infor-ditt-studieval/hitta-boende

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers
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