Maxwell (Sem 1, 2025)

My Exchange at Stockholm University

I found out about the 360 International exchange when I enrolled in the Global Studies degree program. My first impression upon arriving at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm was a welcoming atmosphere. International students were picked up at the airport by university-provided buses and taken to the Frescati Campus, where they signed in and received keys to their prearranged accommodation. I was given accommodation at the Albano campus, a 5-minute walk from my apartment to the lecture theatres. My accommodation was a studio apartment that was still new, and every utensil was brand-new. Students are to bring their linen and blankets; the Student Accommodation Department provides everything you need in a house. The supermarkets were a 20-minute walk away, and public transport was available from the campus.

Orientation was in the first and second weeks, with arranged bookings for campus tours, the library, social and sports facilities.

I took four courses for the semester, totalling 60 points, divided into approximately 5-week courses, each with an exam. Every course had a group presentation assessment.

The difference from the University of Auckland is the compressed course period, which may require rote learning to pass the exams, rather than courses that run the full semester schedule as at UoA.

The culture was different; socially, it’s a closed society that takes a while to make friends, but most of the students in my courses were international exchange students, so groups formed from within. Stockholm is not a cheap city; surprisingly, groceries are more expensive than in Auckland, so one would need sound finances for weekly expenses.

For extracurricular activities, I travelled to many of the northern European countries, 12 in total, because of cheap flights and Flixbuses. I went snowmobiling in Kiruna, Sweden, and enjoyed walking in Stockholm.

I rarely ate out; most of the time, I cooked my meals using ingredients from the supermarket. Meatballs are part of Swedish meals, which I incorporated into my dishes.

Every experience was a highlight, hard to pinpoint. I can overall say being in Sweden and in Stockholm was the overall highlight, and experiencing the Swedish culture, from uni, to shopping, to pubs. It’s something any student should have as part of their degree, as it opens one’s perspective on how societies live in their corners of the world.

What was challenging was the compacted program and the group’s grading, which affected one`s marks.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

Having a one-on-one discussion with Professor Jan-Erik Vahlne, who developed the famous Uppsala internationalisation process in 1977, a model explaining how companies gradually expand into foreign markets through increasing knowledge and commitment. Jan-Erik Vahlne was invited to the Global Markets course as a guest speaker and placed in a Group with other international students from France, Mexico, Ukraine, Poland, Venezuela and Sweden for a presentation. Every course had a group presentation, and one would be with a different group every 5 weeks.

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

Taking a trip to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern lights and any snow activities. A snowmobile ride is highly recommended.

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

• Should not rely on a student allowance for the first couple of months; have sufficient funds.
• Zara and H&M prices are the same as in New Zealand, and you can top up your wardrobe in Stockholm
• Should be prepared for a course every 5 weeks and an exam, but don’t stress if you don’t get the grades you normally get at UoA.

How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?

I budgeted 25K, excluding my accommodation, which I paid in advance. The money was enough for all the activities and the travelling I took outside Sweden. The student allowance helped with weekly expenses, but it does not cover everything. Save enough and plan activities using online estimates. Keep an eye out for student specials.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

Human beings’ adaptation to suit the environmental conditions they found themselves in. The Scandinavian region has some of the harshest living conditions, yet humans have turned that environment into habitable, modern cities that have become the blueprint for the rest of the world.

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

I travelled by train to Oslo, Norway, booked an Airbnb and was hosted by a very friendly couple. I flew to Tallinn, Estonia, then took a bus to Riga, Latvia, and to Vilnius, Lithuania, then flew back to Stockholm via Helsinki, Finland. End of semester, I flew to Iceland, Reykjavik, for a couple of days, a beautiful, rugged country, but expensive. I stayed in a private hostel-type apartment called City Hub. From Iceland, I travelled to the UK for three days, visiting family in Nottingham and Bedford, then back to Stockholm. Next trip, I took a bus from Stockholm to Copenhagen for a two-day seminar, then to Paris via Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Brussels, spending two nights in each city and culminating the trip with a visit to the Eiffel Tower. FlixBus and BlaBla buses were relatively cheap for my trip, and I highly recommend them for anyone travelling in Europe.

Is there any advice you could share about accommodation options at your host university and/or in the local area?

I lived on campus in a prearranged student accommodation. Once a student is accepted, Stockholm University student accommodation services sends forms and options for the student to choose from. The deposit is paid once accepted, and the full semester amount is required within a month of moving in. Rent depends on the choices you make. My studio apartment catered to my needs and was within walking distance to the bus and train station as well as lecture theatres.