Live Like a Local
We see housing as an important opportunity for cultural integration. That’s why we offer students the choice of two immersive housing options: fully furnished single studio apartments or carefully selected host families.
Studio Apartment
Our single studio apartments are all in the same building, allowing you to live with both other Program students, as well as with international students from SSE. This option provides you with your own personal space, but at the same time, close interaction with other students.
The studios are brand new, fully furnished, and located in an area called Häggvik, approximately 25 minutes, door-to-door, from SSE. The kitchen is equipped with an electrical stove and oven, fridge/freezer, basic kitchen utensils, and dishwasher. The private bathroom has a shower and a combined washer/dryer. Häggvik is close to the water and green surroundings, with supermarkets and restaurants nearby.
Students living in our apartments are given a monthly food subsidy to buy and prepare all their own meals. Live independently and learn how to cook or expand your repertoire in your own kitchenette.
The photo to the right highlights the standard layout for the 23 sq meter studios (please note the actual size may vary slightly).
Students living in our single studio apartments have the option of being assigned a local “contact family” with whom they meet throughout the semester. We match one to two students with each contact family. However, being assigned a contact family is not guaranteed. The number of available contact families can vary each semester. Therefore, students who apply early and indicate their desire to have a contact family will be given priority. Upon acceptance to The Swedish Program, we will provide more detailed information regarding choosing to have a contact family.
“Our apartment was a serene place to call home and the ideal setting to relax, work, cook, and be with friends. Its close proximity to the city, about 25 minutes, gave me the best of both worlds; I was immersed in Stockholm throughout the day, but also had access to nature and quiet whenever I wanted.”Ruby Ling, Wesleyan University
Read more on our blog →
Host Families
Living with a host family gives students the opportunity for daily immersion in Swedish family life. Most Swedish Program students who have lived with a family report that their family stay was the best part of their time in Stockholm! Our criterion for selecting host families is simple but demanding: the family must be motivated solely by their interest in a rewarding inter-cultural experience. Our students are treated as family members, not as boarders, and we expect both students and families to make an active commitment to openness, flexibility, and cultural sensitivity.
Students who elect to live with a host family will have their own furnished bedroom. Our carefully screened host families live no longer than 60 minutes by public transportation to SSE (under normal weather conditions). However, most of our students living with host families have a commute between 40 and 50 minutes. We limit host family placements to 8 students per semester. Consequently, students who prefer a host family should apply early, as we have a rolling admissions process. Students who elect to live with a host family are required to have a brief Skype interview with our staff in Stockholm to better help us find an appropriate match.
Typically, less than ten percent of our students choose a host family, but the actual number may vary from semester to semester.
Placement in a host family is not guaranteed. We conduct an extensive search for great host families every semester. We will inform you if we are able to successfully place you with a host family no later than on our application deadlines. Fall semester: October 10th: Spring semester: March 1st. If we are unable to place you in a host family, you will be placed in one of our studio apartments.