Moving to Malmö

As a citizen of a country within the EU/EEA, you have the right to reside and study in Sweden without a residence permit. 

Swiss citizens

Students from Switzerland who are staying for longer than three months have to apply for a residence permit.

Residence permit for Swiss citizens (the Swedish Migration Agency)

International and exchange students from outside the EU/EEA who are admitted for studies longer than three months must apply for a residence permit. For studies shorter than three months, an entry visa is required for citizens from certain countries.

For studies longer than three months, students must apply for and have been granted a residence permit before they enter Sweden. In order to get a residence permit in time for the start of the semester, it is essential that you apply no later than 2–3 months before departure.

To be granted a residence permit you must:

• be admitted to full-time studies requiring full-time attendance (distance courses or programmes do not fulfil the requirements);
• have paid your tuition fee in due time (not applicable if you are an exchange student);
• have a valid passport; 
• prove that you are able to financially support yourself throughout the planned study period; and
• have, or have applied for, a comprehensive insurance policy.

Students admitted to Malmö University are insured through The Swedish State’s Insurance for Fee-Paying Students. The Notification of Selection Result from University Admissions is sufficient as proof that you are insured. 

Apply for a residence permit on the Migration Agency's website or at the nearest Swedish embassy or consulate.

Swedish Migration Agency's website

Applications for residence permits are processed by the Swedish Migration Agency, not the University. The application for a residence permit is your personal responsibility. For questions and more information regarding individual applications contact the Swedish Migration Agency. 

Admitted students with a residence permit for studies are allowed to work in Sweden during their period of study. No additional work permit is needed. However, be aware that it may be difficult to find a part-time job, especially if you do not speak Swedish. We kindly remind you that university studies are full-time and may be difficult to combine with work.

If you are an EU-citizen, you should get the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your local authorities before leaving for Sweden. The EHIC card is a free card that gives you the right to immediate medical treatment equal to Swedish citizens and at a regular patient fee. If you do not bring this card, you risk having to pay full costs.

About the EHIC on the European Commission's website

Starting autumn semester 2020 all non-EU/EEA citizens who are tuition fee-paying students will be insured through The Swedish State’s Insurance for Fee-Paying Students (Kammarkollegiet FAS) during the entire study period, no matter the length of the study programme.

The insurance is defined as a Comprehensive Health Insurance and meets the requirements from the Swedish Migration Agency to get a residence permit in Sweden. The Notification of Selection Result from University Admissions is sufficient as proof that you are insured.

The FAS-insurance covers immediate medical and dental care during your stay, during your travels to Sweden, as well as two weeks before and after the study period.

You normally pay the expenses yourself and get reimbursed after filing a claim.

Read the terms and conditions and access the claim form: 

Insurance for students who pay tuition fees (Kammarkollegiet's webpage)

All incoming exchange students are covered for accidents, liability and legal expenses through the Swedish State’s Insurance for Foreign Students in Sweden (Student IN Insurance).

EU/EEA citizens are covered for emergency medical and dental care through their European Health Insurance Card. Make sure you bring your card with you when you come to Sweden.

Read the terms and conditions and access the claim form:

Insurance for exchange students in Sweden (Kammarkollegiet's webpage)

Regarding non-EU/EEA citizens only

If you have a residence permit valid for at least one year

If you are a bachelor’s student or a two-year master’s student, you are entitled to the same health benefits as Swedish citizens. You must, however, be registered in the population register and have a personal identification number to get access to health services. Most health services require a patient fee that is non-refundable. Please note that dental care is expensive in Sweden, even if you have a personal identification number.

If you have a residence permit valid for less than one year

Fee-paying students on one-year master’s programmes or courses who hold residence permits for less than 12 months are covered by The Swedish State’s Insurance for Fee-Paying Students (FAS).

Read the terms and conditions and access the claim form:

Insurance for students who pay tuition fees (Kammarkollegiet's webpage)

In case of illness during a temporary visit to Sweden, you are always entitled to essential healthcare. Usually, you should contact a local health care centre, where a medical assessment is made, and you will receive an appointment time, or be referred to a specialist.

Healthcare for visitors from other countries (Region Skåne's webpage)

Choosing a primary health care centre (vårdcentral)

You are free to choose which primary health care centre you want to be listed at but you will automatically be listed at the one closest to your home if you do not change it. 

About choosing a health centre or clinic (Region Skåne's webpage)

Students studying in Sweden for:

• more than 12 months: you should register in the Swedish Population Register to get a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer). Read more details in the section 'Personal Identity Number' below.
• less than a year: you cannot apply for a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer) and therefore cannot register to a specific health centre. However, you can still get help with emergency healthcare at a health clinic of your choice.

Before visiting a healthcare centre

We recommend calling 1177 or the health care centre of your choice before visiting. You should bring the following documents when visiting a health care centre:

• Proof of identity
• Proof of admission: Notification of Selection Results or Letter of Acceptance (exchange students)
• Proof of insurance
• Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you are a student from the EU/EEA

1177 – Swedish healthcare hub

Call 1177 (no area code) to:

• get 24-hour medical advice from a nurse by phone;
• contact your primary health care centre or clinic;
• read your medical record (requires login with Bank-ID);
• find information about many different conditions and illnesses at their website.

 Swedish healthcare hub (1177.se)

Emergencies – call 112

If you are seriously ill, you should call the emergency number 112 and ask for an ambulance.

At the Student Health Service you can get different types of support and help from counsellors and nurses. Some of their services include health advice, guidance to the right health care unit, help with sexual health and safe sex, and programmes for managing study stress. You can find more information about the Student Health Service and how to make use of it on the Student Health Service page.

Student Health Service (Student web)

The Student Health Service is available to all students—you do not need a Swedish personal identity number to make use of any of their services!

As a student with a disability you have the right to be able to study on equal terms in a good study environment. You can get support from the university if you are a student or doctoral student and have a lasting physical, psychological or other limitation.

How to apply for support at Malmö University (Student web)

Malmö University guarantee housing for tuition fee-paying students during their studies, provided that an application is submitted before the application period closes. For exchange students, housing is offered depending on availability.

How to apply for university housing

On January 1, 2023, Swedish legislation will be renewed which amongst other things will make it illegal for Swedish universities to sublet housing to European students outside exchange agreements as well as national students. Students who received a exemption from paying tuition fees are this case considered as European students, and are no longer eligible for university provided housing.

There are a number of options when it comes to student housing, most student apartments are available through the regional housing agency Boplats Syd. Many students choose to share a place with other students or sublet.

Advice and tips on finding student housing in Malmö

Personal identity number (personnummer)

During your stay in Sweden, you will likely hear about a personnummer, or Swedish personal identity number, many times. This is a 10- to 12-digit code given to you by the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), formatted as YYYYMMDD-XXXX using your date of birth followed by a 4-digit code.

Coordination number (samordningsnummer)

If you are not eligible to apply for a personnummer because you are staying in Sweden for less than one year, you can instead apply for a coordination number from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) if you can prove you have a need for one—for example, if you will be working part-time during your studies.

Swedish personal identity number and coordination number (the Swedish Tax Agency)

Matriculation number

The matriculation number is a number assigned to students by an educational institution upon enrolment. This number is used only internally and cannot be used outside of the University. The matriculation number is not the same as the Swedish personal identity number (personnummer).

To find out what your matriculation number is, log into your Ladok account. Your matriculation number has a similar format to the personnummer, formatted as YYYYMMDD-TXXX using your date of birth followed by a T and a 3-digit code.

For those of you that are studying at Malmö University for less than a year, you do not need to register with the Swedish Tax Agency and you will not receive a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer).

If necessary, you can instead apply for a coordination number from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). The coordination number functions similarly to the Swedish personal identity number (personnummer), but is not the same.

You will need to be able to provide details for why you need a coordination number, and it is up to Skatteverket to decide whether to issue a coordination number. To apply, you will need to visit one of Skatteverket's service centres and provide proof of identity and a contact address as well as a filled-out application form. The form is in Swedish, but you can get help filling out the form at the service center when you apply. You can also contact the International Office for help or questions.

Coordination numbers (the Swedish Tax Agency webpage)

Visit one of Skatteverket's service centres (the Swedish Tax Agency webpage)

Application form for a coordination number (in Swedish, the Swedish Tax Agency webpage)

For those of you that will be studying at Malmö University for more than a year, you can watch the informational video below from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) about registering with the Swedish Population Register once you've arrived in Sweden.

Once you've registered with the Swedish Tax Agency, you will receive a personal identity number (personnummer), which will be very helpful in many different ways during your stay in Sweden. You can read more about registering with the Swedish Tax Agency on their 'Moving to Sweden' webpage, and fill out their form before visiting their service centre.

Important: You will need an address before registering with the Swedish Tax Agency.

If you are newly arrived in Sweden and don't yet have your permanent address for your stay – if, for example, you are staying in a hotel, AirBnB or youth hostel – you will not be able to register with the Swedish Population Register and receive your personal identity number.

You will also need your apartment number (lägenhetsnummer), which is a 4-digit number that can be found on your housing contract and is not the same as the 3-digit room number used within buildings. If you are living in University Housing, your 4-digit apartment number is included in your housing offer.

Informational video from the Swedish Tax Agency (Youtube)

Moving to Sweden (Swedish Tax Agency webpage)

Fill in the 'Moving to Sweden' form (Swedish Tax Agency webpage)

What to do with a personal identity number

Once you've received a personal identity number, you will be able to use it in a variety of ways. It can make it much easier to open a bank account, which will in turn allow you to apply for a Mobile BankID. BankID can be used for verifying your identity online for all sorts of purposes: scheduling doctor's appointments, confirming online payments, picking up packages and much more! If you have both a Mobile BankID and a Swedish SIM card, you can start using Swish, Sweden's own app for sending money. Swish is an essential part of every Swede's wallet as Sweden becomes an increasingly cash-free society.

In addition to banking and health care, your personal identity number can make even more services accessible to you. Many gyms require a personal identity number to get a membership, and many grocery stores and retailers also ask for a personal identity number if you wish to join their rewards programs. While a personal identity number isn't strictly necessary for everything, it will make your time in Sweden much easier.

We recommend getting your personal identity number as soon as possible if you're staying in Sweden for more than a year.

E-identification (in Swedish, BankID support webpage)

Mobile payment system (Swish webpage)

Living costs

In order to study in Malmö, you'll need to manage your finances to be able to cover your monthly costs. The cost of living in Sweden may be different from your home country, so it is important to plan ahead and budget before your arrival.

Cost of living in Sweden (Study in Sweden website)

Banking

As a student in Sweden, you have the right to open a bank account. You can find information about becoming a bank customer on the Swedish Banker's Association website. It might take a while for the bank to process opening a new account, so plan ahead. If you are staying for less than 6 months in Sweden, we suggest sorting out your banking before you come to Sweden. The best option is to use your existing bank account in your home country.

Becoming a bank customer (Swedish Banker's Association webpage)

Opening a bank account in Sweden (pdf) 

Bear in mind the regulations regarding money laundering and the strict restrictions that the banks have regarding accepting big amount of cash in transactions; it might be a good idea to not bring large amounts of cash.

Regulations regarding money laundering (Swedish Banker's Association webpage)

You will need one of the the student cards mentioned below to prove your student status and be able to use any student discounts. The Malmö University student ID card, your multicard, is not a valid student identification outside of the University. Please also note that your student card (Studentkort or Mecenatkort) must have the student travel symbol if you want to use the public transport student discount!

Student card STUK (studentkort)

When becoming a member of the Malmö Student Union, you will get access to the Student card STUK (Studentkortet). You can find more information and instructions for obtaining the cards on the Malmö Student Union's website.

How to get your student card (Malmö Student Union website)

FAQs about the student card STUK (Malmö Student Union website)

FAQs about the student card STUK (student card STUK website)

Student card Mecenat (mecenatkort)

If you are not a member of the Student Union, you can still get the Mecenat card (mecenatkort). You'll need to create an account on the Mecenat website using your email address and upload proof of your studies, which you can obtain by downloading a transcript or certificate showing your current enrolment from Ladok.

About the Mecenat card (in Swedish, Mecenat card webpage)

How to download verifiable Certificates from Ladok (Student web)

Safety on campus

It is important that your safety and security is maintained during your studies! Click on the link below to find out how to report any issues with facilities on campus, how to report any incidents, and how to download the app for security information.

Read about security information and fault reporting

In case of an emergency

The emergency phone number in Sweden is 112. This is the number you dial in case of emergency and in current life-threatening situations.

To report an incident (not emergency)

To contact the police outside of an emergency or life-threatening situation, such as reporting an incident that has already occurred, the number is 114 14.

To get medical advice (not emergency)

Call 1177 to speak to a registered nurse for medical advice and get information about the nearest clinic if you need to see a physician.

Other useful resources

On the Swedish Police website you can find information regarding the current restrictions and entry regulations in place regarding travels to Sweden as well as other important info. 

About travel to and stay in Sweden (the Swedish Police website)

Krisinformation.se is a webpage used by the Swedish authorities to provide emergency information. Information regarding COVID-19 in Sweden can also be found there.

Emergency information from Swedish authorities (Krisinformation website)

Public transportation

The public transportation within Skåne is operated by Skånetrafiken, which you will need to download an app for to fully utilise. The app allows you to buy tickets, find bus and train schedules, plan your trips and get updates about changes in the traffic and routes.

Public transportation within Skåne (Skånetrafiken website)

Download the public transportation app Skånetrafiken (Apple)

Download the public transportation app Skånetrafiken (Android)

Buy a ticket without an app

It is possible to pay by other methods if you cannot use the app. However, it is important to note that you cannot pay with cash on any of the buses or trains. 

How to buy a public transport ticket without an app (In Swedish,Skånetrafiken webpage)

How to get the student discount and avoid fines

As a student, you are eligible for a 25% discount on your travel with Skånetrafiken. Please note that you must have a valid digital student ID with the student travel symbol (studentresesymbolen).

The ID you receive from Malmö University is not a valid student ID when using Skånetrafiken.

Note that you are not eligible for the student discount and can be fined 1500 Swedish crowns (SEK) if you:

• do not have any of the student cards (student card STUK or Mecenat card); or
• have one of the student cards (student card STUK or Mecenat card) but the card does not have the student travel symbol.

Cycling

A convenient solution is Malmö by bike, a subscription service that allow you to use a bike from one of the many bike-stations in the city for one hour at the time.

About the subscription service on Malmö by bike's website

If you are interested in buying a bike, there are plenty of places to buy a used bike in Malmö. You can also find a bike in the auctions held by the municipality where they sell misplaced bikes that have not been claimed by their owners. You can find more information about biking in Malmö from Malmö Stad, including information about bike rentals, public parking for bikes and safety while biking. The links below are in Swedish so we suggest using the translate-option in your webbrowser.

Bike auctions (in Swedish, City of Malmö's webpage )

About biking in Malmö (in Swedish, City of Malmö's webpage)

Electric scooters

Electric scooters can be rented from a number of services throughout the city such as Voi and Lime, or you can purchase your own. It is important to note that e-scooters are subject to the same traffic rules and regulations as bicycles.

Exchange Students

All exchange students are offered a language course during their studies at Malmö University. The course, Swedish Language, Culture and Society 1A is equivalent to 5 higher education credits and is not included in your total of 30 selectable credits. 

Course information about Swedish Language, Culture and Society 1A

Fee-paying students

The tuition-fee for students studying a programme at Malmö University covers one Swedish or English language course.

What tuition fees cover

Learn Swedish in Malmö

The City of Malmö offers various opportunities for you to practise Swedish in Malmö – language cafés, language walks in the park, digital training and other activities. All events are free of charge.

Practise Swedish in Malmö (in Swedish, City of Malmö's webpage)

Swedish for immigrants – SFI

Join a Swedish for immigrant course, for free. You will not only learn about the Swedish language but also about Swedish society and work life. You can study SFI if you are registered in the population register in the municipality of Malmö, or if you are an EU citizen with a residence permit. Even accompanying family members can study SFI.

Swedish language for immigrants (City of Malmö's webpage)

Malmö is a natural hub for people and cultures from worldwide. The city’s inhabitants come from around 180 countries and speak some 150 different languages. Here you'll find tips on what to do and see in Malmö and how to get here.

Visit Malmö (City of Malmö's website) 

Skåne is a province located at the most southern tip of Sweden, connected to Denmark by the famous Öresund Bridge. Skåne is well known for it’s beautiful scenery, outstanding culinary experiences and high quality of life.

Visit Skåne (Visit Skåne's website) 

Sweden's is a multifaceted country with a lot of different places to discover. Take a look at Visit Sweden, Sweden's official website for tourism and travel information, and start planning your next adventure.

Visit Sweden (Visit Sweden's website)