Financial matters

Studying abroad may be one of the most beneficial experiences but might also come with financial challenges. It can therefore be a good idea to make a budget before your arrival in Örebro. On this page, you can find information about living costs, opening a Swedish bank account, student discounts and work opportunities.

People in Sweden pay less and less often in cash and the volume of cash in circulation has fallen heavily over the last years. Many shops and stores only accept payments by card. We strongly advise that you bring a VISA/Mastercard with sufficient funds in your existing bank account.

The cost of living in Sweden may be different from your home country and will highly depend on your individual life style and habits. Before you arrive in Örebro, regardless if you are required to pay tuition fees or not, you must be able to cover your living expenses while in Sweden.

To give you a rough idea of how much it costs to live in Sweden you find here a compliation of living costs from Studyinsweden.se.

For students who need to apply for a residence permit for studies, the living expense requirement is at least SEK 10,314 per month, for applications received by the Swedish Migration Agency on or after 1 January 2024 Read more about the residence permit requirements. Read more about the residence permit requirements

Having access to a Swedish bank account during your stay in Sweden can be convenient for paying bills and receiving incomes, etc. However, depending on the agreement with your bank in your home country, currency exchange fees in Sweden over the period of your stay, might just be less than the costs of a Swedish bank account, bank cards and payment fees. Please note that conditions vary from bank to bank, depending on the length of your stay in Sweden, and whether you have a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer).

Short-term students

If you plan to study 2 semesters (less than 12 months) in Sweden, you do not qualify for a Swedish personal identity number. You will get limited services at Swedish banks, e.g. no Swedish bank account. Consider using your national bank account and bank card for money transactions, and to withdraw cash in ATMs if necessary, even if this costs you currency exchange fee. It will likely be cheaper over the time of your stay.

Long-term students

If you plan to study for more than 2 semesters (longer than 12 months) in Sweden, you qualify to apply for a Swedish personal identity number, which is necessary to open a Swedish bank account. Receiving your Swedish personal identity number will take several weeks, so do so before applying for a bank account. A personal identity number allows you also to apply for a Swedish ID card, which simplifies identification at the bank.

What you need to open a bank account
Here is a checklist of what documents you will need to open a bank account. Also bear in in mind that Swedish banks are generally only open weekdays 10–15, but often one evening per week with extended opening hours.

Passport – only a valid, international standard passport is acceptable as ID
Residence permit – if applicable
Proof of admission – showing the duration of studies and a certificate of registration
Proof of address in Sweden
Birth certificate (Extract from the Population Register - if you have a Swedish personal identity number, obtained at the Swedish Tax Agency)

As a bank customer always remember to:

Inform the bank about changes in your contact information such as address, phone number or email.
Close your Swedish bank account before you leave Sweden. This should be done at the branch office where you opened your bank account. Plan ahead, since the amount of cash you may withdraw from your account in a single withdrawal is limited.

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country, you don’t need a permit work in Sweden. If you are a citizen from a country outside the EU/EEA, you are allowed to work during during the duration of your studies and residence permit. However, we strongly advice you to not depend on working to support yourself during your time as a student in Örebro as it is, with a few exceptions, very difficult to find available part-time jobs. Many employers require Swedish language skills, a Swedish Personal Identity Number and depending on your study workload, it may be difficult for you to commit to work outside of studies.

Arbetsförmedlingen is Sweden's largest employment agency. Click on the link below for more information.

Swedish Public Emplyment Service

The Mecenat student card is a free discount card that gives students in Sweden access to a number of discounts on certain products and services, many shops and businesses, as well as on public transportation.

At Örebro University students do not receive the Mecenat card automatically, instead you do need to apply for it. After graduation, you will have access to the Mecenat Alumni discounts.

Guide: How to apply for a Mecenat card