Each year around 1,200 students begin studying science and technology at Uppsala University. So you are not alone in being new. Because of this, the first two weeks consist of an orientation organised by TDB. The idea of the reception is to get to know your courses, the university, and Uppsala as a city. The reception includes everything from cosy breakfasts and crayfish parties to events at Uppsala’s student nations.

1. Housing: There are several ways to find accommodation in Uppsala. One tip is to check out Nationsgårdarna, where you can rent housing through one of Uppsala’s student nations. Another tip is to search in Facebook groups; many students go on exchange during the autumn semester and sublet their apartments for six months. A final tip is to live with a roommate. Many newcomers are looking for a place to stay, so team up with someone and live together! There are often more two- and three-room apartments available than one-room flats in Uppsala.
2. Apply for CSN (Student Financial Aid): Before starting at Uppsala University, it’s important to apply for CSN. It can take a while to receive your first payment due to high demand at the start of the academic year, so apply as early as possible. Also, make sure to apply for the full academic year at once!
3. Get a bike: Uppsala is the cycling capital. The easiest way to get from point A to point B is by bike, so we highly recommend getting one before orientation week starts. But don’t worry if you don’t have one yet — it’ll work out fine anyway. Note: make sure to get a good bike lock as well!
4. Prep your meal boxes: The first few weeks can be very hectic, so a great tip is to meal prep so that food doesn’t become an extra source of stress during orientation. Make both cold and warm meals, as you never know if there’ll be a microwave nearby.
5. Course literature: Don’t buy course literature before school starts (unless you really want to). Most books can be found as PDFs online, but we also have a Facebook group called XboX where students sell used books at lower prices than other sites. Studentapan is another great platform to find second-hand course literature at good prices.