Written by Amaraizu Genius
Acceptance & Documentation
The university will email you to congratulate you on the offer you just received. You deserve some accolades. Out of many applicants, you have been crowned a qualified, excellent and brilliant candidate. Again, I say, congratulations. In the email from the university, you will be directed on specific actions to take to accept and document your admission. This may come in form of a letter for you to respond to, a registration link for you to complete, or setting up an official student account for you with the university portal. So, check your email again if you have not received any notification from the university.
Plan your finances
This is important, especially if you are a fee-paying student. Most times, the acceptance letter and documentation procedures involve payment of an acceptance fee or an initial tuition fee. There’s a deadline and there are other financial demands around this admission. This is the best time to plan. If you do not have a scholarship, then you should know how much exactly you are paying (convert to your local currency), and do not forget to include the transaction fees. Check out the cost of housing and medical coverage, travel and other miscellaneous expenses, and then develop a concrete financial plan and calendar.
Apply for Accommodation
Housing in Sweden is a big deal. A very big deal. And if you are coming to big cities like Stockholm, then it is a bigger deal. How do you make the best out of this deal? Start now! Students admitted at Södertörn University often have no worries as the university prioritizes their accommodation. There’s always a room available for them. However, start right away. Find out more about housing here and email the admissions office, the international office or your programme coordinator for further clarification.
Apply for Visa and Residence Permit
So, you have accepted your admission offer and concluded the required documentations. The next thing is to apply for a visa or residence permit. In applying for visa/residence permit, the rules vary from country to country, and so are the requirements. However, generally, a visa/residence permit for students takes around 1-3 months to process, and this simply means that you have to start early. Check the Swedish Immigration website to learn more about your visa application to Sweden for studies
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Plan Your Travel
Admission accepted, documentation completed, tuition fee paid, housing secured, visa/residence permit granted! Right now, you can’t wait to start your journey. First thing in your travel plan is to get acquainted with the university. Make sure you attend the pre-departure events the university hosts. On there you can meet other students from your city with whom you can travel together; you also learn more about the campus, student life and how to pick your housing keys. Familiarize yourself with the university and then proceed to choosing your arrival date and packing your luggage. Read my article on “5 Things to do Before Your Arrival Day”