Erasmus Experience in Kristianstad, Sweden by Kristýna

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Why did you choose to go to Kristianstad, Sweden?

Going for an Erasmus to Sweden was a challenge. Everyone nowadays goes to Spain, or the UK, but hardly never can you hear "I am going to Sweden for my Erasmus! " I could choose between Jönkoping and Kristianstad, and I chose the latter simply because of its location.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

The scholarship covers every month of my stay, beginning in August and ending in January. My home university provides me with 500 EUR per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kristianstad?

Everyone lives in the same group of buildings that are located within walking distance from each other. It feels like we are one big family in here. There are usually two parties per week, but apart from this you will be very busy meeting people, making friends and having dinners together! The great yellow building is a meeting point, place to host parties and dinner or to celebrate christmas!

Would you recommend the city and the University of Kristianstad to other students?

The city might not seem as special for some of you, and you are right. It's rather a ghost town, especially during winter. But it is well located, from here you can easily go to other great cities as Malmö, Copenhagen, Lund, Helsingborg etc! HKR is really nice university with excellent teachers. It is very friendly and approachable.

What is the food like?

We mostly cooked the typical student meals like spaghetti, pasta, rice, so not much of a difference I guess.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Kristianstad?

No, the university told us we can rent a place from a company called Krebo (which has nothing to do with HKR), so we did.

How much does it cost to live in Kristianstad?

Around 2300-2500 € per month.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

University offers Swedish course to exchange students, but Swedish is a very difficult language, at least for me it was, so I decided to drop it after couple of lessons.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Kristianstad from your city?

I flew with an airline called Wizzair from Katowice to Malmö, from there you have to take a bus called Flyggbusarna to either Lund or Malmö, from which you can take a train to Kristianstad. Buy the tickets for Flyggbusarna online to save couple of SEKs...

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Kristianstad?

Bånken, Grand, or other city.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Kristianstad?

Lots of buffets, it depends what you are looking for. Oasen pizzeria in Nåsby is really close, really cheap and the pizza is awesome!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Film museum, the city museum, the Naturrum natural reserve, many lakes.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Kristianstad in the future?

When traveling, ask for a 2 day ticket. It costs 249 and it saves you lot of money. Don't forget to get the Jojo card. Save some money to buy a bike, it's going to save you a lot of time. Shop in Netto. Bring alcohol with you. Don't forget to have fun!