My Erasmus Experience in Skövde, Sweden. By Pablo.

Why did you choose to go to Skövde

I knew from a young age that I wanted to do my Erasmus placement in Sweden and my university faculty only gave me the option of Skövde to go to within Sweden.

How long did you grant last? How much money did you receive as help?

The grant lasts for a maximum of five months. In my case, after having justified by B2 English language level, I received the Erasmus+ grant from the Ministry and I was given €2, 000 in one payment. The bad thing was that they gave it to me in December and I had been in Skövde since August.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Skövde?

The university is one of the fundamental pillars that constitute the "city" of Skövde. For that reason, young people and students are always seen walking in the streets (Swedish people don't go out many times due to the climate and the darkness in winter).

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

Yes, I would recommend the city and its university to students that already have it planned and decided that the subject they are studying can be found in this university. The university here has a lot of focus around industry due to the fact that they collaborate with the Volvo factory in the city.

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How is the food in the country?

The food in this country doesn't have much about it, it is based mainly on meatballs with potatoes and not much fresh food. There aren't any bakeries, butchers, or fishmongers... Everything is bought in the supermarket (there are various supermarket chains in Skövde, there's Willis (one of the main Swedish chains) ICA (also Swedish, but a little more expensive than Willis, but it has more variety and has three types of supermarkets: ICA MAXI which is like a hypermarket, ICA KVANTUM which is like a supermarket, and ICA NÄRA NORRMALM, which is like a supermarket with reduced prices). A part from this there is Lidl and Netto, both of which are German supermarkets with the best prices. The problem is that they don't have much variety. Lidl is more of a "European" supermarket with products from around Spain and with the best price-to-quality options.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Skövde?

Not at all. The university organises accommodation for you when you fill out the Application Form on their web page. They ask you what residence or accommodation you would like and at the end of a month or two (depending on how long it took you to fill out the form) they will respond confirming which residence you have been assigned to.

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How much does it cost to live in Skövde?

The average price of accommodation in Skövde is about €400 a month. Starting from here, you will have to add at least €200 a month for food. During the first month, the bills will shoot up because you will have to do a huge shop, you will be preparing your room with all of the things you want (or need) and this costs money. A part from this, you need to add on the price of drinks/snacks in bars and clubs which, I'll warn you now, are scandalous. Therefore, in the first month, including accommodation (which you pay in advance), we are talking about €1, 000 if you need to buy yourself a lot, and the rest of the months you will need to be making good use of food and leisure should not pass €800 a month, including accommodation.

What's the language like? Did you go to any courses in university?

Logically, Swedish is spoken here. Although, with English, you can understand everyone as 95% of the population speak it without any problem. In my five months in Skövde, I have only found 2 people who didn't know how to speak English. At the university they offer courses in English and Swedish. In my case, I didn't participate in the Swedish ones because I didn't have time but although, I learned the basics thanks to the Swedish people and the students that will teach you if you ask them.

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What is the most affordable way to arrive in Skövde from your city?

I'm from Valencia. Without a doubt, the best way to get to Skövde would be to get a flight from Alicante with Ryanair and land in Gothenburg. From the airport, catch the bus to the train station and then get the train to Skövde. I have seen the Ryanair flight for only €29 (including only hand luggage and a backpack, which is logical for such a low-cost company). The bus from the airport to the station is €10 and the train to Skövde can be €8, but the usual price is around €15-20 which is expensive, but it all depends on the time that you get it and how far ahead you book it. There are discounts for young people under 18 years old and for those between 20 and 25 years old. A part from this, there is an option which is "Last Minute" where you can buy tickets 24hrs in advance and they are also really cheap.

Where do you recommend to go out in Skövde?

Unfortunately, there is only one street with bars and clubs on in Skövde. The names of the bars/clubs are:

• Gladje (it is a bar/club that normally has free entry, but on a lot of weekends you have to pay from 23-24h, and it closes at 2am).
• In front there is the bar called Pinchos and in the background there is a club called Bogrens which is, in my opinion, the best club. It is the biggest of all of them in Skövde with the best sound system, and the one which has an atmosphere most similar to the clubs in Spain. If you put your name on the list on Facebook it is free to enter before midnight on Thursdays and 22:00 on Saturdays. On Fridays you have to pay 140 koronas (€15) to enter.
• A minute walking around the corner onto the main street you will find Husaren, a big club with a great atmosphere and also where they do a lot of concerts on the weekend. It is smaller than Bogrens, but it has a terrace that is really nice when the weather is good.
• Lastly, in the park next to the university and a 5-10 minute walk from the rest of the clubs I mentioned before, you can find the club Boulogners. This one belongs to the student society at the university and it has a good environment during the first few days of university as they organise different events and parties. It has the best prices in Skövde in terms of drinks.

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And to eat in Skövde? Can you tell us some of your favourite places?

In the centre of Skövde there are some bars and a shopping centre called Commerce (with McDonald's and Subway and other fast food places) where you can eat, but in my case, I didn't get to eat at any except when we had Christmas lunch with the residence. In the shipping centre on the outskirts of the city called Esplanad, there is the MACI ICA and various shops from clothes to electronics and homeware, there is a pizzeria with quite a good quality-to-price ratio, as well as a McDonald's.

And for a cultural visit?

You can tour the city in less than an hour and the most interesting thing, culturally speaking, is in the central area with the main plaza and the bars next to the park where the church is. It should be mentioned that there are various cemeteries located throughout the different parks. The most important in Skövde is the Billinguen which is a hill where you can make out the whole city and the surrounding area, as well as various kilometres. At the top there is quite a large lake and a forest with different trails where you can do sports such as running, cycling, etc. Furthermore, in the winter the is a snowy trail and one where you can ski, for those who love to do winter sports.

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Do you have any advice to give to future students coming to Skövde?

For those of you who are going to Skövde, or have doubts about whether to choose it as an Erasmus destination: be clear about several things. Sweden is a very different country from Spain, ranging from the atmosphere to culture and people. In the winter it is dark and cold, there is not much going-out or partying because the Swedish laws are very strict and the clubs always close at 2am in Skövde, and at 3am or 5am in cities like Gothenburg and Stockholm. If you come to Skövde, it has to be because you want to live a totally different experience from what you are used to in Spain (or your home country), very cold, snowy, dark at 2pm, not much partying and a lot of dedication to studying (there are hardly any written exams, most are assignments). Take advantage of Sweden, as it has a very good railway transport network and make sure you travel to Stockholm and Gothenburg, without fail. You can also rent a car or van in Skövde and you can travel throughout the country, or even visit countries like Norway or Denmark. Mix with the Swedish people of Skövde and learn from them. Take notice of the offers in the supermarkets through their websites or in the supermarkets themselves so that you can save money on food and then you can dedicate it to activities in your free time. And finally, sign up for a sport or the gym, there are several available and they always have offers for students.

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