America to Sweden
Nov 5th 2004, 1:03 pm
#1
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America to Sweden
Hello all,
I'm a 19 year old american trying to study at the Stockholm university in Sweden, I will first have to get accepted to the college then proceed at getting a student visa/ permit. I will be taking swedish at a local college. If I make it to sweden to study there, then could I try to apply for a permanent residence?
I don't know to much about Swedish immigration laws, but any information would be great.
Also, even though I planned on this before Bush got re-elected...I am extremley enraged about this...I am truly embarrassed and disgusted to call my self american. This country has no morals what so ever, and I disagree 120% with the u.s. goverment. So this makes me want to move out even more.
anyways, thanks!
I'm a 19 year old american trying to study at the Stockholm university in Sweden, I will first have to get accepted to the college then proceed at getting a student visa/ permit. I will be taking swedish at a local college. If I make it to sweden to study there, then could I try to apply for a permanent residence?
I don't know to much about Swedish immigration laws, but any information would be great.
Also, even though I planned on this before Bush got re-elected...I am extremley enraged about this...I am truly embarrassed and disgusted to call my self american. This country has no morals what so ever, and I disagree 120% with the u.s. goverment. So this makes me want to move out even more.
anyways, thanks!
Last edited by helmikuu_aquarius; Nov 5th 2004 at 1:05 pm.
Nov 5th 2004, 4:10 pm
#2
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by helmikuu_aquarius
Hello all,
I'm a 19 year old american trying to study at the Stockholm university in Sweden, I will first have to get accepted to the college then proceed at getting a student visa/ permit. I will be taking swedish at a local college. If I make it to sweden to study there, then could I try to apply for a permanent residence?
I don't know to much about Swedish immigration laws, but any information would be great.
Also, even though I planned on this before Bush got re-elected...I am extremley enraged about this...I am truly embarrassed and disgusted to call my self american. This country has no morals what so ever, and I disagree 120% with the u.s. goverment. So this makes me want to move out even more.
anyways, thanks!
I'm a 19 year old american trying to study at the Stockholm university in Sweden, I will first have to get accepted to the college then proceed at getting a student visa/ permit. I will be taking swedish at a local college. If I make it to sweden to study there, then could I try to apply for a permanent residence?
I don't know to much about Swedish immigration laws, but any information would be great.
Also, even though I planned on this before Bush got re-elected...I am extremley enraged about this...I am truly embarrassed and disgusted to call my self american. This country has no morals what so ever, and I disagree 120% with the u.s. goverment. So this makes me want to move out even more.
anyways, thanks!
Your biggest problem is getting the first residence permit. For you to apply, you already need a job sign sealed and delivered before you fill in the forms. Further problems are that getting jobs in Sweden are not easy, unemployment is quite bad, you will need to speak swedish, and as you are not an EU citizen, the law (as far as I know) says that employers have to consider all EU citizen applicants and if none of them are suitable, then they can go onto non EU citizens. Sorry this is slightly depressing news. I know a bit about this as I have a japanese pal who wanted to move to the UK (she suceeded!) and as I have moved to Sweden, so I have some experience of that.
However, as you're thinking of coming as a student first, your chances improve! You'll come over as a student, learn the language, and be able to search for jobs whilst being here at the same time, which will make the whole thing a lot easier for you and make employers take you more seriously. And if you go to Stockholm, then you are going to the place with the most job opportunities of course!
For more info, there is the migrationsverket website (Immigration department) - its in swedish and english - as a starting point for you.
http://www.migrationsverket.se/
Lycka till!
Nov 5th 2004, 4:12 pm
#3
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Re: America to Sweden
PS. Are you Finnish? It's just with the Helmikuu - february - in your user name, that I wondered. ( I speak v. bad finnish so I recognised the word=))
Nov 6th 2004, 2:58 am
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by Ophelia
PS. Are you Finnish? It's just with the Helmikuu - february - in your user name, that I wondered. ( I speak v. bad finnish so I recognised the word=))
As far as being Finnish, no, it's just the month I was born in. But I do study the finnish language, as well as russian.
My goal is to study Linguistics or world/
Scandinavian history in Stockholm, and i'm thinking if i can speak more than three languages it would help my chances of immigrating there. Maybe I could teach english there, or russian...who knows.Again thank you for your information....one last question, whats it like living in Sweden?
Nov 6th 2004, 10:29 am
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by helmikuu_aquarius
Thank you for the information! Though yes at first it was depressing, but knowing to become a student first, will make it easier! I will try to keep optimistic as possible.
As far as being Finnish, no, it's just the month I was born in. But I do study the finnish language, as well as russian.
My goal is to study Linguistics or world/ Scandinavian history in Stockholm, and i'm thinking if i can speak more than three languages it would help my chances of immigrating there. Maybe I could teach english there, or russian...who knows.
Again thank you for your information....one last question, whats it like living in Sweden?
As far as being Finnish, no, it's just the month I was born in. But I do study the finnish language, as well as russian.
My goal is to study Linguistics or world/
Scandinavian history in Stockholm, and i'm thinking if i can speak more than three languages it would help my chances of immigrating there. Maybe I could teach english there, or russian...who knows.Again thank you for your information....one last question, whats it like living in Sweden?
Well, first off, the winters are bloody cold - I don't know which part of the US you come from, so you may or may not be used to this =) - but they deal with it here, clear the roads etc so life doesnt exactely grind to a halt.
Nature and the environment here is very important. There is a lot of good public transport, and during the summer people go out walking, in the forests etc a lot (in the winter its ski-ing). There's also a lot of recycling going on too - I mention this because this is something that I think is very important. I come from the UK, and we do a bit, but not as much as here, mainly because the "bins" to leave stuff to be recycled aren't available in the sheer quantity that they are here.
If we're going to talk national stereotypes, then americans are known for being chatty, open, talk to strangers etc. The british are somewhere in-between and the Swedes are at the other end of the scale. Its not that they are unfriendly, but before you are best friends with someone, they can seem a bit stand-offish and hard going. It's best to mention it so that if you experience it, you will realise that it is not you, it's them. I am having real problems getting to know people here, in fact one of my closest friends is not Swedish. ANYWAY, as you are looking to go into the student community first you will have great chances for meeting people, including other internationals.
The swedes, as scandinavians are in general, are very open minded and liberal. And peaceful. They don't like angry confrontations here. Perhaps that is part of the problem with the stand-offish thing, that they don't have so much passion (eg. like Russians have a reputation for)... although of course I am generalising here. For example it is illegal to smack your kids here. In any way. Whether that is a good thing or going too far... well, that's personal opinion.
Swedes drink a fair bit, probably on a level with the Brits (if that means anything), although alcohol is a bit more expensive here and people tend to do it more at parties at home. The pub culture we have over in the UK doesn't really exist so much over here. Although, again, going to a big city means you will have a bit of a different experience. They're not tolerant towards drugs here either. Of course it's all illegal in the UK, but it's much more common back home and people are more relaxed and apathetic towards it all back home.
People speak english here and when they find out that english is your native language, they love showing off their english to you. So that can be frustrating when you are trying to learn the language!
Finland and Sweden are a bit agressive towards one another (as a joke, like England and Scotland for example). No doubt you'll have heard about the stereotypes of Finns and Swedes. A number of Finns do live over here, so if you speak fluent Finnish, that would definately improve your chances in getting work. And Russian too. Basically extra languages can't hurt!
Can't think of anything more but if you wonder about anything - just ask =) When are you planning on moving to Sweden? For the spring term or will you be looking to start in august? Oh, and get looking for accomadation NOW in Stockholm. Apparently there is a 3 year queue for flats so I guess you'll have to look for a student room (good luck!) or a room to rent in a flat share.
Nov 6th 2004, 2:05 pm
#6
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by Ophelia
What's it like living in Sweden....not so easy to answer quickly! Have you ever been to Sweden? You don't always get the most positive response from foreigners in regards to living in Sweden.... why do you want to go to Sweden, though? Why not Finland if you already speak a bit of the lingo?
Well, first off, the winters are bloody cold - I don't know which part of the US you come from, so you may or may not be used to this =) - but they deal with it here, clear the roads etc so life doesnt exactely grind to a halt.
Nature and the environment here is very important. There is a lot of good public transport, and during the summer people go out walking, in the forests etc a lot (in the winter its ski-ing). There's also a lot of recycling going on too - I mention this because this is something that I think is very important. I come from the UK, and we do a bit, but not as much as here, mainly because the "bins" to leave stuff to be recycled aren't available in the sheer quantity that they are here.
If we're going to talk national stereotypes, then americans are known for being chatty, open, talk to strangers etc. The british are somewhere in-between and the Swedes are at the other end of the scale. Its not that they are unfriendly, but before you are best friends with someone, they can seem a bit stand-offish and hard going. It's best to mention it so that if you experience it, you will realise that it is not you, it's them. I am having real problems getting to know people here, in fact one of my closest friends is not Swedish. ANYWAY, as you are looking to go into the student community first you will have great chances for meeting people, including other internationals.
The swedes, as scandinavians are in general, are very open minded and liberal. And peaceful. They don't like angry confrontations here. Perhaps that is part of the problem with the stand-offish thing, that they don't have so much passion (eg. like Russians have a reputation for)... although of course I am generalising here. For example it is illegal to smack your kids here. In any way. Whether that is a good thing or going too far... well, that's personal opinion.
Swedes drink a fair bit, probably on a level with the Brits (if that means anything), although alcohol is a bit more expensive here and people tend to do it more at parties at home. The pub culture we have over in the UK doesn't really exist so much over here. Although, again, going to a big city means you will have a bit of a different experience. They're not tolerant towards drugs here either. Of course it's all illegal in the UK, but it's much more common back home and people are more relaxed and apathetic towards it all back home.
People speak english here and when they find out that english is your native language, they love showing off their english to you. So that can be frustrating when you are trying to learn the language!
Finland and Sweden are a bit agressive towards one another (as a joke, like England and Scotland for example). No doubt you'll have heard about the stereotypes of Finns and Swedes. A number of Finns do live over here, so if you speak fluent Finnish, that would definately improve your chances in getting work. And Russian too. Basically extra languages can't hurt!
Can't think of anything more but if you wonder about anything - just ask =) When are you planning on moving to Sweden? For the spring term or will you be looking to start in august? Oh, and get looking for accomadation NOW in Stockholm. Apparently there is a 3 year queue for flats so I guess you'll have to look for a student room (good luck!) or a room to rent in a flat share.
Well, first off, the winters are bloody cold - I don't know which part of the US you come from, so you may or may not be used to this =) - but they deal with it here, clear the roads etc so life doesnt exactely grind to a halt.
Nature and the environment here is very important. There is a lot of good public transport, and during the summer people go out walking, in the forests etc a lot (in the winter its ski-ing). There's also a lot of recycling going on too - I mention this because this is something that I think is very important. I come from the UK, and we do a bit, but not as much as here, mainly because the "bins" to leave stuff to be recycled aren't available in the sheer quantity that they are here.
If we're going to talk national stereotypes, then americans are known for being chatty, open, talk to strangers etc. The british are somewhere in-between and the Swedes are at the other end of the scale. Its not that they are unfriendly, but before you are best friends with someone, they can seem a bit stand-offish and hard going. It's best to mention it so that if you experience it, you will realise that it is not you, it's them. I am having real problems getting to know people here, in fact one of my closest friends is not Swedish. ANYWAY, as you are looking to go into the student community first you will have great chances for meeting people, including other internationals.
The swedes, as scandinavians are in general, are very open minded and liberal. And peaceful. They don't like angry confrontations here. Perhaps that is part of the problem with the stand-offish thing, that they don't have so much passion (eg. like Russians have a reputation for)... although of course I am generalising here. For example it is illegal to smack your kids here. In any way. Whether that is a good thing or going too far... well, that's personal opinion.
Swedes drink a fair bit, probably on a level with the Brits (if that means anything), although alcohol is a bit more expensive here and people tend to do it more at parties at home. The pub culture we have over in the UK doesn't really exist so much over here. Although, again, going to a big city means you will have a bit of a different experience. They're not tolerant towards drugs here either. Of course it's all illegal in the UK, but it's much more common back home and people are more relaxed and apathetic towards it all back home.
People speak english here and when they find out that english is your native language, they love showing off their english to you. So that can be frustrating when you are trying to learn the language!
Finland and Sweden are a bit agressive towards one another (as a joke, like England and Scotland for example). No doubt you'll have heard about the stereotypes of Finns and Swedes. A number of Finns do live over here, so if you speak fluent Finnish, that would definately improve your chances in getting work. And Russian too. Basically extra languages can't hurt!
Can't think of anything more but if you wonder about anything - just ask =) When are you planning on moving to Sweden? For the spring term or will you be looking to start in august? Oh, and get looking for accomadation NOW in Stockholm. Apparently there is a 3 year queue for flats so I guess you'll have to look for a student room (good luck!) or a room to rent in a flat share.
As far as the culture goes, the environment is an issue that i am deeply concerned about! I've been doing alot of research on sweden and it's culture, and it just seems to fit with me. I'm a quiet and reserved person myself, but none the less very open and friendly once i get to know someone. Also anouther reason for Sweden is because my studies revolves around their, such as: the language, history and so on.
The only problem is, WILL they llike me? because i am an american, would they shun away from thinking that i'm some ignorant american?
Also I don't feel at home here in america, and never have. I can't stand the stupidity here, i want to break free from this culture and start my life in a culture i would feel at home with....and sweden seems like that. But I will never no until i go there!
anyways thanks agian....by the way, my names Katy, nice to meet you!
Nov 6th 2004, 4:26 pm
#7
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by helmikuu_aquarius
Well it's good to hear someones personal opinion!
As far as the culture goes, the environment is an issue that i am deeply concerned about! I've been doing alot of research on sweden and it's culture, and it just seems to fit with me. I'm a quiet and reserved person myself, but none the less very open and friendly once i get to know someone. Also anouther reason for Sweden is because my studies revolves around their, such as: the language, history and so on.
The only problem is, WILL they llike me? because i am an american, would they shun away from thinking that i'm some ignorant american?
Also I don't feel at home here in america, and never have. I can't stand the stupidity here, i want to break free from this culture and start my life in a culture i would feel at home with....and sweden seems like that. But I will never no until i go there!
anyways thanks agian....by the way, my names Katy, nice to meet you!
As far as the culture goes, the environment is an issue that i am deeply concerned about! I've been doing alot of research on sweden and it's culture, and it just seems to fit with me. I'm a quiet and reserved person myself, but none the less very open and friendly once i get to know someone. Also anouther reason for Sweden is because my studies revolves around their, such as: the language, history and so on.
The only problem is, WILL they llike me? because i am an american, would they shun away from thinking that i'm some ignorant american?
Also I don't feel at home here in america, and never have. I can't stand the stupidity here, i want to break free from this culture and start my life in a culture i would feel at home with....and sweden seems like that. But I will never no until i go there!
anyways thanks agian....by the way, my names Katy, nice to meet you!
Well, maybe Sweden will suit you, to be honest it's hard to know till you've lived here. But again, being a student first seems to be the best way to go. That way you're not signing up for life, so if it doesn't work out, you can always move on. And remember the first year living abroad can be tough at times, so give it a chance once you first get here. To be honest, if you're wondering this seriously about it, it's best to give it a go, even if you realise that it's not right for you, because you will learn so much from the experience, and if you don't do it, you will always wonder "what if" and regret it.
Nov 7th 2004, 3:10 pm
#8
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Re: America to Sweden
Oh, random thought. IF you're interested in Sweden - history, culture etc and for some reason Sweden doesn't work out, there's a great degree course in Scandinavian Studies at Edinburgh Uni =)
Where abouts in the States are you from by the way?
Where abouts in the States are you from by the way?
Nov 8th 2004, 12:19 am
#9
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Re: America to Sweden
Originally Posted by Ophelia
Oh, random thought. IF you're interested in Sweden - history, culture etc and for some reason Sweden doesn't work out, there's a great degree course in Scandinavian Studies at Edinburgh Uni =)
Where abouts in the States are you from by the way?
Where abouts in the States are you from by the way?
Nov 8th 2004, 10:08 pm
#10
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 309
Re: America to Sweden
Hi,
I lived in Sweden for six years, both in Stockholm and Skåne (down South). I think you're way better off living in the capital, as people will be slightly more open-minded, and there's a greater variety of cultures so you may blend right in. I definitely preferred Stockholm to Skåne, so my advice to you is to stay away from the South really. I had some very unpleasant experiences down there, and I would hate for anyone else to endure that.
As Ophelia rightfully said, the Swedes are difficult to get to know. I am half Swedish and fluent in the language, yet all my friends ended up being American/British/German. There's quite a bit of racism, and people tend to lean towards the 'you're in Sweden so act Swedish' mentality. I think you really need to go there in the middle of winter to get an accurate picture.
Take care,
-Becs
I lived in Sweden for six years, both in Stockholm and Skåne (down South). I think you're way better off living in the capital, as people will be slightly more open-minded, and there's a greater variety of cultures so you may blend right in. I definitely preferred Stockholm to Skåne, so my advice to you is to stay away from the South really. I had some very unpleasant experiences down there, and I would hate for anyone else to endure that.
As Ophelia rightfully said, the Swedes are difficult to get to know. I am half Swedish and fluent in the language, yet all my friends ended up being American/British/German. There's quite a bit of racism, and people tend to lean towards the 'you're in Sweden so act Swedish' mentality. I think you really need to go there in the middle of winter to get an accurate picture.
Take care,
-Becs
