Sweden runs on student life — nation parties in Uppsala and Lund, fika breaks between lectures, saunas, lake swims and northern lights trips. English everywhere makes settling in stupidly easy.
Monthly budget
€850–1,300
Language
Swedish (everyone speaks English)
Best time
Autumn semester runs late August to mid-January, spring mid-January to early June — arrive in August for the best intro weeks.
Perched at the southern tip of Lake Vattern, Jonkoping is a friendly, walkable university town known for its international business school and lakeside student life.
🤝
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Jonkoping University, and especially its International Business School (JIBS), pulls in a big exchange crowd, so you land in a genuinely international bubble. The compact campus sits right by Lake Vattern, whose beaches and sunsets become the backdrop to your semester. It is small and easy to settle into, with Gothenburg and Stockholm both reachable by train for bigger trips.
JIBS (Jonkoping International Business School) is built around exchange, with a strong buddy programme
Campus is central and a short walk from the lake and town
Gothenburg is about two hours away, Stockholm around three and a half
Jonkoping Student Union and the JIBS clubs run the welcome weeks, sittningar and parties, and the international crowd makes for a tight, sociable scene. The union pub and the bars around Ostra Storgatan are the main student haunts, and summer term means barbecues and swims along the Vattern shoreline. It is a place where you quickly know everyone in your cohort.
Sign up for welcome week through the student union to meet your cohort fast
The union pub and the nightlife around Ostra Storgatan are the social core
When it is warm, the lakeside beaches and Rocksjon are the go-to hangouts
Jonkoping is mid-range for Sweden, so budget around 8,500-11,000 SEK (roughly 750-950 euros) a month. Student rooms run 3,500-5,000 SEK, and the town is small enough that you walk or cycle rather than pay for transport. Cooking at home and hitting lunch deals keeps things affordable.
Student rooms via Studentbostader i Jonkoping are the best-value option
Eat the dagens lunch deal on weekdays to save on food
Buy alcohol from Systembolaget; the union pub is the cheap night out
Studentbostader i Jonkoping is the main student landlord, with rooms in Raslatt and Oxnehaga and closer-in Rosenlund, and the university helps place exchange students, so take the offer early. Raslatt is cheaper but a bus ride out, while central options cost more. Avoid deposits for unseen sublets.
Apply to Studentbostader i Jonkoping and accept your university offer promptly
Raslatt is affordable but out of town; central rooms save commuting
Ask the Jonkoping group on Studcasa for sublet tips and honest area advice
Real rent in Jonkoping
$486per month, median
Students who reviewed Jonkoping paid a median of $486 a month for their housing, ranging from $432 to $648. Based on 5 student reviews, converted to US dollars.
The town is compact and walkable, and a bike covers the rest. City and regional buses run on Jonkopings Lanstrafik (JLT); use the app for tickets and a monthly pass if you live further out. The train station in the centre connects you to Gothenburg and, via changes, Stockholm.
Walk or cycle, as central Jonkoping is small and flat along the lake
Use the JLT app for buses; a monthly pass suits Raslatt and Oxnehaga commuters
Trains from the central station reach Gothenburg in about two hours
Jonkoping University is known for business (JIBS), engineering, health sciences and education, with plenty of English-taught courses aimed at exchange students. Teaching leans on group projects, case work and presentations rather than big exams. Staff are approachable and informal.
JIBS for business and economics; the schools of engineering and health for STEM and care
Expect case studies, group work and continuous assessment over final exams
It depends on your nationality. EU, EEA, and Swiss students need no visa or residence permit and have full right to study and stay. Non-EU students staying over 90 days need a residence permit for studies from the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), applied for online before arrival, with proof of admission, funds, and comprehensive health insurance.
Apply as early as possible, as processing can take weeks or months in peak season. You'll also want to sort a Swedish personal number (personnummer) if you're staying a full year, as it unlocks banking, healthcare, and many services, though shorter stays can get by with a coordination number instead. Keep digital copies of everything.
EU/EEA/Swiss, no visa or permit needed
Non-EU over 90 days, study residence permit via Migrationsverket
Apply online early; peak-season processing is slow
A personnummer unlocks banking and healthcare for year-long stays
Fika runs the day here as everywhere in Sweden, and the lakeside setting shapes life, from summer swims to winter walks. The town has a solid cafe scene and a Saturday market, and the student union events keep food cheap and social. Alcohol comes from Systembolaget.
Take fika breaks at the cafes along Ostra Storgatan
Swim off the Vattern beaches in warm months, as the water is famously clear
Sweden is cashless, so carry a card
The centre sits on the strip of land between lakes Vattern and Munksjon, with campus, shops and nightlife all close together. Rosenlund and Liljeholmen are handy central-ish residential areas, while Raslatt and Oxnehaga are the bigger, cheaper student-housing districts a short bus ride out.
The centre for walkable access to campus, the lake and nightlife
Raslatt and Oxnehaga for affordable student corridors
Rosenlund for a balance of price and proximity
Gothenburg is around two hours by train and Stockholm three and a half, both easy weekend targets. Closer by, the quaint town of Granna (home of polkagris candy) and the island of Visingso in Lake Vattern make a lovely short trip, and Vattern's shore is made for cycling.
Day-trip to Granna (about 40 min) for striped polkagris rock and Vattern views
Ferry across to Visingso island from Granna in summer
Train to Gothenburg (about 2h) or Stockholm (about 3.5h) for city weekends
Because so many students are international, English gets you a long way, but a few Swedish words are appreciated. Get a bike, lean into the lakeside outdoor life, and mind Systembolaget's opening hours. Winters are dark, so build cosy indoor habits early.
Buy a used bike for getting around and lakeside rides
Stock up at Systembolaget before weekends and holidays
Make the most of Vattern year-round, from swimming to sunset walks
Guide last updated July 2026
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Student Reviews
Your city’s already waiting.
Join the group, skip the scams, land sorted. Free, no sign-up, no corporate nonsense.
Of course, small room but the best way to meet a lot of extraordinary friends from all over the world…
5 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid≈ $648 (600€)
What kind of place was it?
Student Residence
Where was it located?
Building Delta, 2min from the central bus station and 10 from the uni by walking
Would you recommend it?
Of course, small room but the best way to meet a lot of extraordinary friends from all over the world
🍻 Social Life4/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
The Akademien, the university student club is super cool
🎓 Uni life at Jönköping University College4/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
I don’t remember, I took only bullshit classes xd
Do you have some tips?
A lot of group works
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
Lapland, Iceland, baltics
🌆 Jonkoping vibe5/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
Cost of living is quite expensive
Samuel
2025 • Full year
4.0/10
FromKedge
ToJönköping International Business School
PoorBottom of the scale
The residence is modern and the rooms are clean, but the common areas are rather dirty due to the students using them. Most of the rooms are large enough and……
6 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid≈ $594 (550€)
What kind of place was it?
Student Residence
Where was it located?
20 min by walk from uni and city center
Would you recommend it?
The residence is modern and the rooms are clean, but the common areas are rather dirty due to the students using them. Most of the rooms are large enough and fully equipped (kitchen with stovetop, microwave, and fridge, bathroom, toilet, bed), and shared kitchens (with stovetop, microwave, oven, kettle, dishwasher, cutlery, dishes, and all necessary equipment) are available with a certain number of slots available per month (10). There is a laundry room with a washing machine and dryer, also with a certain number of slots available per month (I don't remember). There is also a gym (STC) on the ground floor of the building; it costs money (around €40 per month at the student rate) and is open to both students in the residence and non-residents.
The main problem I encountered was that rooms were assigned randomly, and I was placed in one of the smallest rooms (14m²) that didn't have a kitchen. I am therefore obliged to use the shared kitchen on a daily basis, which is only functional from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (despite my unlimited number of slots because I only have this kitchen) and the other students who use it to party or cook always leave it in a terrible state of cleanliness. The internet connection is not extraordinary but remains sufficient for normal use (no video games).
🍻 Social Life2/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
There are a few nice bars for drinks with a view of the lake (the bar "la vue" and those next to it). There are several nightclubs, the first one reserved and managed for/by students is called Akademien, open only on Wednesdays, and another one, called Life. The nightclubs close at 2 a.m. and are less "fun" than in France in my opinion. The different associations of the school organize some events but I have the impression that international students are rarely their main target. Two major events of the year are the "Valborg" which is a kind of party for the arrival of summer and the Kick-Off which is the integration week for new international students. There are also cafes (like Espresso House, the equivalent of Starbucks in Scandinavia) and restaurants in the city. Most of the fast food restaurants are located outside the city but remain accessible by bus or on foot if you walk longer.
🎓 Uni life at Jönköping International Business School 4/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
All the courses are more or less interesting depending on your interests, but there are very few hours of classes each week. You need to get an average of 12/20 (60/100) to validate the courses. Every course I took included at least one group assignment and the teachers are often available and reachable.
Do you have some tips?
The campus is pretty good. There are several ways to eat, a student bar open on Wednesdays, one of the biggest or most beautiful libraries in Sweden (I don't really remember) and a large building for each specialty (one for the business school, one for engineers, one for doctors, one for communication). Registration, arrival and the housing service are pretty simple and efficient. But personally if I had the choice I wouldn't choose this university again. I had a hard time meeting people other than the others from my original school, life here is expensive, classes are too rare, the city is not very big and does not offer a lot of activities. All of this combined meant that my experience here was not great and I often found myself alone with nothing to do in my room. This is my point of view based on my experience, others have certainly experienced it differently.
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
The only positive point is that it is easy to travel from Jönköping which is quite centrally located. For a reasonable price it is possible to go to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö or Copenhagen by bus. The airports of Gothenburg and Stockholm are not very far away and there are opportunities to visit the big cities of the neighboring countries for a reasonable price. I was also able to participate in a trip organized by a school association which took us to Lapland. The journey lasted 24 hours there and 24 hours back for 4/5 days there but the experience was just great, there are many activities offered (snowmobiling, feeding queen bees, dog sledding, snow hiking, fishing on a frozen lake and learning how to make a fire as well as a trip to Tromso) and we saw enormous Northern Lights.
🌆 Jonkoping vibe3/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
The city is very safe from my experience. The buses serve the entire city and its surrounding areas quite well, even if they are a bit expensive in my opinion (around €4 per ticket) and the season tickets are also a bit expensive and not necessary. I always did everything on foot and it was more than enough. The weather is rather cold, but I expected worse. The food is classic, it's not as good as France. And the general cost of living here is expensive, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, activities and transport.
💡 Other Tips
You'll hear a lot about a Personnummer. It's a kind of administrative identification number for Swedes. I've never really needed one, despite what you might hear.
Sarah
2025 • Full year
6.0/10
FromKedge Bordeaux
ToJIBS
MixedMiddle of the scale
Transport is quite expensive when you are over 20 (595 SEK). Life in Sweden is more expensive than in France. In terms of food there is less choice and……
5 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid600
What kind of place was it?
Student Residence
Where was it located?
3 min walk from Coop (small supermarket) and 10/15 min by bus from the school and the town centre with bars
Would you recommend it?
I really liked the fact of living alone, the building and the rooms are modern, you don't have an oven in your room but you have shared kitchens on your floor. Laudry and Dryer are available in the residence. The accommodation is a little expensive for the size of the room but if I had to do it again, given that I didn't want to be in a shared apartment, I would choose the same option.
🍻 Social Life5/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
All the bars and clubs are in the center. The best bar is O'Learys, they offer student prices on drinks, bowling and karaoke -50% on Wednesdays, good atmosphere to go watch the matches thanks to their big screens, you can also eat there.
The university nightclub, AKA, open mainly on Wednesdays, quite nice at first but you have to arrive before 10 p.m. to avoid paying, and the sound is always the same but the atmosphere is good nonetheless.
The best nightclub is Life, the place is beautiful, the music is nicer than AKA, but not many parties there.
The Murphy offers free billiards and darts every night of the week (Friday not included).
🎓 Uni life at JIBS4/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
I recommend the subject, Supply Chain, which I found very interesting, and the Swedish course.
Do you have some tips?
The campus is really nice, beautiful view of the lake, the classes are pleasant. There are often associations in the hall, to introduce students.
Registration is quite simple but the service center is not open very late (9am-3pm/3:30pm).
Yes I Will have taken the same uni.
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
trips offered by the university (Lapland, Norway, Iceland).
Many flexibus departures to many cities at low prices. 5 hours from Stockholm and Copenhagen 1 hour 40 minutes from Gothenburg.
🌆 Jonkoping vibe3/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
Transport is quite expensive when you are over 20 (595 SEK). Life in Sweden is more expensive than in France. In terms of food there is less choice and diversity of products than in France and it is more expensive. We feel very safe there, there are a lot of police officers in the city and at night when leaving the club too. In terms of weather, in spring/summer the sun rises early and sets very late (e.g. in May it rises at 3am and sets at 11pm) and in winter/autumn the opposite (e.g. it rises at 8:30am and sets at 4pm).
It's still a small town so the number of activities, restaurants and bars is quite limited. The city tour is quite quickly done.
Paul
2024 • Full year
2.0/10
FromJönköping University
ToJönköping University
PoorBottom of the scale
Let's say that there are two type of cost : necessary to live (food, rent) & unnecessary to live (parties, sport, activities ...)
The necessary-to-live cost……
6 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid≈ $486 (450€)
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
Where was it located?
Jönköping City
Would you recommend it?
I would try something else because life in Jönköping is really calm
I was living alone
So, not having animation at home is quite depressive
🍻 Social Life1/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
Alcohol is horribly expensive
Parties stop at 2am
There are like 3 or 4 places if you want to party
🎓 Uni life at Jönköping University3/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
All of the classes are quite the same in term of difficulty
You don't have a lot of classes hours per week but you have to learn by heart the lessons, which require time
I'm not a big fan of tis method but it's subjective
Do you have some tips?
The campus is cool
Registration was easy
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
At least, there is one good thing about Jonkoping that we can't deny is travel oppportunities
Sweden is a beautiful country, really far from what we use to experience
Landscapes, human/nature relationship, unique activities
Moreover, there are a lot of flight from sweden to European countries which cost peanut
The University also organize trips which have great feedbacks but I didn't make them
🌆 Jonkoping vibe1/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
Let's say that there are two type of cost : necessary to live (food, rent) & unnecessary to live (parties, sport, activities ...)
The necessary-to-live cost are quit reasonable but the other costs are really expensive
If you want to work, you have to get a "personnummer" (have a check on this one) and you have to speak swedish
During winter, it's cold, nights are getting longer and longer, it can be quite depressive
💡 Other Tips
Good luck, it's not easy Jonkoping
Pauline
2025 • Full year
5.0/10
FromKedge Business School
Tojönköping university
PoorBottom of the scale
What you need to know is that there are not many activities to do in the city, we quickly toured the activities when we have been there for a while, but there……
6 sections rated
🏠 Housing5/5
Rent paid550
What kind of place was it?
Student Residence
Where was it located?
In linsen, 10 min from the school
Would you recommend it?
Yes it was a nice accommodation, But they are for people who want to be in a roommate because I think there is no apartment alone, the apartment is big and we have a balcony so it's cool on the other hand we don't have a common space so we don't meet many people from the residence
🍻 Social Life2/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
Life is the best club because there are only 2 nightclubs, the bar I go to all the time is the view it's by the lake it's nice and then there are not a lot of events to leave the kick off at the beginning of the semester
🎓 Uni life at jönköping university 3/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
The supply chain course is really interesting and the business to business marketing course also not bad we even have a challenge to do pretty cool
Do you have some tips?
The campus is a little special because it's full of different buildings from all the schools and we have classes everywhere after there are cafes on campus it's pretty cool otherwise JIBS the interior of the school is nice and the H building is also very big, as for registration it was quite easy we quickly received information to create an account all that so it was, the university is good but the city in it is even not great so I think I would not choose this city
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
On the other hand, the trips are incredible, there is an association that works with a travel agency and so we offer you a lot of trips to do, the best is by far that of Lapland I lived an incredible experience, it seems a little expensive but it's worth it because the trip was magnificent, we can also go to Norway or Iceland which is really to do also for what is about travel so if you have the budget you can enjoy but be careful you have to register quickly it leaves quickly especially Lapland
🌆 Jonkoping vibe3/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
What you need to know is that there are not many activities to do in the city, we quickly toured the activities when we have been there for a while, but there is a nice bar with a bowling alley in it and arcade games I spent a lot of time there and there is a lot of discount it is the O'learys bar, then there is a good steakhouse in front of the bar it is the grill I think, there is also a bar with darts at the bottom next to the grill, in the same place there is a cinema even if the movies are in Swedish, which is quite cool is also when the weather is nice there is a beach at the end of the lake and you can sit there have barbecues or even play volleyball so all this is really nice
💡 Other Tips
What you need to know is that you really have to make friends at school so as not to be alone and bored, so you really have to go out often go for a walk near the lake go to the bar all that otherwise the days are long because we have practically no classes, be careful also if you come in January because the sun sets at 2 p.m. and it's really special you have the impression that your day is over when not at all but it demotivates a little
Melchior
2024 • Full year
6.0/10
FromKedge
ToJonkoping International Business School
MixedMiddle of the scale
The avantage of this exchange is that you can really enjoy 6 months to travel and do thing outside the city. But only
Staying in Jonkoping can be a bit……
6 sections rated
🏠 Housing3/5
Rent paid550
What kind of place was it?
Coliving / Shared House
Where was it located?
10min from school, 20 min from the center (really small center)
Would you recommend it?
The avantage of this exchange is that you can really enjoy 6 months to travel and do thing outside the city. But only
Staying in Jonkoping can be a bit complicated for the mental health
🍻 Social Life3/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
X
🎓 Uni life at Jonkoping International Business School 3/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
X
Do you have some tips?
Registration was easy, i would pick it again for the liberty the univerosty give us. The campus is quite nice, I would say the issue would be the city, which is really small
✈️ Travel4/5
Best trips to do?
Organize à lots of trips around the country, Poland, Lapland (organized by the uni), Budapest, try to go around as much as you can
🌆 Jonkoping vibe2/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
X
💡 Other Tips
X
Lise
2023 • Other
7.0/10
FromKedge Business School
ToJibs (Jönköping International Business School)
MixedMiddle of the scale
The campus is pretty nice, there's a coffee shop, a library and a lot a rooms to study in. Registration was relatively easy. I wouldn't pick that university……
6 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid≈ $432 (Around 400€/month)
What kind of place was it?
Student Residence
Where was it located?
In Jönköping, close the the university
Would you recommend it?
It's nice if you pick student accommodation in which you have roommates because it's a perfect way to socialise and make friends with the other international students
🍻 Social Life3/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
I did not go that often, clubs close a bit early, but at least they are quite safe
🎓 Uni life at Jibs (Jönköping International Business School) 3/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
I liked all the sustainability related courses, it should be more popular, it's very important
Do you have some tips?
The campus is pretty nice, there's a coffee shop, a library and a lot a rooms to study in. Registration was relatively easy. I wouldn't pick that university again, because I have ADHD and the classes at Jibs were a nightmare for my brain : huge courses with so many students, almost no practice, mostly theorical, very few classes per week and a lot to read on your own.
I would recommend for someone who's very organised and independent, but if you struggle with mental health and/or socialisation I wouldn't recommend. It's very easy to isolate yourself when there is so few classes with too many people, I know many people who share the same feelings as me on that matter.
However, it is a different experience for everyone, it depends on their study method and personality!
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
The school organised many trips, the best is the one in Finnish Lapland, in the polar circle. There's many activities and the possibility to see northern lights, best trip I ever did, 10/10!!!
🌆 Jonkoping vibe3/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
It's in the north, so half of the year it's mostly night, and the other half of the year it's mostly daylight, it's important to know that people ALL go out when it's start getting sunny again, so don't be surprised if you barely see anyone in the streets during the winter!
💡 Other Tips
Bring snow boots and try to socialise early!!
Léonie
2024 • Full year
9.0/10
FromJönköping University
ToJönköping university
ExcellentTop of the scale
The appartement was really nice, I shared it with one my friend. We were in the city center. Next to the school.…
5 sections rated
🏠 Housing4/5
Rent paid500
What kind of place was it?
Classic Apartment
Where was it located?
In the center
Would you recommend it?
The appartement was really nice, I shared it with one my friend. We were in the city center. Next to the school.
🍻 Social Life5/5
What are some top bars, clubs, or events you recommend?
Akademian, Life, ID, Bongo, shooters,…
🎓 Uni life at Jönköping university 4/5
Which classes do you recommend… or not?
Don’t know, we were in a specific program
Do you have some tips?
I would recommend this uni !! That was an amazing experience. So much students.
✈️ Travel5/5
Best trips to do?
The uni offers different travel opportunities. I went to Lapland with them.
🌆 Jonkoping vibe4/5
What do you absolutely need to know to live your best life in Jonkoping?
That’s a nice city with different activities to do. It’s really peaceful.
