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How KTH Welcomed Me on Arrival

Moving to a new country is a big step in anyone’s life, KTH goes above and beyond to ensure that incoming students feel not just welcomed, but truly at home. In this blog we’ll dive into various events and fun activities that marked my arrival month at KTH, making my transition to university life an unforgettable experience.

Arrival Days: 19th and 20th August

KTH has two arrival days designated to receive international students, for us it was on the 19th and 20th of August. I’d strongly suggest you to plan your arrival on these days to enjoy the additional services provided. If you’re worried about how to reach the KTH campus from the Arlanda airport, fear not! KTH has you covered – a bus will be at the airport waiting for you to take you to the KTH campus.

Representatives of the student union dancing and welcoming when the new students arrived.
Representatives of the student union (THS) welcoming the new students with a dance! (Photo by Vaibhavi Goda)

On arrival, you can store your luggage at the storage space provided by KTH. The next steps were to activate my KTH account and get an access card which is used to access buildings and locked doors on campus. You could also grab a fika while you’re at the KTH Entré! 😉

You can also sign the housing contract and receive your key and a free bedding kit if you have an accommodation through KTH. Don’t forget to get answers to all your questions about being a new student at KTH. I had a million questions 😅 and the staff at the Entré were very helpful.

three people standing in-front of a stall setup up by the student union representatives.
Stall setup by the student union (THS). In-photo (left to right): my sister, me, and my brother-in-law. I wonder why younger siblings are always taller 😝

The thing I loved about the arrival days was how easy KTH made it for the new-coming students to gain information and meet new people. There were stalls setup by the student union representatives where you can get a goodie bag and a free sim card (which was very thoughtful of them to provide), and register to the various events organised by them.

THS organised events: what excites you?

The student union (THS) organised an international reception for new students, where there were numerous fun activities starting from August 1st. These activities are completely voluntary, but I’d highly recommend you to participate in them. They help you to meet new people, explore new activities in Stockholm, experience the Swedish culture and have a great start to your stay at KTH.

a collage of three photos showing kayaking, rock-climbing, and the grand banquet events organised by the student union.
Various events organised by THS International Reception. (Left photo by Aditya Khasnis; Right Photo by Moiz Kharodawala)

There are events for everyone! If you like music and partying there are several events like Karaoke Night and Welcome Party. If you’re adventurous, you might like the kayaking, hiking events. You might also like the fancy Grand Banquet on the last day of the reception, which was on September 9th. There were close to a hundred events spanning the entire arrival month!

Some of the events were:

  1. Gamla Stan Tour
  2. Kayaking
  3. Hiking
  4. Laser Tag
  5. Movie Nights
  6. Campus Treasure Hunt
  7. Indian Restaurant Crawl
  8. Improv Workshops
  9. Karaoke Night
  10. Viking Themed Gasque at Osqvik (where I witnessed the beauty of the Northern Lights)

…and many more!

I attended a lot of those events and I loved it!. They were well-designed to make you explore the city and the university campus through events and activities, and by the end of the month I’m sure you’d have an idea on the best places in Stockholm and you’d also have made a lot of new friends. The registration for these events starts a few months before arrival (in June – July), so keep an eye out! Which events are you most excited about? 🤩

Have you read Samantha’s journey to get her dream internship? You could find more details about that in her latest post.