{"id":9123,"date":"2023-04-22T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-22T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/?p=9123"},"modified":"2026-03-31T14:39:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:39:02","slug":"how-to-find-accommodation-in-stockholm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/2023\/04\/how-to-find-accommodation-in-stockholm\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Student Accommodation in Stockholm – Updated 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hello everybody and welcome to this new post! Today, we are going to talk about how to find accommodation in Stockholm as a non-fee-paying international student. As explained in Martyna’s post on moving to Stockholm as an EU student, KTH does not grant accommodation to non-fee-paying students, unless they are part of a Joint Master’s programme. This means you will have to look for accommodation yourself, but don’t panic! We have got you covered.<\/p>\r\n

📌 2026 Update Note:<\/strong> The “Finding housing on your own”<\/a> page was updated in February 2026. Some previously recommended websites have changed, new resources have been added, and the fraud advice has been significantly expanded. This post reflects all of those updates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Sunset\r\n
A beautiful sunset over Lappis, the most popular SSSB accommodation area. Credits: Zhi Zou<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are two main ways to find housing in Stockholm. The first one is to apply to a housing queue, while the second is to find a sublet apartment on the private market.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Step 1: Join housing queues<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In general, a housing queue works like this: you register, and for every day you spend in the queue, you earn one credit day. When you apply for a specific apartment, it goes to the applicant with the most credit days. Simple!<\/p>\r\n

There are two main housing queues worth knowing about: Bostadsf\u00f6rmedlingen<\/a> and SSSB<\/a>. Let’s have a closer look at both 👇<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

SSSB<\/h3>\r\n

SSSB<\/a> is by far the most popular option among students in Stockholm (almost everybody I know found housing through SSSB). It’s a housing queue exclusively for students; new apartments are published twice a week, and locations are generally excellent. Rents are also considerably cheaper than comparable private-market apartments. Signing up is free, but to stay in the queue, you must have an active THS membership<\/a> (the KTH Student Union) \u2014 currently 365 SEK\/year.<\/p>\r\n

The 90-day rule:<\/strong> You can start collecting credit days up to 90 days before becoming a student union member \u2014 meaning you can register now, even before arriving in Stockholm. Once you hit around 89 days, you can pause your subscription for up to 60 days, then reactivate when you arrive and get your THS membership. It sounds a bit fiddly, but it’s easier than it looks! You can also find an explanation of how the queue works on the SSSB website – Collecting credit days<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

SSSB offers both full apartments and corridor rooms (private bedroom and bathroom, shared kitchen). A nice perk of corridor rooms is that you get two months’ rent-free over summer. You’ll typically need a minimum of 80\u201390 credit days for a corridor room, but in popular locations like Lappis, the average wait is 200\u2013300 days. This means that most students spend their first semester in private-market accommodation and then move to SSSB once they’ve built up enough queue days.<\/p>\r\n

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💡 Already guaranteed KTH housing for your first year?<\/strong> You should still sign up to the SSSB queue right away. KTH housing is only guaranteed for year one, and building up queue days now is the best way to secure somewhere to live for your second year.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A grey Winter day at Strix, an SSSB accommodation at a 10-minute ride from central Stockholm<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Stockholm Housing Agency (Bostadsf\u00f6rmedlingen)<\/h3>\r\n

Bostadsf\u00f6rmedlingen<\/a> is the municipal housing queue for the City of Stockholm, open to everyone \u2014 not just students. They do have specific housing options for students and young people (ages 18\u201325). The yearly fee is 200 SEK.<\/p>\r\n

To register, you’ll need a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number<\/strong>, which means you’ll have to wait until you arrive in Sweden. Average queue times here are longer than SSSB, but some students do get accommodation within a year, so it’s worth signing up as a backup as soon as you can.<\/p>\r\n

I personally don’t know anybody who got their accommodation through Bostadsf\u00f6rmedlingen<\/a>, so I don’t know much more about it. It is worth subscribing to, though, because they have many houses available to students!\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Step 2: Look at Private Housing Ads<\/h2>\r\n

Usually, renting from a private individual is more expensive than renting through a housing queue \u2014 but it’s still how most students find their first place, myself included. Personally, I’ve used Blocket Bostad (now Blocket Bostad x Qasa<\/strong>)and had a good experience with it: you find a house you’re interested in, send a message to the owner, arrange a video call viewing, and then sign the contract. You can keep private accommodation throughout your studies, or just use it as a bridge until SSSB comes through. If you’re arriving with other new students, sharing a flat or trying a co-living space for a few months is also worth considering.<\/p>\r\n

Recommended subletting websites<\/h3>\r\n

The following platforms help make subletting safer by verifying landlords, managing contracts, and handling payments:<\/p>\r\n