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Safety, passport, insurance and health during studies abroad

If you are about to study abroad through KTH, you will find more information about safety, passports, visas, insurance, and vaccinations here. Please read the information carefully to be well-prepared before going abroad.

Information about your destination

Take a thorough look into the country and region you are going to. The more you know about your destination's customs, climate, religion, political situation and crime, the easier it will be to manage on your own and avoid risky situations. Be prepared that authorities and the legal system may operate entirely differently in other countries compared to Sweden. If you encounter bad situations during your exchange sutdies, notify your international coordinator at KTH as soon as possible. If you are conducting other forms of studies abroad, such as a degree project or internship, please get in touch with your contact person at KTH.

Prepare yourself, for example, by studying the destination on the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website to get any travel recommendations and current contact information for the embassy or consulate. UD Resklar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel app, gives you up-to-date information and concrete tips to make your trip more enjoyable. Read more about UD Resklar at regeringen.se . The app and information is only available in Swedish. If you are a non-Swedish citizen, you can also investigate what your government has to say about travels to different countries and regions.

KTH and other Swedish authorities have limited possibilities to act if something happens to you abroad. As a Swedish citizen, you can get help from Swedish embassies and consulates abroad; see more at Hjälp till svenskar utomlands (regeringen.se) . Contact your home country's embassy or consulate if you are a non-Swedish citizen.

​Some simple safety tips

Here are some simple safety tips for your studies abroad:

  • Learn more about your destination - the more you know, the easier it is to avoid getting into trouble.
  • Check that you have a valid passport and visa. In many cases, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after your planned return.
  • Make sure you have the vaccines and medications you need.
  • Keep in touch with your relatives and KTH. If you get into trouble in any way - get in touch as soon as possible.
  • Turn off voicemail and data roaming so that you don't incur high phone costs.
  • Write down your credit card number. Keep the information in a place different from your wallet. Make sure you have your bank's phone number available to block your credit card if you lose it.

Give your contact information

Update your contact information in Ladok. This way, KTH can reach you if a crisis should arise. The information that is particularly good to update is your mobile number, email address and home address. Change contact information in Ladok .

If you are a Swedish citizen, register for the Svensklistan. This way, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the embassy can contact you in case of any crises in the country you are visiting. Read more about Svensklistan at regeringen.se . If you are a citizen of a country other than Sweden, you can check whether your country has a similar service.

Please inform your relatives and your international coordinator and/or contact person at KTH about your travel plans. Keep in touch with your relatives during your time abroad. Text messages often go a long way.

Passport and visa

You must have a valid passport during your studies abroad. If you have a valid passport, you should also check its validity period. Many countries require that your passport be valid for six months after the date you plan to return to Sweden after your studies abroad. Suppose your passport does not have a sufficiently long validity period. In that case, renew it immediately, as some non-European universities will ask for your passport number in your application.

If you are an EU citizen, you do not need a visa for studies within Erasmus, but you will need a visa for studies in the UK and most countries outside Europe.

  • For exchange studies: Apply for a visa after receiving your acceptance letter from the host university.
  • For degree projects, internships or other kind of studies abroad: You might need a certain kind of visa for your studies depending on study desination. Apply as soon as possible.

You can find more information about visa applications at each country’s embassy.

Getting a student visa for many countries can take over a month. If you plan to travel around the country before the start of your studies or take a language course, it is crucial to apply in good time. If you are going to travel to an EU country, you do not need to apply for a residence permit. However, if you are a non-EU citizen and are going to study in another EU country, you do need to apply for a residence permit.

Insurance

As a programme student at KTH, you are covered by the insurance Student UT during exchange studies. The insurance also applies to you who are carrying out a degree project or internship abroad as long as there is a written agreement with the recipient. The insurance is valid 24/7 throughout your studies, including during direct travel between Sweden and the country you will study. Please note that the insurance does not apply if you travel to other countries or places where the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs advises against travel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advices on regeringen.se .

As an outgoing student, you must read through the insurance's terms and conditions before your departure and decide whether you need supplementary insurance. Read about the Student OUT insurance and its terms on the Kammarkollegiet website: Student OUT (kammarkollegiet.se) . If you need extra insurance, taking out an additional student loan from CSN is possible to cover the costs.

The insurance covers several areas, including personal injury protection, emergency medical and dental care, and property protection. In the event of an insurance claim, for example, if you need medical assistance or are the victim of a crime, you must fill out a claim form in which you apply for compensation for your expenses. The claim form is available for download on the Kammarkollegiet website and must be signed by you and your contact person at at KTH before being sent to Kammarkollegiet. If you are conducting exchange studies, your international coordinator is your contact person. Make sure to get in touch with your contact person if you have an insurance claim.

Health

Vaccinations

Check well in advance if you need to supplement your vaccination coverage. If you are going to study within the EU, you generally do not need to get vaccinated. You can get vaccinated at a health centre or private vaccination centres. Remember that you may need to be out well in time if you must be vaccinated, preferably a month before your trip. Sometimes, several vaccine doses are required, with several weeks between them.

Read more about infectious diseases and vaccinations at folkhälsomyndigheten.se

European Health Insurance Card

If you are going to study within the EU/EEA, Switzerland or the UK, you should order the European Health Insurance Card, a so-called EU card. The card is free of charge and you order it through the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. The card entitles you to healthcare and dental care that are connected to the public healthcare system when you are in an EU country, EEA country or Switzerland. The card is only valid for regular public healthcare.

Read more and order the European Health Insurance Card at forsakringskassan.se

Medicines when travelling

You should bring medicines in their original packaging. This way, you have something to show both if you need to contact healthcare abroad and if customs asks what you have with you. You need a certificate if you are taking medicines that are considered narcotics, such as certain sleeping pills and strong painkillers. Pharmacies can write such a certificate. In some countries, a doctor's certificate is required. The country's embassy can provide information about the rules that apply there.

Read more about travelling with medicines at lakemedelsverket.se