Finding a place to live

Getting started

If you do not want or did not get accommodation with AB Bostäder the best way for international students to get started looking for a place to live in Borås is by following the instructions below.

You can visit the website of the accommodation office in Borås, called Bostad Borås. There you will find:

The ad space BoråsBo where you can search for available sublet apartments and shared lodgings posted by private persons as well as rental agencies. The direct link to this ad space is www.boras.se/borasbo
Contact information to rental agencies in Borås
Information about short-term accommodation for students arriving in Borås with no place to stay

For more information you can contact the accommodation office via e-mail or telephone. You can also visit them. They often have more tips about sublet rooms or apartments than they post on the website:

Bostad Borås
Email: bostadboras@boras.se
Telephone: +46 (0) 033-35 75 76
Office hours: 9:30-13:30
Visiting address: Borås Stad, Kungsgatan 55, 501 80 Borås

Search for a sublet apartment or shared lodging

Since it can be quite difficult to get a first hand lease on an apartment in Borås, a sublet apartment or a shared lodging is a very good alternative. Renting a room in a privately owned house or apartment often means low costs and a perfect opportunity to learn more about what life is like in Sweden.

Online ad spaces

Available private rooms and sublet apartments are posted on:

Note! Many of the ads in these websites are only posted in Swedish, but you can use the glossary below or translate the text using Google Translate.

NEVER deposit money to an account outside of Sweden to get a room/apartment. There are people trying to scam international students by posting fake ads and asking for a deposit in advance. If the ad seems suspicious, contact the website.

We recommend you to start looking for a place to live, as soon as possible, before arriving in Sweden. You reply to an ad simply by contacting the person advertising by e-mail or phone to discuss the conditions of renting further, whereafter you sign a lease with your new landlord. It can often be better to call them than to e-mail them, since you will then receive an answer directly. For more information about signing a lease and housing rules in Sweden, please read the document Guidelines for renting:

Guidelines for renting

There is a new online roommate and housing service for students all over the world called CasaSwap.com. There are no rooms in Borås posted there right now but hopefully there will be in the future.

Search for a standard apartment/flat with a rental agency

There are a number of rental agencies in Borås. Unfortunately not all rental agencies have websites in English, which makes searching for apartments from your home country difficult. For this reason it is easier to start off by sending them an e-mail or calling them and preferably visiting them afterwards. It can often prove to be better to call them than to e-mail them, since you will then receive an answer directly. Keep in mind that some rental agencies might also post ads on available rooms on the ad space BoråsBo at www.boras.se/borasbo or www.studentlya.se.

If you want to look for a place to live through these following websites, we provide a glossary with some useful Swedish words regarding housing and renting. Remember that you can also use Google Translate to translate a website or parts of it.

Standard apartments/flats are not furnished, but if you get an apartment like this and plan to stay in Borås for a year or more it may be an option for you to buy some second hand furniture and appliances. In Borås there are several nice second hand shops where you can find what you need at a low cost.

Second hand shops in Borås

Some of the rental agencies have agreed on the possibility for foreign students to sign leasing contracts from their home countries, but most of them have not. This means that you can only sign a lease after your arrival to Sweden. As many international students do not qualify for a Swedish personal identity number, many rental agencies require a deposit as a security. Remember to check what policies apply with the rental agencies you talk to.

List of rental agencies in Borås

AB Bostäder
(275 student rooms) – Offers furnished rooms. They do not release their rooms until the middle of July for students starting in August, and in the beginning of December for students starting in January.
Website: www.bostader.boras.se
E-mail: student@bostader.boras.se
Phone: +46 (0)33-44 20 00
Address: Österlånggatan 17

Balder Studenthem
(96 student rooms) – Offers furnished rooms. Requires a 3 months deposit.
Website: www.studentbostadiboras.com
E-mail: info@studentbostadiboras.com
Phone: +46 (0) 33 - 13 99 90
Address: Yxhammarsgatan 1-3

Akelius
(50 student rooms) – Offers unfurnished rooms.
Website: www.akelius.se
E-mail:marie.svensson@apartmentbostad.se
Phone: +46 (0)33 - 22 88 60
Address: Lars Kaggsgatan 177

LitenLya
(60 student rooms) - Offers unfurnished rooms (but there is a second-hand shop nearby). Requires a 3 months deposit. All apartments have toilet, shower and kitchen counter with two hotplates and refrigerator with freezer.
Website: www.litenlya.nu
E-mail: info@litenlya.nu
Phone: +46 (0)33 225 336
Address: Alingsåsvägen 66

Willhem
(165 student rooms) – Offers unfurnished rooms. You need to have a Swedish personal identity number in order to rent a room. See After arrival for information about who can get a Swedish personal identity number, and how you get it.
Website: www.willhem.se
E-mail: tea.warnquist@willhem.se
Phone: +46 (0)33 400 62 14 between 9-12 Swedish time
Address: Druveforsvägen 32

Temporary accommodation

If you are only going to stay in Borås for a shorter period of time or need a place to live while looking for a more long-term accommodation, a youth hostel might be of interest. The accommodation office Bostad Borås offers more information on temporary accommodation. Please e-mail Bostad Borås at bostadboras@boras.se or visit the webpage of the Tourist Office www.boras.com, you can also call the tourist office at +46 33 35 70 90.

You can also refer to the following list of hostels/hotels:

STF's youth hostel – Borås Camping
Offers:
* Special price for students: 300 SEK/night for the "Lion cabins" (Lejonstuga) that have four beds. The price is in total, not per person, meaning that the price can be as cheap as 75 SEK/person and night if shared between 4 students.
44 beds for 175–225 SEK/night
40 beds in cabins for 300 SEK/night
Internet is not included in the prices
You can stay in the cabins also during winter time
Address: Campinggatan 25 (ca 2 km from the University)
E-mail: info@borascamping.com
Phone: +46 (0)33-353280
Website: www.borascamping.com

Vila Hostel and Mini-Hotel
Offers:
39 beds in 19 rooms for 395-760 SEK/night (Mini-Hotel)
32 beds in 13 rooms for 165 SEK/night, student price (Youth Hostel)
Address: Lilla Brogatan 11 (ca 600 m from the University)
E-mail: vilavandrarhem@swipnet.se
Phone: +46 (0)33-22 69 69
Website: www.vila.nu

Hotell Sköna Nätter
Offers:
114 beds in 66 rooms for 395-1295 SEK/night
Address: Vendelsbergsgatan 42 (ca 2 km from the University)
Phone: +46 (0)33-100 110
website: www.hotellskonanatter.se

centRum Turistlogi
Offers:
16 beds in three rooms and two apartments for 250-395 SEK/night
Address: Nygatan 4 A (ca 500 m from the University)
Phone: +46 (0)33-41 92 46
Booking (Borås Tourist office): +46 33 35 70 90
Website: www.cent-rum.se

Useful tips and information

Newspapers

The local newspaper's ads can be a great way to find a room because most ads placed are for sublet accommodation. See the privatannonser of Borås Tidning. Using the glossary below may help to navigate Swedish ads. Another useful tip is placing your own ad in the paper asking for a room to rent or share. Contact Borås Tidning to do so.

Families and couples

Finding accommodation can be difficult for families and couples since student rooms usually allow only one individual to live in the rooms. The alternatives are to search for a standard apartment/flat with a rental agency or a sublet apartment with a private landlord. It is important to be aware of these difficulties before coming to study in Borås if you have a family and want to live with your spouse.

Finding roommates

As mentioned above it can be difficult to find accommodation for more than one person. But if you still want to share housing, for example if you want to share a larger apartment with someone (to keep the costs down or for any other reason), and therefore need to find a roommate you can like our page on Facebook:

University of Borås

Remember that if you are planning on sharing a studio apartment or a room with one or more friends it is always important for you to inform your landlord about this, since it is an uncommon living arrangement in Sweden. For more information on renting, please read the document Guidelines for renting.

Guidelines for renting