Finding Healthcare

This section is about finding health care in Borås. If you are interested in finding information about health insurance for international students, see the section Health insurance

Student Health Care

Student Health Care
Student Nurse
Social Counsellor
Student Priest

Finding health care 

If you are feeling ill and need to seek health care you should visit a health care centre (vårdcentral). You need to make an appointment in advance. Do not go to the hospital (sjukhus) unless it is an emergency.

Health care centres are mainly staffed by general practitioners and nurses. Even if you know that you need to see a specialist you first need to see doctor at a health care centre who can refer you to a specialist.

You can choose whichever health care centre you like, but it is best to choose the one closest to your home since they prefer that you stay with your first choice. At your chosen health care centre you pay an administrative fee of 100 kronor to see a doctor or 50 kronor for treatment by a nurse, counsellor or psychologist. If you want to go to a health care centre other than the one where you are registered, the price is double. During evenings, nights and weekends you will be referred to the emergency health care.

The district health care centre and the emergency ward deal with physical as well as psychiatric health care.

Finding health care in Borås

There are several health care centers in Borås to choose among. Below you can see the addresses and telephone numbers to some of them. You do not necessarily have to choose a health care centre close to your home, but it is preferred that you stay with your first choice.

-Boda Vårdcentral, Smörhulegatan 2, Borås. Tel: 033-616 21 01

-Heimdal Vårdcentral, Stengärdsgatan 22, Borås. Tel: 033-22 61 00

-Herkules Vårdcentral, Västerlånggatan 1, Borås. Tel: 033-20 57 70

-Sjöbo Vårdcentral, Älvegatan 1, Borås. Tel: 033-616 18 12

-Södra Torget Vårdcentral, Kvarngatan 4, Borås. Tel: 033-12 48 80

The nearest health care center for you who are living in a student housing at Hässleholmen (Distansgatan or Tunnlandsgatan) is the Boda Vårdcentral at Smörhulegatan 2.

If you call a health care centre, there will be an answering machine with a voice telling you, in Swedish, to leave your phone number so they can call you back. However, for students not understanding Swedish, going there for a personal visit, might prove easier.

Finding a dentist in Borås

The Swedish Public Dental Service is called "Folktandvården".

Folktandvården Södra Torget, Bryggaregatan 5, Borås. Tel: 033-29 05 60

Folktandvården Tullen, Fjällgatan 32, Borås. Tel: 033-20 43 30

Folktandvården Boda, Smörhulegatan 2, Borås. Tel: 033-20 44 80

It can be a long waiting list to get an appointment at Folktandvården, up to one year at some places. Therefore they might refer you to the "emergency dentist" instead. The emergency service is rotating between different Folktandvård so you need to call the Borås hospital 033-616 10 00 in order to find out which one has the emergency service.

There are also many private dental clinics. They have shorter waiting lists. You can find these by typing “Tandläkare Borås” in Googlemaps.

For more information on dental care and health insurance, view the section Health insurance

For more information on dental care refer to Dental care in Sweden for foreign students.

Health care information via telephone 24 hours/day

If you would like to consult with someone but are not able to visit the hospital then you can call qualified nurses who offer medical and health information. The service is available 24 hours/day, Phone nr: 1177 (the price of the call is the same as a local call).

Emergency health care

If you need to seek immediate health care, then you should do so at the hospital. The hospital in Borås is called Södra Älvsborgs Sjukhus. Emergency ward is called akutmottagning (akuten) in Swedish.
Address: Brämhultsvägen 53, tel: 033-616 10 00
Södra Älvsborgs Sjukhus, homepage
Södra Älvsborgs Sjukhus, map 

Health care expenses

Swedish citizens, students with a Swedish Personal Identity Number and EU/EEA students with a European Health Insurance Card, all have the right to receive free health care in Sweden. However, you need to pay a small administrative fee of approximately 50-300 kronor when visiting the health care centre or the hospital. If you are an EU/EEA student: Remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card. Note that it does not cover care which can be delayed until you return home. 

Dental care expenses

Dental care for Swedish citizens is subsidised, but not free. If you come from a EU/EEA country you are entitled to subsidised dental care in Sweden. If you come to Sweden from a country outside EU/EEA or from Switzerland just to study, you are not entitled to subsidised dental care in Sweden. You should then arrange private insurance cover. If you do not have insurance, you will have to pay the entire cost yourself if you need dental care, which can be very expensive. You can find more information in Dental care in Sweden for foreign students.

Health and dental care expenses for exchange students from outside the EU/EEA

Exchange students from outside the EU/EEA are covered by a health insurance plan signed by the University of Borås. It grants you free medical treatment, including dental care for a cost of up to 3000 SEK, if the treatment becomes necessary during your stay in Sweden. You should preferably pay the expenses in advance and then get reimbursed by the insurance company, but if the amount is too big for you to pay yourself you could also ask the health care centre, hospital or dentist to make you an invoice which the insurance company can pay directly. If you have visited a health care centre, hospital or dentist (for emergency care, not care which can be delayed until you return home) you should bring the receipt or invoice to your International Coordinator who will help you fill out a claim form and send to the insurance company. You will be reimbursed within a couple of weeks.

More information on Health insurance.

Buying medicine

To buy prescription medication and certain necessities in Sweden you should go to the pharmacy called the Apoteket. Some over-the-counter medicines are also available in grocery stores. The nearest "Apoteket" to the university is located on Allégatan 43. You can also find Apoteket at:

- Skaraborgsvägen 35, at the shopping area Knalleland. 

- Smörhulegatan 2, at Boda Vårdcentral.

- Brämhultsvägen 43, at Älvsborgs Sjukhus.
 

Important phone numbers

Emergencies: 112
Dentist: 033-20 40 80
Health care center for AB Bostäder residents: 033-616 21 01
Södra Älvsborgs Sjukhus (Borås hospital): 033-616 10 00
Sjukvårdsupplysningen (Health care guidance): 1177