Uppsala

Housing

There is a severe housing shortage in Uppsala. The municipality has its own housing queue, Uppsala Bostadsförmedling, which handles rentals provided by landlords associated with it. Homes available for rent or sale are handled by housing companies and property agents. Upp​salahem, with 15,500 units, is the biggest landlord.

Language groups in the locality

There are many nationalities and language groups in Uppsala. The largest groups come from Iran, Finland, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Germany, China, Lebanon, Poland and Ethiopia.

Children and young people who have a mother tongue other than Swedish can receive mother tongue tuition in school. Mother tongue tuition is offered in more than forty different languages.​

Associations and organisations

There are many associations in Uppsala – from sports clubs, cultural and recreational clubs to associations which provide support to the community. The Cooperation organisation for immigrant associations in Uppsala (SIU) brings together about 40 immigrant associations. SIU also has its own radio channel with broadcasts in 11 languages. There are also numerous churches and religious communities represented in Uppsala.

What is available in the immediate area

Community services such as municipal information, employment provision, social services, social insurance offices and tax officers are located in Uppsala. In the centre there is a wide variety of shops and restaurants and on the outskirts there are many large markets. There is also a large number of second-hand stores where you can buy cheap clothes, household appliances and furniture.​

Childcare

For children aged 1-5 needing child care there are preschools and family day nurseries. Before a child can be offered a place in preschool, children and parents have to visit the Reception unit for new arrivals.

In Uppsala there are both municipal and private preschools with different emphases. On the municipality's e-service you can look at what's on offer and compare preschools.

There are also open preschools where people in parental leave can go with their child. Open preschools are a meeting place which offers a social community for both children and adults. The activities are led by educationally trained staff.

Compulsory schools and upper secondary schools

In Uppsala there are around 70 compulsory schools and 25 upper secondary schools. There are both private and municipal schools. The schools offer different styles and specialisations. All newly arrived children and young people who are going to attend school must first visit the Reception unit for new arrivals for interviews and surveys of their scholastic level.

Many of Uppsala's compulsory schools have special preparatory classes for new arrivals and asylum seeking children. Language introduction classes are offered at several upper secondary schools in the municipality.

Education opportunities

Uppsala is a city of knowledge. There are two major universities here, Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

The education and job centre has a Sfi reception where you can do tests to determine your level if you are going to study Swedish, English or maths. The education and job centre can also provide guidance about what education programme or type of support is best for you. This might be an adult education programme, a folk high school, university, or support to help you with reading and writing problems.

Health and medical care

Region Uppsala has a special medical care centre called Cosmos that offers health and medical care and health counselling to asylum seekers.

1177 Vårdguiden can answer your questions and offer advice, and also has comprehensive information about health and medical care in Uppsala. You can either visit the website www.1177.se or phone 1177. You can also visit Region Uppsala's website.

Interpreter assistance

You are entitled to interpreting assistance for any contact with the authorities if you do not speak or understand Swedish.​

Public transport

Travelling to Uppsala is easy by train with a journey time of just 35 minutes from Stockholm and 18 minutes from Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

In Uppsala you can travel with Uppland's public transport, primarily by bus. Many buses leave from the travel centre in the centre of the city, travelling in all directions.

Work and entrepreneurship

The biggest employers are the universities, the municipality and Region Uppsala. There are also employers at 17,000 companies, many of which are in services. IT, engineering, pharmaceuticals, food and printing are major industries. Commerce and distribution also play an important role.

Outside Uppsala, Arlanda airport is the biggest employer. Many residents of Uppsala also commute to work in Stockholm or other nearby cities such as Västerås and Gävle.