A fantastic campus, a welcoming city, dedicated faculty and great camaraderie. These are the words used by international master’s students at Örebro University to describe life in the city of rebro in central Sweden.

“Come and have an unforgettable time meeting so many interesting people from all over the world,” says Marta Fernández from Spain.

It’s winter in Örebro, Sweden’s sixth largest city and two hours by train from the capital Stockholm – almost halfway to Gothenburg. Students of the 11 international master’s programs offered at Örebro University make the most of the snow and the many winter activities on offer.

“We fundamentally enjoy each other’s company. We have ‘Swedish fika’ together or cooking evenings where people cook food from their home country. We also organize movie and game nights and go to the food market and Christmas market at the Wadköping Open Air Museum, ”says Marta Fernández from Spain.

Relaxing bike rides, hikes, weekends and concerts at the Orebro University School of Music are other examples of things students do together.

“In our group, many of us come from different countries, with completely different cultural backgrounds. However, what I find amazing is that despite the differences we all get along and learn new things every day, ”said Matilde Veiga from Portugal.

“The program offers everything I can wish for”

Fitri Nurandianti from Indonesia and Matilde Veiga from Portugal are both enrolled in the Masters program in Strategic Communication at the University of Örebro.

“I chose this university because of the program – there was everything I was looking for – and because of the country. I have always wanted to experience life in Sweden. There is a very welcoming atmosphere here and communicating with anyone at the university is very easy, ”explains Matilde Veiga.

“In fact, I was looking for a specific program before choosing to come here. And I saw that rebro had the program that I wanted, so I ended up choosing Örebro. College is cool. The facilities here are much better than at the university I attended for my bachelor’s degree, ”says Fitri Nurandianti.

Fabian Schneider from Germany is also on the same program. He enjoys the mix of Swedish and international students – and believes that teaching constantly pushes him to go further.

“Everyone has different academic and cultural backgrounds, which means we bring a variety of interesting perspectives and points of view to help us improve our skills and competencies,” he says.

Another student very satisfied with her studies at the University of Örebro is Marta Fernández, member of the master’s program in public planning for sustainable development:

“I chose this university because of the program. It was very interesting to have a program that mixes both sustainability and planning. I like the multidisciplinary approach, because it allows you to learn from different disciplines of the social sciences, and you learn how much they can be linked and how much it may be necessary to learn from different perspectives ”, says- she.

Listening and helpful teachers

The students want to point out the close contact with the professors at the University of Örebro as a big positive – if not a little unusual compared to what they are used to in their home country. They describe teachers as supportive and helpful – and available if students have questions.

“The teachers welcome our contribution and feel that they are genuinely interested in hearing our opinions on the topics in the classroom,” says Marta Fernandéz.

The town of Örebro can best be described as a big and small town with friendly people who make you feel right at home, according to the four master’s students.

Fabian Schneider and Matilde Veiga traveling to Lapland with another classmate. Source: University of Örebro

“Everything is close in Örebro. There is a closeness to nature, it is a “small big city” with a rich cultural and event scene and its location is a good starting point for trips, especially in Scandinavia “, explains Fabian Schneider.

“The city is great! Coming from Jakarta to Örebro is definitely a big change. However, the city has a lot of events to see, especially now in December, and it is very friendly to foreigners, ”says Fitri Nurandianti.

What would you like to say to anyone considering studying at Örebro University?

“Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone! Take a risk and you will have one of the best times of your life here, ”says Matilde Veiga.

“Do it. Broaden your horizon. Grow as a person,” says Fabian Schneider.

Fitri Nurandianti recommends that everyone dare to be curious and enjoy the experience. “Better to come without expectations because you would be surprised at how many opportunities you can explore and enjoy, whether academically or socially,” she says.

Read more about Örebro University’s master’s programs here

Learn more about the city of Örebro