Jobs and internships

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• Part-time jobs during your studies
• Internships
• Degree projects
• Volunteering
• Finding work after your studies
• Starting your own business

Part-time jobs during your studies

Whether you are an EU/EEA student or a non-EU/EEA student with a residence permit for studies, you are allowed to work part-time in Sweden while studying. In addition to the extra income, working part-time is a great way to meet new people and get an understanding of the Swedish work culture. It is important to note though, that if you are admitted to full-time studies, you are expected to spend around 40 hours per week studying. If you are coming from a study environment that is very different from the one in Sweden and at Lund University, you may need to spend even more time studying in order to keep the level of academic performance that you are accustomed to. Please keep this in mind if you are planning to work during your study period.

Even if you assess that you will have time to work, it is important that you have the ability to support yourself during your study period and are not dependent on finding a job. While an income from a part-time job can provide some extra money for your daily expenses, it is not realistic to expect it to cover all of your living costs. Also note that as a part of the requirements for a residence permit for studies in Sweden, non-EU/EEA students are required to have the funds to cover their living costs before coming to Sweden.

With over 47,000 students at Lund University, competition for part-time work is tough. The University does not regularly employ Bachelor’s and Master’s students and most students who find part-time jobs do so outside of the University. Students can apply to any kind of part-time jobs, but typical student jobs, such as working in a shop or a café, generally require that you have some Swedish language skills.

Many international students who have found part-time work have had some previous work experience from their home countries and have been able to use their knowledge and skills to compete for jobs in Sweden.

To find work in Sweden, you should be very active in your job search and leverage the many networking opportunities that are available at and around the University. Do not only wait for job listings to be announced, but be proactive and contact companies and organisations that you are interested in working at. There are many international companies in the region looking for new employees. Speak to your teachers, guest lecturers and students or alumni who have managed to find jobs. Take part of the career seminars offered by the University and visit the job fairs organised by student organisations. Visit science parks and incubators to meet with start-ups and join their events. There are also good networking opportunities at other companies and organisations in and around Lund.

• Money and living costs in Sweden
• Career services for current students at Lund University
• Find upcoming events through Career Hub (Swedish and English)
• About businesses in Lund, opportunities, science parks and innovation at the City of Lund website

Internships

Doing an internship during your study period is an excellent way to gain valuable experience and get insight into the Swedish business culture and start your networking. Several of Lund University’s Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes offer the possibility to include an internship as a part of the programme. The internship usually takes place in the third semester of a two-year programme and in the fifth semester of a three-year programme. The programme coordinators can often help students with contacts and tips about how to find an internship, but in most cases, it is the student’s responsibility to find their own internship position. In programmes where an internship is not included as a part of the curriculum, it may still be possible for you to choose to do an internship as an elective course. Check with your programme coordinator to find out if there is an internship opportunity within your programme.

If you are not able to do an internship as a part of your programme (and earn academic credits for it), you may still be able to find an internship, paid or unpaid, outside of your studies. For more information about finding an internship, please see the information above about part-time work.

Degree projects

Students who are writing their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree thesis within one of Lund University’s study programmes may be able to do so in collaboration with a company or an organisation in a field related to the subject of the studies. Through these kinds of degree projects, students can get useful insights and workplace experience, equivalent to that of an internship or a part-time job, while completing the research for their thesis. In some cases, companies also pay students for the thesis projects.

Volunteering

Although doing volunteer work will not provide the extra income that you may be looking for, it does offer the opportunity to build a network and to gain experiences that can help you in your future job search. Sign up to be a student mentor, ask if you can help at your department or at local NGOs, and volunteer with one of the many student organisations, unions or nations. It’s a great way to create new connections, add to your CV and have fun at the same time!

Finding work after your studies

A degree from Lund University is highly valued by employers worldwide and the University is ranked among the top 150 universities in Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking. In addition, there are plenty of opportunities during your study period at Lund University to build an international network, which can help you in your future job search, regardless of where in the world you wish to work. After graduation, we highly recommend that you look for opportunities globally and do not limit your job search to Lund or Sweden.

We also recommend that you look into opportunities at Swedish companies abroad, especially in your home country. Being an international graduate and having both local knowledge and insight into Swedish culture and society makes you an especially attractive candidate for positions at Swedish (and other European) companies operating globally.

If you prefer to stay and work in Sweden, remember to start your job search early, while you are still completing your studies, and make sure to use the tips and links mentioned above on this page.

EU/EEA citizens are allowed to move to Sweden freely to study or work and students can stay after their studies to look for jobs in Sweden. Non-EU/EEA students who have finished their studies and wish to stay in Sweden to find a job can apply for an 'after studies' residence permit once they have graduated. This permit allows students to stay for a limited time to look for work in Sweden. The permit is valid for twelve months.

Having a Master’s degree from Lund University also makes you eligible to continue on to studies at doctoral level (also referred to as PhD). Studying for a doctoral degree is considered to be a job in Sweden and the doctoral candidates are generally employed by the department where they will be conducting their research. Therefore, applying to doctoral studies is another career option to consider after completing your Master’s with us.

• Career services for current students at Lund University
• About the after-studies permit on the Migration Agency website
• Information about working in Sweden on the Working in Sweden website
• Doctoral studies at Lund University

Starting your own business

If you are interested in starting your own business in Sweden after you have completed your degree, it may be useful to know that the University has an extensive support system for you through the services at VentureLab, Sten K. Johnson Centre for Entrepreneurship and the Lund University Student Innovation Centre.

Information on starting a business or project as a current student or recent graduate of Lund University