Jönköping in top 5 of best student cities
Jönköping has been named in a list of Sweden’s top student cities for the first time. Jönköping takes home fifth place after 1,100 prospective students had their say on what their priorities were for a place of study. Safe student housing, a variety of student associations and a vibrant city life are the factors that gave Jönköping its high ranking.
There is a lot to think about for prospective students and choosing where to study can be difficult. When deciding on where your student city will be, student life, the housing situation, city life and the opportunity for an internship and a future career in the locality can weigh heavily. This was revealed by a survey conducted by Studentum.se, a search platform for post-secondary education. 1,100 prospective students were asked in the autumn of 2020 what the most important factor was when choosing a place of study. A total of 34 cities were included in the survey and the result has been assessed based on nine different parameters that form the basis for how positive the overall student experience would be in each city.
A vibrant city life
According to the survey, Jönköping is a modern student city with an international focus. Jönköping University (JU) consists of four schools: The School of Health and Welfare, the School of Education and Communication, Jönköping International Business School and the School of Engineering. All the schools are gathered around a common campus in central Jönköping and form a natural part of the cityscape. The central location makes city life easily accessible for students. In relation to the number of inhabitants, Jönköping also ranks fifth in terms of the selection of pubs, bars, restaurants, and cafés, which also makes the city an attractive prospect.
A rich student life
Sophia Fröberg Liljenberg, President Jönköping Student Union
Student life in Jönköping is very varied. The city offers 10 out of the 13 student activity areas in the survey, which places it in third place for best student life. Jönköping's student union and the various student associations also organize lots of social activities. From the student union's point of view, the result is seen as proof that what the students themselves create in Jönköping is something good and well worth continuing with.
“The fantastic culture at Jönköping University has been created by the students themselves. Student life is based on you as a student taking the initiative and being involved in creating different social contexts that accommodate both partying, networking opportunities, relaxation, recovery, a place where you develop as a person and where you simply have fun together. We have many students who take the initiative and together have built up a very varied student life,” says JU’s Student Union President, Sophia Fröberg Liljenberg.
Secure student housing with reasonable rent
Demand for housing is high in Jönköping, but as a student in the city, you can expect to get a student housing with a first-hand contract within a month, and also with reasonable rent. This is a factor that was highly valued by the students in the survey and here Jönköping was also placed in the very highest tier.
Best in Sweden for internships
Doing an internship during one’s studies is also important for many students. An internship is a chance to apply the theoretical knowledge from one’s education to a real-life workplace situation. It is an excellent way to build up a network of contacts and gain relevant work experience before hitting the job market. JU has a close and well-functioning collaboration with the business community and ranks high in the survey in this area as well. According to another survey by Akavia, which was presented in mid-February, JU is the best university in Sweden to provide work-life experience during education in the form of internships. The sample group for the survey included a total of 2,157 economists, lawyers, social scientists, IT academics, human resources scientists and communicators who graduated during the period 2019-2020.
The results of the surveys are important for Jönköping, both as a student city and as an attractive city to live and work in. Studentum’s survey shows that the career opportunities are good for those students who choose to stay in Jönköping after graduation. The number of job vacancies in relation to the number of inhabitants is just above the national average.
