It’s been around 10 days since admission results were released. Have you applied for housing yet?! Just kidding—not really—but, as promised, here’s an insider’s view into KI Residence Solna, the place that I have called home since my arrival last August. It goes without saying that this place has seen me at all stages of the human condition: happy, sad, overwhelmed, excited, anxious, to name just a few. To be very honest, I would not have it any other way. KI Residence Solna has been the ideal setting for me to go through the motions, and that’s thanks to the great in-house atmosphere from the students living here, the shared common spaces that offer an escape, and the comfort of my room itself. But enough yapping, let me tell you why this is a great option and how I secured it.

Some important information to know beforehand

As I mentioned on my previous blog that describes the various options offered by KI Housing, as soon as you get your offer of admission, you should be hitting the “apply” button. As international, fee-paying students we are guaranteed accommodation by KI for the first year of studies (after that, you’re on your own, but having the first year figured out makes a huge difference).  On your application, you will be able to select which accommodation suits you best in order of preference, which is why I don’t care if I sound like broken record on this: the sooner you apply, the higher the chances you have of securing your preferred choice. Go apply now!

Some technicalities to be aware of

From what I remember, applying for accommodation with KI is quite straightforward: all you need preliminarily is your offer of admission and the contact person to state as part of the application (fret not, you will receive this in an email soon after admission). Then, you simply fill out some basic information and set your preferences, and then send the application and wait to hear back! I applied in late March and heard back in early June, so please don’t worry if it’s taking some time (keep in mind, everyone has a different process, so times can vary widely). You can also contact the KI Housing Office directly for specific questions you may have; they are super efficient and friendly. But enough of this, let’s get into my beautiful home.

The feel of community

Three iconic buildings make up KI Residence Solna: Fogdevreten 11, 13, 15. They all have similar layouts and designs, but they still differ in some aspects. For instance, they all have common rooms in the lobby where you can find ping pong tables, table football, and couches where you can sit and relax with friends—or frantically stress at midnight about that one assignment you procrastinated till the very last minute (seriously, again?). Needless to say, these spaces make it easy to meet people from everywhere in the world, with the nice touch of all of us sharing the experience of being recently arrived students in Sweden. There even is a barbecue station outside, where you can come together with students from all over the city and enjoy the Stockholm spring sunshine.

The basic needs

Those who stay in accommodation with shared kitchens also enjoy the perks of a communal, social feel while cooking their favourite meals. Additionally, there is a big, spacious laundry room (located in building 13) that you can reserve once a day to get the full service: two washing machines, a dryer, and a tumble dryer, yours for two hours each time! I’ve personally lived in multiple residences and apartments across the world, and I must say that KI Residence Solna’s laundry room is the best I’ve ever experienced since it offers so much at very low fees (which are charged directly to your rent invoice).

Into the 2-bedroom apartment

As I mentioned on my previous blog, this residence offers shared apartments between 2 or 4 people, as well as private studios with private kitchen and bathroom. Since I’m staying in a two-bedroom apartment, that’s our protagonist of the day. Starting off, the bathroom is super spacious and comfortable—not crammed at all. Then, there’s a big storage space where you can place your winter coats and suitcases, and the fact that it is ventilated makes it even better. There are also two closets at the entrance, further adding to the storage capacity of the apartment. What else could you possibly want?

The rooms are big and evenly distributed, so don’t worry about who’s gonna get the bigger room! The windows make sure that light can reach you even in the darkest of times—sounds cringe, but trust me, it is a game changer—and remember that the apartment comes fully furnished, so no need to worry about searching for a bed, desk, chair, or even bed sheets (though I do recommend you get your own sheets if possible, just a matter of personal preference). The closet space is more than enough to house whatever you managed to fit into your suitcase, so no worries there either.

Last, but certainly not least—in fact, probably the MVP of the apartment—is the wonderful kitchen. The fridge is perfect for sharing space with other people, the table can be rearranged however you’d like since the room is big enough—I know!—and the kitchen itself is extremely functional and efficient. The stove is induction-based, so I was finally able to stop worrying about suffocating to death in a gas leak, and the dish washer is big enough for you to host as many dinner parties as you want—or none, that’s okay too.

In short

Again, if you’ve reached this part of the blog and still haven’t applied for housing, go do it! I can’t stress enough how good of an option KI Residence Solna is (the best one out there, but hey, I may be a bit biased). In the spirit of your not-so-light recent milestone of admission to KI, let me congratulate you one more time. Please let the weight of your achievement sink in; this is one of those things that you shouldn’t take lightly—yes, you’ve earned the drama. Feel proud of yourself, of those who supported you, and of what’s coming next. This is no small feat, and you deserve to celebrate it as what it is (but please apply for housing first whoops). Anyhow, this concludes the Housing Series: KI Housing version, so thank you for bearing with me, and as always, stay tuned for more. Hasta la próxima!