When I received the offer from Lund University, I was thrilled. However, I soon faced the next challenge: finding accommodation. I must say, housing in Lund is indeed quite scarce, especially for international students like myself who prefer living alone and need something both affordable and conveniently located near the campus. It took me quite some time to navigate through the options.

Initially, I applied through LU Accommodation, the official accommodation website of Lund University. However, as an exchange student, it’s difficult to guarantee getting a dormitory there, as priority is usually given to master students and local students. So, I also applied on another official housing website, AF Bostäder (Student housing areas – AF Bostäder), which operates on a lottery system to determine who receives accommodation offers. Firstly, you need to register as a member on Studentlund. This website requires a minimal membership fee, but it provides access to numerous housing options.

Here are the specific steps for participating in the lottery:

1. **Registration**: Check AF Bostäder’s website for the registration opening date. On that day, fill out the online registration form. Being early doesn’t affect your priority.

2. **Lottery**: After registration closes, a lottery is held. Each registered student receives a time slot, determining their priority for selecting apartments. Priority is randomized.

3. **Accommodation Posting**: AF Bostäder will start posting available accommodations in Lund. Each student can see their queue number next to each accommodation based on their time slot. Accommodations are posted over a timeframe. Students can select up to 3 accommodation offers per day. Only if you are ranked first in the queue can you choose to move into that dormitory, so remember to check and refresh daily.

4. **Moving in**: Successful lottery participants usually move in on September 1st. However, students can contact the current tenant to negotiate an earlier move-in date. Once agreed upon, the current tenant can facilitate the handover process.

Honestly, it’s really about luck. If luck doesn’t favor you, there’s an option of staying at the Guest House provided by Lund University, which is specifically for newcomers who haven’t found accommodation yet or for short-term stays. However, it’s relatively expensive, charged on a daily basis. There are common kitchens available, and there’s a local supermarket (ICA) downstairs along with a bus stop to the city center. I stayed there for half a month, and everything was quite decent. Note that you need to book in advance and inform them if you plan to leave earlier, with a two-week notice.

At the beginning of the semester, LUACC often has vacant dormitories, so they conduct a lottery-style offer distribution during this time. Even if you miss the registration deadline, you can email LUACC directly explaining your situation, and they will help you get onto the waiting list. With the help of the staff, I managed to get onto the waiting list through email and received an offer a week later, successfully moving into the dormitory closest to Lund Central Train Station.

Additionally, you can also try contacting various nations (student organizations) in Lund for accommodation. Nations are similar to clubs at Lund University, and some of them have dormitories allocated to their members. By staying updated through email newsletters, you might have a chance to find available dormitories.

I started looking for accommodation as early as June and continued until I arrived in Lund, yet I still hadn’t found anything. During this time, I felt quite anxious and worried that I might not find anything. My advice is to reach out to the university more frequently. Personally, I’m introverted and not keen on sending emails as I feel like I’m bothering others, but sometimes a simple email inquiry can yield helpful responses. If you don’t actively seek help, you might miss out on opportunities.