Written by Annamaria
22 Jun 2022
A card that you’ll need but many of you are not going to be properly introduced to. When I first came to Sweden, I had no clue about its existence. While rest of the world is pretty comfortable with ISIC as a student identification card (which definitely works in Sweden as well), this beautiful Northern country has its own version of ISIC called the “Mecenat card”.
What is displayed on the Mecenat card?
- Logo of the Student Union that you are a member of (optional)
- Your name, date of birth, student ID number
- How long you are able to get the discounts until (VALID THRU + date)
When you click on the orange blinking circle in the bottom right corner, you can also see:
- which Student Union you belong to
- what university you attend
- SJ and SL – the two main transport companies in Sweden (esp. Stockholm) but you are eligible for a discount in many more
Benefits of having a Mecenat card
The main benefit of having the Mecenat card is that you are eligible for thousands of student discounts. Mecenat collaborates with many popular clothing stores, restaurants, caffes, book shops, hotels, gyms, tech companies, etc. but most importantly with Swedish transport chains. By being able to show your card in the train/public transport, you get a discount for transport costs. You can get a discount for almost all train and bus companies that circulate in Sweden which means you can save a good amount of money.
Another great benefit for me is that it is not a physical card, instead you always carry it with you via an app on your phone. It’s quite comfortable and environmentally-friendly. It is however possible to order a physical card, for that you should contact your university.
And lastly, you are able to participate at Student Union events and have some fun (and maybe get free entrance to certain pubs)!!
Where can you get your Mecenat card?
In order to apply for a Mecenat card, you need to be familiar with Ladok.
Ladok
Ladok is student administration system that you are signed in after you register as a student in Sweden. There is usually a link to Ladok in the Student Portal. Here you can find your academic records, download your study or degree certificates (necessary when applying for personal identity number).
It is important to check that the contact information about you is correct, especially your email account since that’s where you’ll receive the instructions. The application for the card is usually done automatically by university or the Student Union, so you can move on to the next step. If it’s not done by your university (which is unusual), here is a guide on how to apply yourself.
Download the app
As a member of a Student Union, you’ll get the instructions on how to login to the app immediately after signing up.
If you decide not to become a member, it can take up to 2 weeks to get the email with instructions.
When you’ll receive the email, just follow the instructions to login and tramtaradaaaaa enjoy your discounts!! 🎉
Let me know in the comments if you have any more questions about the Mecenat card and how to use it.
