Program Description

Experience Swedish history and culture while studying in Umeå, Sweden! This exchange program with the Faculty of Social Sciences at Umeå University offers participants an opportunity to directly enroll in courses taught in English, while students with proficiency in Swedish will be able to take advantage of the university’s full course offerings.

Umeå, with a population of 110,000, is one of Sweden’s fastest growing towns. Home to five different institutes of higher education, Umeå has become a dynamic center of learning and its large student population makes Umeå a young, inviting city with a rich and varied cultural and social life.

Academics

Umeå University (Umeå Universitet) was established in 1965 and presently has a student enrollment of 27,000, a growing number of whom are international students. 56 departments, 289 professors, and a staff of 3,900 make possible Umeå University’s broad spectrum of research and instruction, from modern languages to medicine and natural sciences. The university’s five faculties include the Arts, Science and Technology, Medicine, Social Sciences, and Teacher Education.

Participants on the exchange program will find a variety of courses taught in English. Students with strong Swedish language skills may enroll in courses taught in Swedish. Participants are highly encouraged to pursue Swedish language study as one of the best ways to integrate into Swedish society. Each semester, Umeå University offers Swedish language courses at varying levels to international students.

Housing

Umeå University’s International Housing Office helps students arrange a dormitory room before arrival. Students rent a furnished apartment with a private bathroom, and cook meals in shared kitchens or eat at one of the numerous cafeterias and restaurants on campus.

Excursions and Activities

The Umeå University International Office organizes a one-week orientation to provide exchange students with information on various aspects of the university, the academic program, and life in Sweden. It also offers a mentor program that pairs exchange students with Swedish students who help with practical matters and introduce them to the Swedish way of life through sports, parties, travel, and other social activities.

While on campus, students can participate in the university’s Student Union, which organizes various student committees as well as cultural and social activities. Students can also choose from swimming, cross-country skiing, floorball, volleyball, different forms of workout training, rock climbing, and other activities at the IKSU Sports Center.

The city of Umeå is also a center for leisure and pleasure for students, with a wide and varied range of cultural and sporting activities on offer. The Norrland Opera is known nationwide for its unusual and unconventional performances of classical and modern opera. The town has a very lively jazz and pop music scene, and boasts the world renowned Umeå Jazz Festival and Chamber Music Festival. Several permanent theaters, concerts, cinemas, pubs, and nightclubs add to the choice of entertainment all the year round, while the surrounding countryside provides ample opportunities for outdoor activities, such as skiing and hiking.