INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE

Exchange at Umeå University

University Information | Location Information | Courses Available | Academic Credit | Eligibility | Costs | Deadlines & Dates | Orientation | Housing | What's Next? | Helpful Links

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University Information
Umeå University, founded in 1965, is located in the city of Umeå, Sweden with about 29,000 students. The university is highly involved as a research institution and provides a wide variety of courses in English, as in the fields of science and technology, social sciences, health sciences and humanities. The university boasts having one of the largest sports clubs in Sweden and also one of the largest sport facility in northern Europe. The campus is located about 5 kilometers east of the city center.

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Location Information
Often described as the capital of northern Sweden, Umeå is one of the fastest growing cities in Sweden with about 110,000 inhabitants, a high percentage being of a young age. With a goal to pass a figure of 150,000 people before 2050, the city has much to offer for cultural entertainment and activities. At the mouth of the river Ume and on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, Umeå is also surrounded by an abundance of nature for outdoor sports and activities. Umeå is serviced by two European highways and the seventh largest airport in Sweden with a new high-speed railway expected to be completed by August 2010. The city is situated about 600 kilometers north of Stockholm and 500 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle.

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Courses Available
Umeå University offers a wide range of English-taught courses in the fields of science and technology, social sciences, health sciences and humanities.

To view the most up-to-date course offerings, please follow the links to the searchable Course Catalogue at the Umeå University website. Note that programmes will refer to a full degree program, while courses refer to the individual classes you may enroll in as an exchange student.

Also, please view current UMD course equivalencies for Umeå University.

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Academic Credit
Classes are measured in Swedish Points are European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits. Classes worth 5 points are equal to 7.5 ECTS or 4 UMD credits. Classes are typically taken one at a time and are usually 4 weeks long.

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Eligibility
Degree seeking students at any University of Minnesota campus who have completed one full year of study prior to the beginning of the exchange are eligible. For some areas of study, students should have completed substantial upper division course work. The minimum GPA is 2.4, and students need to consult with a study abroad advisor in the International Education Office (IEO) in 138 Kirby Plaza before they apply. Tentative acceptance will be done by IEO. Final acceptance is done by the foreign university.

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Costs
Our goal is to keep prices similar to those of attending UMD. The program cost per semester to attend Blekinge Institute of Technology can be found here.

Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. Financial aid may be applied toward the cost of exchange programs. There are several study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students.

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Deadlines & Dates
Deadlines to apply to a program occur during the semester previous to that which you wish to study abroad. In general, deadlines fall around March 15 to begin study in the fall semester or October 15 to begin study in the spring semester. Fall semester at Umeå University, including arrival and orientation, typically runs from late August until mid-January. Spring semester, including arrival and orientation, typically runs from late January until early June.

For more information on deadlines to apply, click here.

For more information on the academic calendar at Umeå University, click here.

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Orientation
At least one pre-departure orientation and one on-site orientation will be held. Pre-departure
orientation will include information about financial aid information, class transferring, international insurance, student residence permit, classes, travel tips and two handbooks for participants to reference: general study abroad handbook and Swedish handbook.

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Housing
Student housing consists of small apartments for 2-4 students or corridors for 6-12 students. Corridors consist of individual bedrooms and usually their own bathrooms, and share living room, kitchen and dinning room with corridor mates. Typical corridor mates will include Swedish and international students.

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What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides information on financing, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, the UMD study abroad application may be downloaded from the IEO website. Please complete the application with required accompanying materials and return it to IEO.

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Helpful Links for Sweden & Umeå

• Swedish Migration Board
• The Consulate General of Sweden in New York
• General Sweden Information
• American Scandinavian Foundation
• Visit Sweden
• Swedish Tourism Information
• SJ - Swedish Railways
• Scandinavian Airlines

• The City of Umeå
• Umeå Tourist Office
• Umeå Airport
• Umeå University
• Umeå University International Office
• Umeå University International Office Exchange Studies

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