Umeå University
Umeå universitet
Northern Sweden's largest university, where CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered; international students ranked it first in 2023.
- Students
- 43,736
- Tuition
- SEK 96,600
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1965
- QS World Ranking
- #438
- 2027 edition
About UmU
Umeå University was inaugurated on 17 September 1965 as Sweden's fifth university, on land long used for winter grazing by Sami reindeer herders. It is now the largest university in northern Sweden, with 43,736 enrolled students in 2025 (many of them in distance education), around 4,600 staff and four faculties: Arts and Humanities, Medicine, Social Sciences, and Science and Technology.
Its best-known discovery is the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, developed by Emmanuelle Charpentier's group at Umeå and recognised with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Research strengths include molecular infection medicine (MIMS, part of the EMBL Partnership), the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, plant science and the Arctic Centre, and the university has worked on AI for more than 50 years.
For international school leavers, Umeå offers four English-taught bachelor's programmes: International Business and Economics, Life Science, Industrial Design at the Umeå Institute of Design, and a five-year Architecture programme. The compact main campus, the Umeå Arts Campus by the river and a strong buddy programme suit students who want a close-knit community, northern nature and a university town where students are a large share of the population.
Why students choose UmU
International students ranked Umeå first in the world for Living, Support and Overall Satisfaction in the 2023 International Student Barometer, across 137 universities.
The Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design at the Umeå Institute of Design selects 20-30 shortlisted applicants by portfolio and on-site interview.
Non-EU applicants who put a Umeå programme first can apply for merit scholarships that waive all or part of the tuition fee.
The CRISPR-Cas9 discovery was made here, and life science students study at a university with the Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden lab and the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry
Selectivity
Sweden has no overall admit rate. Eligible applicants are ranked by programme: in the international round, International Business and Economics selects on upper-secondary grade point average, Life Science on grades (66%) and the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (34%), and Industrial Design shortlists 20-30 applicants by work samples before interviews.
Typical entry requirements
| General entry requirements | Completed upper-secondary (high school) education plus English 6/English level 2 |
|---|---|
| International Business and Economics | Mathematics at Swedish level 3b/3c (or Mathematics C) and Civics 1b or equivalent |
| Life Science | Biology 2, Chemistry 2 and Mathematics 3c (or Mathematics D) at Swedish upper-secondary level or equivalent |
| Industrial Design | General entry requirements plus approved work samples (portfolio) and an approved interview at the Umeå Institute of Design |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 English 6/English level 2: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5; TOEFL iBT 90 with 20 in writing for tests up to 20 January 2026 (4.5 on the new 1-6 scale with no section below 4 for later tests); PTE Academic 62 (writing 61). Some school-leaving certificates also prove English; check universityadmissions.se. |
Deadlines
- International admissions round (autumn 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Opens 16 October 2026 at 13:00 CET. Supporting documents and application fee due 1 February 2027. Bachelor's results published 6 April 2027. Semester starts 30 August 2027.
- Second admissions round, EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027
Opens 15 March 2027; supporting documents due 21 June; results 9 July 2027. The only round for the Architecture programme. Too late for non-EU students who need a residence permit.
Dates are from Umeå University's key dates page for autumn 2027. The scholarship process follows the January round: in 2026, eligible applicants were invited in early February and results announced on 17 April.
How to apply
Apply through universityadmissions.se, the national portal, where you can rank several programmes, then upload your school-leaving certificate, transcripts, proof of English and passport by the documents deadline. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants pay a SEK 900 application fee. Industrial Design applicants also submit work samples and may be invited to interview; Architecture is open only in the second (EU/EEA) round.
What admissions looks for
- Eligibility first: general entry requirements plus the programme's specific subjects, such as Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics for Life Science.
- A strong grade point average, the main ranking criterion in the international round.
- For Industrial Design, work samples that show design ability and a convincing interview.
- Complete, verified documents uploaded by the 1 February deadline.
Tips for applying to UmU
- 1 Rank your Umeå programme as priority 1 on universityadmissions.se by 15 January: only first-choice applicants can register interest in a Umeå scholarship.
- 2 Pay the SEK 900 application fee and upload documents by 1 February 2027, or you lose both your place in the ranking and scholarship eligibility.
- 3 For Industrial Design, invest in your portfolio: only 20-30 applicants reach the interview stage.
- 4 Non-EU applicants must use the January round; the April round leaves no time for a residence permit.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in SEK
The Umeå University Scholarship for International Students gives full or partial tuition waivers on academic merit to non-EU/EEA/Swiss students applying to a full bachelor's or master's programme. You must apply by 15 January with a Umeå programme as priority 1 and pay the application fee by the early February deadline; eligible applicants are then invited to register interest.
- SEK 900
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)
- Full or partial tuition waiver, merit-based
- Umeå University Scholarship
- SEK 1,184,000
- Architecture Programme total fee (5 years)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn semester early September to mid-January, spring semester mid-January to early June)
Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design
Taught at the Umeå Institute of Design with portfolio shortlisting and on-site interviews; leads on to master's in Advanced Product Design, Interaction Design and Transportation Design.
Bachelor of Science Programme in Life Science
English-taught, with a degree in Chemistry or Molecular Biology at the university where CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered.
International Business and Economics Programme
Three years in English with specialisation in business administration or economics, business analytics courses and a semester for exchange or internship.
Architecture Programme (300 credits)
A five-year English-taught route to a Master of Architecture at the Umeå School of Architecture on the Arts Campus.
Research
- The CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool was discovered at Umeå, leading to the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Emmanuelle Charpentier.
- Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) is part of the EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, alongside the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine.
- Umeå is known for genome research on the poplar tree and Norway spruce.
- The Arctic Centre connects Arctic transdisciplinary research, and nearly 100 researchers work on artificial intelligence.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Umeå Institute of Design
- Umeå School of Architecture
- Umeå Academy of Fine Arts
Student life
Most teaching happens on the compact main campus, where the university says everything is just around the corner, while the Umeå Arts Campus on the river brings together the art, design and architecture schools and the Bildmuseet art museum. Umeå's buddy programme pairs newcomers with local students for social activities, and in the 2023 International Student Barometer the university ranked first globally for campus buildings, sports facilities, social activities and accommodation cost. Students make up a large share of the city's population, which gives Umeå a young feel, and the northern location brings northern lights in winter and long summer nights.
- Ranked first worldwide by international students for Living, Support and Overall Satisfaction (ISB 2023).
- Buddy Programme connecting international and local students.
- Umeå Arts Campus with the Institute of Design, School of Architecture, Academy of Fine Arts and Bildmuseet.
- Students from over 60 nationalities.
Housing. The university helps tuition-fee-paying and exchange students find student housing, while EU/EEA students usually find their own; a single room in Umeå costs around SEK 4,600 a month.
Location
Umeå is the capital of Västerbotten County on the Ume River in north-east Sweden and the largest town in Norrland, with about 132,000 people in the municipality. Umeå University and a branch of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences together have around 40,000 students, roughly 30% of the population. It was European Capital of Culture in 2014, and the airport is about 4 km from the centre.
Nearest airport: Umeå Airport (UME)
Notable alumni
- AU Adi UtariniIndonesian public health scientist named to Nature's 10 and Time 100; master's and doctoral research at Umeå
- BA Bertil AnderssonBiochemist and former president of Nanyang Technological University; BSc and MSc from Umeå
- LL Lars LagerbäckFootball manager of Sweden and Iceland; studied political science and economics at Umeå
- DO Dan OlweusPsychologist and pioneer of research on bullying; PhD from Umeå (1969)
- IB Ibrahim BaylanSwedish Minister for Energy and Business; studied economics at Umeå
- SL Stefan LöfvenPrime Minister of Sweden 2014-2021; studied social work at Umeå
Frequently asked questions
Does Umeå University offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, four: International Business and Economics, Life Science, Industrial Design and a five-year Architecture programme. Architecture is only open in the April round for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
How much is tuition at Umeå for non-EU students?
For autumn 2027 the total programme fee is SEK 289,800 for International Business and Economics (about SEK 96,600 a year), SEK 456,900 for Life Science and SEK 963,900 for Industrial Design. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition.
What is the application deadline for autumn 2027?
15 January 2027 on universityadmissions.se, with documents and the application fee due by 1 February 2027. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can also apply from 15 March to 15 April 2027.
Does Umeå offer scholarships to international students?
Yes: merit-based full or partial tuition waivers for non-EU/EEA/Swiss students who apply by 15 January with a Umeå programme as their first priority and pay the application fee on time.
What English test score do I need for Umeå?
Bachelor's programmes require English 6: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with 20 in writing (older test format).
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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