Umeå universitet
Umeå, Sweden • Founded 1965 • World Rank #504
Updated May 2026
Overview
Founded in 1965, the Umeå universitet (Umeå University) is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the small city of Umeå (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Vasterbotten County.
This institution also has a branch campus in Örnsköldsvik and Skellefteå. Officially recognized by the Utbildningsdepartementet, Sverige (Ministry of Education and Research of Sweden), Umeå universitet (UmU) is a large-sized coeducational Swedish higher education institution.
Umeå universitet (UmU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as pre-bachelor's degrees (i.e. certificates, diplomas, associate or foundation), bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study. This 58-year-old Swedish higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on students' past academic records and grades.
International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
UmU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, online courses and distance learning opportunities, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
Find Umeå universitet on the map and reach the right office through the contact channels listed below. Use these for general enquiries; specific departments often run their own contact pages.
Academic Details
Academic statistics for Umeå universitet — including its student body and academic staff numbers. Read these alongside rankings; institution scale changes how rankings should be interpreted.
Academic Structures
Below: how Umeå universitet organises its faculties and constituent units. Distance learning programmes often sit in a separate division from on-campus teaching, with different administration.
Unit 12 items
- Academy of Fine Arts
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Institute of Design
- Institute of Technology
- School of Architecture
- School of Business
- School of Education
- School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts
- Sport Sciences Centre
Degrees
Also shorter courses, 2-5 sem
Bachelor's 59 programs
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Art Management
- Arts and Humanities
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Biology
- Cognitive Sciences
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Construction Engineering
- Cooking and Catering
- Cultural Studies
- Data Processing
- Dental Hygiene
- Dental Technology
- Dietetics
- Earth Sciences
- Electronic Engineering
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Fine Arts
- Health Administration
- Health Sciences
- Industrial Design
- Information Sciences
- International Studies
- Journalism
- Law
- Leadership
- Library Science
- Literature
- Mass Communication
- Mechanical Engineering
- Media Studies
- Medical Technology
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Peace and Disarmament
- Philosophy
- Physical Therapy
- Political Sciences
- Preschool Education
- Primary Education
- Psychology
- Radiology
- Regional Planning
- Secondary Education
- Secretarial Studies
- Social Sciences
- Social Work
- Social and Community Services
- Sociology
- Speech Therapy and Audiology
- Sports
- Sports Medicine
- Statistics
- Teacher Training
- Theology
- Tourism
- Town Planning
- Writing
Master's 76 programs
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Accountancy
- Applied Mathematics
- Archaeology
- Architecture
- Artificial Intelligence
- Behavioural Sciences
- Biomedicine
- Biotechnology
- Business Administration
- Chemistry
- Cognitive Sciences
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Constitutional Law
- Cultural Studies
- Data Processing
- Demography and Population
- Dentistry
- Design
- Earth Sciences
- Ecology
- Economics
- Electronics and Automation
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Finance
- Fine Arts
- Forestry
- Gender Studies
- Health Sciences
- Higher Education Teacher Training
- Human Rights
- Industrial Design
- Industrial and Production Economics
- Information Sciences
- Information Technology
- International Business
- Labour Law
- Law
- Leadership
- Library Science
- Literature
- Management
- Marketing
- Mass Communication
- Mathematics
- Media Studies
- Medicine
- Midwifery
- Molecular Biology
- Nordic Studies
- Nursing
- Occupational Health
- Peace and Disarmament
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy
- Physics
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Public Health
- Robotics
- Service Trades
- Social Sciences
- Social Work
- Special Education
- Sports
- Sports Medicine
- Statistics
- Surveying and Mapping
- Teacher Training
- Theology
- Tourism
- Town Planning
- Transport and Communications
Other 16 programs
- Architecture
- Arts and Humanities
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Design
- Ecology
- Electronic Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Molecular Biology
- Natural Sciences
- Physics
- Physiology
- Sports
- Technology
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under Utbildningsdepartementet, Sverige.
Biomedical Engineering and Physics (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biomedical Engineering
- Physics
Common Career Paths
- Biomedical Engineer
- Medical Device Specialist
- Clinical Engineer
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Demographic Database (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Demography and Population
- Social Sciences
Disability Research (Centre) Faculty details available
Specialisations & Subjects
No specified subjects listed.
Environmental Research (Centre) 3 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Environmental Studies
- Parks and Recreation
- Welfare and Protective Services
Common Career Paths
- Environmental Consultant
- Sustainability Officer
- Climate Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Fish and Wildlife Research (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Fishery
- Wildlife
Functional Brain Imaging (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Radiology
High Performance Computing (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Computer Engineering
Humlab (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Arts and Humanities
- Information Technology
Interaction Technology (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Technology
Marine Science (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Marine Science and Oceanography
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Molecular Medicine (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biomedicine
- Health Sciences
Common Career Paths
- Physician
- Medical Researcher
- Clinical Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Molecular Pathogenesis (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biomedicine
- Health Sciences
Plant Science (Centre) Faculty details available
Specialisations & Subjects
No specified subjects listed.
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Population Studies (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Demography and Population
Regional Science (Centre) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Geography
- Rural Studies
- Social Sciences
- Urban Studies
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Sami Research (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Indigenous Studies
Spatial Modelling (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- SMC
Studies of Science and Values (Centre) Faculty details available
Specialisations & Subjects
No specified subjects listed.
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Teaching and Learning (Centre) Faculty details available
Specialisations & Subjects
No specified subjects listed.
Women's Studies (Centre) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Social Sciences
- Women's Studies
Arts (Faculty) 32 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Aesthetics
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Arts and Humanities
- Cinema and Television
- Communication Studies
- Comparative Literature
- Cultural Studies
- English
- Ethnology
- Film
- Fine Arts
- Finnish
- French
- German
- History
- Information Technology
- Journalism
- Linguistics
- Media Studies
- Modern Languages
- Museum Studies
- Philosophy
- Religion
- Religious Studies
- Russian
- Scandinavian Languages
- Social Sciences
- Spanish
- Swedish
- Theatre
- Theology
Medicine (Faculty) 18 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biomedicine
- Cell Biology
- Child Care and Development
- Dentistry
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
- Health Sciences
- Immunology
- Medicine
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neurosciences
- Nursing
- Pharmacology
- Psychotherapy
- Public Health
- Surgery
- Virology
Common Career Paths
- Physician
- Medical Researcher
- Clinical Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Science and Technology (Faculty) 31 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Applied Mathematics
- Applied Physics
- Architecture
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Networks
- Computer Science
- Design
- Earth Sciences
- Ecology
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Electronics and Automation
- Energy Engineering
- Engineering Management
- Environmental Management
- Industrial Engineering
- Information Technology
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Mechanical Engineering
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacy
- Physics
- Robotics
- Science Education
- Statistics
- Structural Architecture
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Social Sciences (Faculty) 34 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Accountancy
- Business Administration
- Cognitive Sciences
- Computer Science
- Development Studies
- Economic History
- Economics
- Education
- Educational Sciences
- Finance
- Food Science
- Gender Studies
- Geography (Human)
- Hotel and Restaurant
- Information Technology
- International Business
- Law
- Leadership
- Management
- Marketing
- Media Studies
- Nutrition
- Peace and Disarmament
- Physical Education
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Social Welfare
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Special Education
- Sports
- Statistics
- Tourism
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Policy Analyst
- Social Worker
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Design (Institute) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Design
- Fine Arts
Common Career Paths
- Designer
- Creative Director
- UX Researcher
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Technology (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Technology
Transport Research (Unit) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Social Sciences
- Transport and Communications
Programs Offered
The programmes you can apply for at Umeå universitet are grouped by degree level. Programme-level accreditation (separate from institutional) matters for regulated professions like law, medicine, and engineering.
69 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Sweden
Bachelor's Degree 10 programmes
Master's Degree 59 programmes
Showing 10 of 59.
How to apply to Umeå universitet
Five steps that capture how most applications to Umeå universitet flow, from research through submission to follow-up correspondence.
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1
Find a programme that fits your goals
Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. Umeå universitet offers 69 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.
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2
Confirm you meet the requirements
Each programme at Umeå universitet has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.
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3
Assemble your application package
Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.
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4
Submit your application
Apply directly via Umeå universitet's online portal at www.umu.se. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.
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5
Contact admissions and follow up
After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. Reach the institution by phone at +46 (90) 786 5000. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about Umeå universitet
Frequently asked questions about Umeå universitet, covering the institutional basics most prospective applicants want to confirm first.
In what year was Umeå universitet established?
Umeå universitet was founded in 1965 (approximately 61 years ago).
In which city is Umeå universitet?
Umeå universitet is based in Umeå, Sweden.
What is Umeå universitet's control type?
Umeå universitet is a public institution.
How many students study at Umeå universitet?
Umeå universitet has approximately 15,000-19,999 students.
What is Umeå universitet's ranking?
Umeå universitet holds rank #504 globally and #9 in Sweden.
What qualification levels does Umeå universitet offer?
Programmes at Umeå universitet cover bachelor's and master's programmes.
How many faculties does Umeå universitet have?
Umeå universitet is organised into 12 academic units across its disciplines.
Is Umeå universitet officially recognised?
Umeå universitet is accredited by Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ).
What is Umeå universitet's official website?
You can find Umeå universitet online at www.umu.se.
Top-Ranked Universities in Sweden
The leading universities in Sweden are listed below — useful for sizing Umeå universitet against the country's top tier. Top-tier institutions in Sweden typically set admissions standards that downstream universities track.
Members of European University Association (EUA)
Universities sharing European University Association (EUA) affiliation with Umeå universitet offer comparable mobility and recognition benefits. Affiliated institutions often coordinate on academic standards and credit-transfer pathways.
Where Else to Study Information Systems & Technology
Below: institutions across Sweden that offer Information Systems & Technology, providing comparison points for Umeå universitet's programme. Variations in elective range, placement support, and credential portability are worth examining carefully.
Universities Compared with Umeå universitet
Comparable institutions to Umeå universitet — by academic scale and standing — are gathered below. Same-tier shortlists give you flexibility on admissions outcomes without compromising on institutional level.
Studying in Sweden: guides and resources
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