Your first weeks at Umeå University
The first weeks as a student is a period full of study related as well as social activities. In order for you to be as well prepared as possible when you start your studies at Umeå University, here is a list of useful and fun things awaiting you during that period.
- On arrival
- Orientation Course
- Sign up for the Buddy Programme
- Activate your user account
- You may need an access pass
- Apply for a library card at the University Library
- Participate in the reception ("mottagning")
- Student Unions
On arrival
When you arrive in Umeå by plane, train or bus, look for the Umeå University Info Corners. There will be one at the Airport and another at the bus station. At the Info Corners you will find maps, directions to the University, and some other basic information.
Student Guides will be available at the Student Reception in the Administration Building to answer questions and guide you to your department or wherever else you need to go at the University.
Orientation Course
Moving to a new country with an unfamiliar language, culture and customs can be a challenge. We would like to help you and ease that challenge so that you can focus on your studies. Therefore, we offer you the possibility to take part in our Orientation Course, which begins just before the start of the term.Orientation Course
Sign up for the Buddy Programme
Buddies are students at Umeå University who volunteer to introduce you to the Swedish way of life. Signing up for the Buddy Programme gives you the possibility to participate in a variety of fun social activities, for example sports, parties and travel, or just having a cup of coffee with your group members.Buddy Programme
Activate your user account
As a new student at Umeå University, you need to activate your user account to get access to our systems and IT services, for instance the student portal (Portalen), the wireless network at campus or the learning platform (Cambro).
If you have applied to Umeå University through Universityadmissions.se and have been admitted to a course or programme, you will receive a letter sent to your registered home address from Umeå University after the second Notification of selection results, with a temporary user identity that you can use to activate your user account. You can also activate it through your user identity on Universityadmissions.se. Both ways to activate the user account is reached via the link below.Activate your user account
If you are an exchange student, you will receive information about how to activate the user account when you arrive at the university.
After you have activated your user account, you will reach the student portal (Portalen) or the learning platform (Cambro) via the sign in links to the right at www.student.umu.se/english
You may need an access pass
If you will be studying at Campus Umeå or Skellefteå, you may need an access pass in order to get access to for instance computer rooms or if you wish to study at campus during evenings. Visit one of our Service Centres to get help getting the access pass.Service Centre
Apply for a library card at the University Library
The University Library holds about 1.5 million volumes and 18,000 journal titles and is visited by approximately 900,000 persons per year. Most of the course literature is available at the University Library. You can also book group rooms for group studies in their premises.Apply for a library card
Participate in the reception ("mottagning")
Traditionally, many study programmes arrange a reception programme that goes under many different names, like "mottagning", "inspark", "nolle-p" or "phösare". The students having studied a year or more at the programme are the ones arranging the reception, normally as a part of the Student Unions. The purpose of the reception is team building, getting to know each other and to have fun together. If your programme carries the tradition of arranging a reception, you will get more information about it during the first week.
Student Unions
At Umeå University, there are three different Student Unions. Which one you may join to depends on what you study. Get more information about the Unions and other student organisations via the link below.Student Organisations
