Student housing

The maximum period that you as an international student can rent a room through the International Housing Office at Umeå University is two terms (one academic year).

All rooms (except those in Tunnelbacken area) have a private bathroom with a toilet, shower and sink. In Tunnelbacken area you share a shower with other students in your dorm (approximately 5-6 other students) but you have your own toilet and sink in the room.

In general about 6-10 students per corridor but it can vary a bit.

Note: Not all students are necessarily renting from the IHO. Some of the tenants may hold a contract with Bostaden directly.

Check the room information before you make your reservation to get more details about the room and dorm. All students in the corridor share the same kitchen (except for Historiegränd, ground floor and first floor, where there are kitchenettes in each room).

For safety reasons, losing your key will lead to a lock change at your expense. Report the lost key to the IHO and contact your area caretaker to make the lock change. An invoice for the cost will be sent to you (the cost is approx. SEK 1500 depending on key).

At the moment, the IHO only sublets single occupancy rooms in student dorms. It is prohibited to live more than one person in the same room.

Exchange students: When your coordinator at your home university nominates you for studies at Umeå University, she/he should also fill in the question "Apply for housing" and also specify the requested period for accommodation.

Tuition fee-paying students/Scholarship students: You will receive the application instructions when your tuition fee is paid or when you have accepted your scholarship offer.

By mid June/beginning of December, depending on which term you apply for, you will receive an Offer of Housing to your e-mail. In this Offer of Housing you will be asked to make an advance payment of SEK 8,000 that will secure your reservation for accommodation. Once we have received your payment (roughly 8-10 business days later) you will be given a password that allows you to log in to our housing database and choose a room from our housing stock.

The information above does not apply to short term students.

Note: If possible, make the payment in SEK. The IHO cannot refund you any excess payments due to currency exchange rates.

See also Information for Tenants.

In the online application for exchange studies at Umeå University, specify that your "stay is shorter than one term" and fill in your estimated arrival and departure date. With a short term contract it is not possible to choose your location, this will be done by the IHO. Furthermore, the monthly rent is slightly higher than if staying a full term. See How to Apply for Housing.

As a tuition fee-paying student, do not forget to write your requested time period when you apply.

Note: Short term students need to pay the total rent in advance.

In your Offer of Housing you will be asked to make an advance payment to secure your reservation for housing. This advance payment is not only a prepayment but also corresponds to approximately half the terms rent. Furthermore, the advance payment includes an administrative fee (service fee) of 800 SEK that is not refundable.

Note: If possible, make the payment in SEK. The IHO cannot refund you any excess payments due to currency exchange rates. For currency rates, see for example www.oanda.com/currency/converter/ or www.forex.se/en/.

If you for any reason are unable to come to Umeå you should notify the IHO as soon as possible. If you make the cancellation later than one month before the start of your contract, the IHO will keep one month's rent and refund you the rest. The service fee of SEK 800 is always kept at cancellations.

When we have received your advance payment you will be sent a password to your e-mail address which your coordinator at your home university stated in the nomination. With this password you can log in to our housing booking system and book a room.

If you have a short term contract you will not be able to book a room, instead the IHO staff will allocate you to an available room. Information about the room address will be sent when we have received your advance payment.

The total rent (5 months for a full term) for your stay is divided into two installments per term. The first being your advance payment. We are not able to accept monthly payments. For the second rent payment you will receive an invoice to your address in Umeå, approximately by the middle of October/end of February. Make sure to put a name tag onto your post box outside of your housing corridor.

If you are staying with the IHO for a full academic year the first rent payment for spring term is due in the middle of December. The last rent payment is due in the beginning of March.

You will receive an e-mail confirmation.

You must come to the IHO located at Infocenter in the Universum Building. You will sign the housing contract and collect the keys to your accommodation. For guidance about your arrival, see Arriving and moving in.

We do not offer pick-up service when you arrive in Umeå. Transportation however is arranged from the IHO to your room during the Recommended Arrival Day(s).

Inform the IHO about your late arrival through the online arrival confirmation. The opening hours are extended during the recommended arrival day(s) but not afterwards so make sure that you arrive during regular office hours.

If you arrive in the evening or during the weekend you must arrange a temporary accommodation until next working day. You could also ask a friend already in Umeå to pick up your keys during the IHO's opening hours. In that case the IHO needs the name of your friend, and he/she needs to bring some ID (e.g. passport).