WELCOME TO
Congratulations! You are admitted to the Architecture Programme at Umeå School of Architecture, Umeå University. On this page you will find important information that will be useful, so please read through it carefully. If you have any questions, you can use the contact form below and we will respond promptly. We wish you a warm welcome and hope that you will enjoy your period of studies here in Umeå. See you in the autumn!
Have you been admitted to a course or programme, but do not wish to keep your place? Then you should decline your offer by logging in to your account at Universityadmissions.se. In doing so, you free up your place to someone who is on the waiting list.
If you are in need of special support due to disability, you should apply for that in good time before you start your studies. Find more information about support for studying with disabilities.
As a new student, you need to activate your user account (your Umu-id) approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
With your user account you can:
If you are a new student, you will automatically receive a user account when you are admitted, but you will need to activate it for it to function properly. You will not be able to activate it until approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
Install MFA for a more secure login
To increase security and reduce the risk of unauthorised access to your information or account, students must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log in to various systems, such as Canvas and the Student Web.
I want to activate my user account and install MFA
If you are an exchange student or tuition fee paying student, you will receive an email with instructions on how to activate your account.
If you are having problems activating your account or logging in, please contact our Servicedesk. You will find answers to common questions, and can submit enquiries.
On Monday 2 September between 09:00-10:00 we are available in the foyer at the School of Architecture for registration and attendance control on the programme. Please arrive in good time as there are many students to be registered before the introduction meeting starts. Umeå Shool of Architecture is located at Arts Campus.
For the autumn semester's courses, self-registration takes place via Ladok between 26 Aug - 15 Sep.
If you for some reason cannot attend for programme registration it is important that you notify us by sending an email to info@arch.umu.se. If you don’t show up for registration or email us you risk losing your place (seat) at the programme.
Introduction
After the registration between 09:00-10:00, the Architecture Programme starts off with an introduction meeting at 10:00 in the Theatre. At the meeting you will meet staff working with student support and be introduced to Umeå university, The School of Architecture and the Architectural Programme.
If you for some reason cannot attend the introduction meeting it is important that you notify us by sending an email to info@arch.umu.se.
Learning platform Canvas
We use the learning platform Canvas. The course sites in Canvas will be published a few days before the course starts. Please note that you must activate your user account (Umu-id) before you can log in to Canvas. Read more about how you activate your user account further down.
Schedule
An overall schedule for the first weeks of the term will be published on the student web no later than 30 days before the semester starts.
The education mainly consists of project work with supervision, in groups or individually. The school is equipped with a wood workshop, laser cutter, 3D printer and computer rooms and you will have your own workplace in the school's studio - where you can expect to spend a lot of study time. The focus is on practical work in the workshop and studio, where you learn to create drawings and models. Courses in, among other things, architectural theory, architectural history and technology are combined with project work and run in parallel during the semesters. Many lectures are given by internationally professional architects, artists and researchers.
The education leads to an architect's degree, which means that you can work as an architect in both the private and public sector. The international character of the programme provides good preparation for working both in Sweden and in the rest of the world.
Tools and materials that you may need in your education will we go into more in detail by the start of the course, but it is good to bring your own pencils, scissors, ruler and sketch pads for the first days already. It can be good to know that approximately the same amount that students on other programmes are expected to spend on literature, are at the Architecture programme distributed over the semester on travelling, materials, tools and literature.
We are pleased that you have decided to study at Umeå School of Architecture (UMA). We hope that you will find that you have made the right choice to gain skills for your future life! We also hope that you will enjoy your time and studies here at Umeå University!
Umeå School of Architecture is a department of The Faculty for Science and Technology at Umeå University established in 2009. Since 2010 the school is located in its own building at Umeå Arts Campus with Umeå School of Design, Umeå Academy of Fine Arts and the museum for contemporary art Bildmuseet as closest neighbours.
For Umeå School of Architecture, holistic, interdisciplinary and experimental approaches are perceived decisive to address the contemporary global challenges and possibilities of Architecture such as climate change, rising inequalities, environmental devastation, different geographical living conditions and migration. The lack of institutional history brings an open, curious and sensitive atmosphere that tends to amplify such approaches. Likewise, the location of Umeå School of Architecture in the local- and regional context of Umeå and Northern Sweden is, together with the school's International profile a dynamic vantage point to address global or structural issues while working firmly to engage with and learn from affected communities.
Umeå School of Architecture has around 50 employees with an academic and professional background in almost as many different contexts and approximately 300 students from all over the world. UMA provides education in the form of a five-year Architecture Programme, a two-year Master's Programme in Architecture and Urban Design as well as some freestanding courses.
Checklist for admitted students
Follow this simple list of things to complete your enrolment at Umeå University. It includes: how to secure housing, getting a residence permit (for citizens from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland), tuition payment (if applicable), travel directions and more.
The Student web
The website for current students has all sorts of information about services, support, legal and practical matters at Umeå University. You can sign in to the learning platforms, see your schedule and course overview, get a study certificate, apply for a degree or sign up for an examination.
Recommended arrival times
International students are recommended to arrive at least a few days before the start of the regular semester, preferably prior to the Orientation. If you fail to arrive on time, you have to contact the study counselor as soon as possible, but no later than one week ahead of the course start, or you may not be able to register for the programme or course.
If you will have student housing through the Housing Office at Umeå University you will receive information about your arrival in your offer of housing.
Don't forget - Umeå has cold winters, so pack accordingly with a warm jacket, warm shoes, gloves and hat.
Orientation
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 would like to offer you the possibility to take part in our Orientation, which begins a few days before the start of the semester (Autumn) or the same day as the semester starts (Spring).
Welcome Fair
Are you a new student at Umeå University? Visit the Welcome Fair – a perfect opportunity to learn what our university and Umeå can offer. The fair normally takes place in the beginning of each semester.
Get your UmU card
When you are on Campus Umeå, Umeå Arts Campus or Campus Örnsköldsvik, you will need a UmU card. The card has the following functions:
To get the card, you need to apply for it. Here’s how to apply for the UmU card.
Join a student union
There are three student unions at Umeå University:
They are actively involved so that fellow students have a high quality of education, good working environment, and fun leisure time.
Access to Microsoft Office 365
Students at Umeå University have free access to the programmes of Microsoft Office 365. This means that you have access to Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Whiteboard Forms, your student email and other services which can facilitate your studies and your collaboration with other students. To access Office 365 you need to activate your UmU-id.
Learn more about Office 365 and how to install it on your computer