NEWS The number of applicants for international master’s programmes at Umeå University starting in autumn 2016 have dramatically increased by 67% in this year’s application round, to 7,700 students. This is according to the latest statistics from the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR).
A total of 7,700 future students have applied to master’s degree programmes at Umeå University. This is an increase of 67% compared to the 4,621 students who applied to Umeå University in the 2015 application round. Umeå University received applications from over 140 countries this year, with the most number of applications made from Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan, Ghana and Ethiopia. Significant increases in applicants from India, China and the United Kingdom were also seen.
Umeå University had 38% first choice applicants (2,963) of its total number of applicants for 32 international master’s programmes. This is a 32% increase in comparison to the number of first choice applicants last year (2242). The Master’s in Fine Arts was not included in the latest statistics due to a later application deadline.
When Sweden went over to a fee-based system for international students a few years ago, the university was forced to rethink the way it reaches out to international students:
"The university has been working with different mediums and methods to increase our visibility internationally including working more with digital media campaigns, alumni networks and collaborations with other Swedish universities. It was in particular great to see increases in applications from China and India, two countries we have specifically been working in to increase our visibility," says Gregory Neely, Head of Division at the International Office.
The international master’s programmes at Umeå University that received the most applications are listed below (total number of applicants and percentage change from autumn semester 2015 in brackets):
The two-year master’s in Public Health was among the top 15 most popular degree programmes (of the more than 700) in Sweden, with 881 total applicants.
The deadline for international applications for the 2016 autumn term was 15 January. Applicants must complete their application before 1 February by submitting their supporting documents and paying the application fee (if required) to University Admission sin Sweden. Late applications may be submitted, but they will only be processed after those received on time.
Admissions results will be announced on 29 March.
Learn more about the application process
Source: Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR)
Text: David MeyersPhoto credit: Ulrika Bergfors-Kriström
Editor: Anna Lawrence