NEWS
The number of applications to Umeå University has increased by 7% from last year. The university has received a total of 46,250 applications for autumn semester 2011 courses and degree programmes. The jump is higher than the national average of higher education institutions.
The total number of applications for the 2011 autumn semester for all universities and colleges in Sweden was an all-time high of 346,230, or a national increase of 2%, according to a report from the National Agency for Higher Education (VHS). The increase for Umeå University was 7%, or 2,974 more applications than in 2010.
"It's obviously very pleasing that the number of applications has increased," says Anders Fällström, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education at Umeå University. "Our goal is no longer to admit more and more students, as we have a sufficient number to belong to the group of larger universities. Our goal now is predominately to improve the quality of education and have students more evenly distributed across the various courses and study opportunities."
The largest increase in the number of applications to Umeå University was for individual (free-standing) courses, with a 16% jump. Applications to degree programmes were at the same level as the previous year’s admissions round.
The application totals are expected to be even higher as the trend in recent years has been that more prospective students submit late applications after the deadline of 15 April.
"I urge all to be cognizant that a great deal occurs before actual registration as we, for instance, receive an increasing number of late applications. So the current statistics are more of an indication of how it will look in the autumn," continues Anders Fällström.
The number of applicants admitted to international master’s programmes starting autumn semester 2011 has decreased by 73% in comparison to autumn semester 2010. The decrease in applications was expected and depended to the largest extent on the Swedish government’s decision to introduce application and tuition fees for students from outside the EU/EES and Switzerland applying for courses and programmes, starting with the autumn semester, 2011.
Umeå University had a total of35,435 registered students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level at the end of 2010.
Anders FällströmDeputy Vice-Chancellor for Education, Umeå University Email: anders.fallstrom@adm.umu.se Mobile: +46 (0)70-493 85 27 Source: National Agency for Higher Education (VHS)
