Application and eligibility for university-wide exchange places outside Europe

Prior to your application

Eligibility criteria 

The university-wide agreements are open to all students from all faculties with a few exceptions. You can apply if you study at the undergraduate or Master's level.

To be eligible for an exchange place through the university-wide agreements outside Europe you must:

• be registered at Umeå University at the time of your application or have an approved leave from studies during the year you apply;
• have completed at least 15 ECTS at Umeå University when you submit your application to the International Office;
• have completed at least 60 ECTS at Umeå University before departure;
• have a study performance over 75% at Umeå University, i.e. no more than 25% unfinished courses;
• plan your exchange studies in consultation with your department so you can have your credits transferred to your study programme; and
• be able to demonstrate the language skills specified below at the time of application.

Language requirements

Documented language skills

At the time of application, you must also be able to demonstrate documented language skills in the language of instruction (for Swedish-speaking students, Scandinavian languages are exempt), such as an upper-secondary school diploma.

The upper-secondary school diploma is checked by the International Office. You do not need to submit the diploma with your application.

If you have passed another valid language test with B2 level according to CEFR, it needs to be uploaded in the application.

Please note that if you are offered a nomination to a university, that university may require you to submit a certificate such as an upper-secondary school diploma.

English language requirements

For English, the requirements are the equivalent of three years of study at upper-secondary school. You should either have:

• minimum grade of VG (pass with credit) in upper-secondary course A, or
• a minimum grade of B in upper-secondary course 5, or
• minimum grade of G (pass) in upper-secondary course B, or
• a minimum grade of C from upper-secondary course 6, or
• minimum grade of E from upper-secondary course 7.

If you do not have the grades that meet the language requirement, you should upload one of the following with your application in Solemove:

• A valid language test which meets with the CEFR B2 level. We only accept tests listed on the University Admissions web page.
• For international students at programmes instructed in English at Umeå University, a copy of the proof of English proficiency submitted with the application to the programme is sufficient.

Other language requirements 

For documented language skills in Spanish, please see the Universidad de Guanajuato page in Solemove.

How to apply for a university-wide exchange place outside Europe

Step 1: Get to know the universities you want to apply to

To see which universities you can apply to:

1. Go to Solemove.
2. Choose "Umeå University" as "Your home unit".
3. Click "Advanced search" and choose "UNIWIDE" under "Exchange program".
4. Click "Search" to see available universities.

You can apply to a maximum of four universities. 

In Solemove you can find more information about the universities, available courses and how many places are available to each university (available places are only shown when the application period is open).

Step 2: Choose courses

You are expected to study full-time (equivalent to 30 credits) when you are abroad. When it comes to the number of credits, you should rely on the recommendations given by Umeå University. The foreign institution does not have knowledge of the processing of transferring credits here, and may give misguided information by mistake.

Choose four courses per university to which you intend to apply. You must do this to demonstrate that there are courses for you to study at each chosen university.

Be attentive to possible restrictions in the agreement and how many places is available at each university. 

Please note that students enrolled in so called direct master's programmes (such as Master of Business Administration or Master of Engineering students studying in a 4- or 5-year programme) may have problems enrolling in graduate level courses unless they have completed a bachelor's degree before the exchange. 

Make sure to choose courses at the right level
Some courses may be too basic and will not be transferred to your degree at Umeå University. Be attentive to courses that are described as "basic" or "introductory". In USA and Canada it is recommended that you avoid courses on 100/1000 level, if possible. 

A mobility window gives more flexibility, but there are still courses that will not be transferred to your degree at Umeå University (for example Yoga). The courses must be of academic standard to transfer as credits.

Restrictions 
On each university page in Solemove you will find information about any restrictions that apply. Here is an explanation of what the restrictions mean:

Closed programmes/courses
Information about programmes and courses that are not available for exchange students – do not apply for these courses or programmes.

Courses/Programmes with limited access
Courses and programmes that may be difficult to be accepted to. As a student you must be prepared to apply for other courses if you are not accepted to your first choice.
No matter which courses you choose, you are not guaranteed admission.

Full time studies
Number of credits at the foreign higher education institution that is equivalent to 30 credits in Sweden.

Course types
Number of credits per course at the foreign higher education institution.

Course levels
Specify the level of each course (undergraduate, advanced/graduate, doctoral etc).

Academic year
Semesters/terms at the foreign higher education institution.

Step 3: Consult your study or programme study counsellor

Before you fill in the courses in the study plan (see step 4), you must present the courses you intend to study to your study counsellor, for all universities you want to apply for. The study counsellor must then confirm that the course choices can be credited to your studies after the exchange.

In your application, you are asked to confirm that you have discussed this with your study counsellor and also state the name of that person.

Please note that the course selections are preliminary, nominated students will possibly make new course selections in a later application to the host university.

Step 4: Enclosures required with your application

1. Study plan 

You must send in an intended study plan, use the template below. Enter four courses per university you are applying to. Please note that the course selections are preliminary. If you are offered an exchange place, you will possibly make new course choices in a later application to the university where you will study. 

Use this template to complete your study plan.

2. Potential Buddy/Groupleader certificate
If you have been a buddy or a group leader in the Buddy Programme previous to this semester, you must include the certificate in your application. If you are part of the Buddy Programme this semester, please make a note in the study plan.

3. Passed language test – if you do not have sufficient grades in English

If you do not have the English grades needed from your upper-secondary school, that meets the eligibility requirement, you can upload a language test. More information about valid language tests can be found further up on this page, under the heading Language requirements.

Make sure all attachments are included!

Please note that you cannot send in additional documents after the application deadline. You are responsible for ensuring that all documents that must be included are submitted. The International Office cannot, before deadline, go through received applications to assess whether any documents are missing. After the deadline, we proceed from the documents that are sent in.

Step 5: Fill out the online application

Don't forget to attach required enclosures with your application (see step 4).

Home Institution
In the application you must state the Home Institution, then state the International Office.

Last submitted application applies
If you have sent in several applications, it is the latest one that will be taken into consideration, unless you have notified us otherwise. Contact the International Office

After application

Your application is assessed according to the selection criteria

After the application deadline, the International Office scores all applications based on a number of criteria:

1. Completed credits* at Umeå University at the time of application (maximum 3 points)

• At least 120 completed credits: 3 points
• 60–119 completed credits: 2 points
• 15–59 completed credits: 1 point
• 0–14 completed credits: not eligible for exchange studies via the university-wide agreements.

*You do not need to state this in your application since this information will be taken from Ladok (study administrative system where all registrations and credits are stated) after the last day of application. Inserted breaks in courses are not counted in the calculation as long as there are no grades inserted for the module or course.

2. Performance at Umeå University (maximum 3 points)

Student's study performance (number of credits that the student is registered for in relation to the actual number of credits gained):

• 91–100 percent: 3 points
• 81–90 percent: 2 points
• 75–80 percent: 1 point
• 0–74 percent: not eligible for exchange studies via the university-wide agreements

You do not need to state this in your application since this information will be taken from Ladok (study administrative system where all registrations and credits are stated) after the last day of application. Interruptions in courses are not included in the calculation as long as there are no grades for the module or course. 

3. Course selection for each chosen university (maximum 1 point)

• Course selection for each chosen university: 1 point
• Lack of course selection for chosen university: 0 points

You receive 1 (one) point for listing at least four course selections at each chosen university. If you choose a university without giving example of relevant courses, your application will receive 0 points.

4. Participation in the Buddy Programme (maximum 2 points)

• Group leader in the Buddy Programme: 2 points
• Participation in the Buddy Programme as a buddy: 1 point per semester, maximum of two semesters, i.e. 2 points
• Have not participated in the Buddy Programme (as a buddy or a group leader): 0 points

Here you state whether you have been a buddy or a group leader in the Buddy Programme. This information will be verified with the International Office's student coordinator (who is responsible for the Buddy Programme). Incorrect information will be duly changed. Note! If you have been a buddy or a group leader previous to this term, you need to submit a certificate along with your application to get points.

5. Submitted application is complete (maximum 1 point)

• Submitted application is complete: 1 point
• Submitted application incomplete (or attachments are submitted late): 0 points

You can receive a maximum of 10 points for your application.

What happens if two or more students have the same total number of points? 

The selection criteria will be examined in the order they are listed above. Firstly, completed credits will be compared. If the points awarded are the same, then the study performance will be compared and so on.

If two or more students' total number of points is the same after all the criteria have been compared, the ranking between them will be decided through the drawing of lots.

An application can receive a maximum of 10 points.

Please note that lower priority will be given to applicants who have previously been awarded an exchange place through Umeå University's university-wide agreements.

What happens after the application deadline?

Selection

The result of the selection is communicated to all applicants mid-January via a message from Solemove. If you are offered a nomination for an exchange place at a university, you have one week to accept or decline your assigned nomination.

If we do not receive an answer from you, it is considered that you have answered no. If you are not offered a nomination, you will receive an email directly from the International Office.

After the selection

When the selection is complete, a compilation is made of the students who have accepted a nomination to the partner university and a decision is made by the Head of Office at the International Office.

When the selection is finished and any cancellations are received, a reserve processing takes place. This means that when a student chooses to withdraw their assigned nomination, the International Office calls in a reserve as long as the nomination or application deadline at the partner university has not passed. Students who already have an assigned nomination cannot be on the reserve list, but students who have declined their nomination are added to the reserve list. The reserve process takes place continuously and is based on the same principles as the regular selection. Offer of nomination comes via Solemove in connection with an email from the International Office.

I have accepted an exchange place, what happens next?

All students who have been offered a nomination for an exchange place and who have accepted it will receive an invitation to a nomination meeting. At the meeting, you will get more information about the next step in the process as well as other important information before your upcoming exchange studies.