A lot of general questions can be answered through the
International Student Guide
Do I need a degree in Industrial Design to be accepted
to a MFA programme?
Holding a degree in industrial design is considered a positive
but is not a requirement.
The basic entry qualifications are a Bachelor's degree or
equivalent first-cycle qualification comprising of at least 180
ECTS or a corresponding qualification from an internationally
recognized university. Specific entry requirements are: 60 ECTS in
the field of Design + Portfolio. Proficiency in English equivalent
to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6
I do not have 60 ECTS credits in the Design subject, am
I eligible?
You are unfortunately not eligible if your degree does not
include at least 60 ECTS credits in the Design subject. To be
eligible you need to do additional studies where you can get the
required credits in the Design subject.
Can you look at my diploma/transcripts to see if I am
eligible?
It is University Admissions that looks at and approves academic
documents. Umeå Institute of Design only looks at the portfolio.
University Admissions only assess academic documents if/when you
have done an application and uploaded the documents.
How well should I communicate in English?
Your English proficiency should be equivalent to English
6/English B from the Swedish upper secondary education. Information
on how to meet the requirement can be found at University Admissions.
Where do I upload my portfolio?
You upload your portfolio here at UID website. At each programme
you have instructions and link to upload. Note that if you are
applying for more than one MFA programme you need to upload a
portfolio for each programme. Do NOT upload at your account at
universityadmisssions.se.
What should my portfolio include?
Each programme has a specific requirement concerning portfolios.
When you start to upload your portfolio you will get information on
size, format, how to name your portfolio and more. We do not give
specific instructions about the content since, it is your decision
how to present yourself and your design work.
Can you look at my website/portfolio and tell me if I am
good enough to apply?
We are not allowed to give pre-assessment. We start to look at
portfolios after the application deadline.
Can I apply for a master´s programme if I´m in my last
year of bachelor´s studies?
Yes you can. You need to submit an official document from your
current university stating that you are likely to be awarded your
bachelor's degree by the start of the programme. Please see the
information provided by University Admissions for
specific information on how to do this:
final year of bachelor's studies
Do I have to learn Swedish to study at UID?
No, our MFA programmes are taught completely in English. The
only educations in Swedish are the three-year BFA programme and
most of the short single-subject courses. The daily language of
communication and information at UID is English.
How difficult is it to be accepted to UID?
We look for talent and skills of different kinds in the
different educations, and the number of applicants vary from year
to year, so it is difficult to give a general answer. But, it is
always worth applying! Of course you don't need to be a fully
trained designer before applying - after all, that is what you want
to come here to become, isn't it?
Are there any grants or scholarships available for study
at the school?
Students from non-EU countries have the possibility to apply for
fee reduction of the tuition fees. For more
information on admission for none EU applicants, click
here.
Can I start the course in the spring term, or can I come
as a guest student in the spring term?
Due to the nature of the programme and its sequence of
activities, a number of obligatory basic skills are taught in the
fall semester. If the student has not passed these courses they
cannot participate in several of the courses that follow. Thus, in
principle we do not accept applications for the spring term.
Should I bring my own computer with me?
The school encourages the students to have their own computer at
their workplace, where there are network connections available at
no extra cost. Some necessary software is also provided for use
here at the school. There are also three computer laboratories at
the school for computer courses or for use by students who do not
have their own computer.
