Master of Fine Art

Umeå Academy of Arts, Umeå University is in northern Sweden on the Västerbotten coast. The Academy was founded in 1987 and has around 74 students at Bachelor’s and Master’s level. It is part of the Faculty of Humanities and is located within the Arts Campus which includes, Bildmuseet, UmArts, The Art Library and The School of Architecture and the Institute of Design. 

Umeå Academy of Arts has well-equipped labs and studios for photography, video, sound, 3D printing, as well as excellent workshops for wood, metal, plaster, bronze, clay and ceramics. Each student receives a studio throughout their studies and the students, at the entrance of the Academy, have a wonderful, shared kitchen and gathering space that overlooks the everchanging and beautiful Ume River.

MFA programme
The international MFA programme is an innovative artistic studio-based education that develops experimentation with materials, techniques and diverse artistic strategies. The Academy actively investigates new forms for examining the artist’s role and the role of art in society in understanding art, knowledge and agency beyond normative frames to support the individual practices of the students.  

The core of the programme are individual tutorials, exhibition practices, group crits, artistic research, art writing and theory seminars on current artistic questions/ discourse. The first year MFA students develop and participate in collectively curated exhibitions inside and outside the school with institutions, public spaces and artist-led spaces. The students can also take part in study trips to Biennials or other art events. In the second year, graduating students, develop an exhibition with a partnered public institution/ public space and an individual graduation project shown in the examination exhibition at the internationally renowned, Bildmuseet.

The education is supported by regular tutorials, public talks, events with guest artists, curators, and writers. In addition, the academy collaborates closely with other art academies in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The students have access to KUNO courses and ERASMUS exchanges which allow further experimentation and specialisation based on individual practices. 

Duration: two years, full time studies (120 credits). The MFA programme is in English. Artists/students from all backgrounds interested in innovative artistic practice and research are encouraged to apply.

Application opens January 20, 2026. Deadline for applications is March 2, 2026. To apply, and for more information, eligibility requirements, etc, please see our website.