Summer Course in Planetary Exploration, 7.5 ECTS (Planetutforskning, 7,5 hp)

8-19 August 2016, Kiruna, Sweden

The application period will open 22 February 2016 and close 15 March 2016.



This new summer course will be given in English by the Department of Physics at Umeå University. There is no tuition fee for this course for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland. We will reserve student rooms in Kiruna and the application form for accommodation will be published in the spring 2016.

The aim of the course is to educate participants about planetary exploration from a European perspective. The course will include:


The course will take place in the exotic town of Kiruna, which lies in the north of Sweden, above the Arctic Circle, about 600 km from the central Umeå campus. The town's northerly location makes it an ideal place to observe auroral phenomena during the winter, which has lead to the establishment of space research organisations, industry and space-related education in the area. In August the summer days are very long. It is often said that the town lies in the heart of Europe's last wilderness, and there is no doubt that Kiruna has much to offer anyone who likes the outdoor life.

For students from the EU/EEA countries and Switzerland there is NO fee for the course, however students must cover their own travel and living costs while attending.

Making an Application

To be eligible to take the course you should fulfill the general requirements of eligibility for university studies. For foreign students these are:
  1. A completed Upper Secondary Education, e.g. Abitur, Baccalaureate, GCSE O and A levels and corresponding to the Swedish National Programme (gymnasium) is required
  2. Proof of proficiency in English
and fulfill the special eligibility requirement for this course which is a physics major at upper secondary school level or have similar qualifications. More detailed information regarding how you can fulfill the general requirements of eligibility if you have GCE- and GCSE-qualifications from the United Kingdom. Contact the course coordinator if you have questions regarding other countries. All applications must be made on-line. Late applications will be accepted from students as long as places are available.
Course coordinator: Dr. Carol Norberg, Reader in Space Physics
Page updated 10 February 2016