New student

If you're an international student, there are several things you should know and do before arriving to ensure a smooth transition and a successful stay. Welcome Services offers information and assistance to international researchers, faculty, staff, and students in matters concerning the arrival to and their stay at the University of Gothenburg.

Visit Welcome Services information at gu.se

All students at the University of Gothenburg have a student account. You will use your student account throughout your entire period of study, including logging in to the Student Portal, the Canvas learning platform and Ladok. You also need a student account to access your student email, order a GU card, and use the university's Eduroam Wi-Fi.

For the spring semester of 2024, you can activate your student account from January 2. For courses that start during the ongoing semester or in the summer, there is no fixed date, but you will always be able to access your student account in connection with registration.

Student account

About Chalmers ID (CID)

If you are studying a programme or course that includes classes at Chalmers campus or if you are studying alongside Chalmers students, you may also need a Chalmers ID (CID). Scroll down on the page to get information from your program.

o secure your spot, make sure to register for your program by the specified deadline. Registration is a requirement to begin your course or program. Please note that registration details, including date, time, and location, may vary for different courses and programs.

It is only when you are registered that you are officially counted as a student in that semester and are allowed to attend classes in the course, receive student aid from CSN, renew your GU card, access courses in Canvas, and take exams.

Registration is usually done through Ladok for students, but sometimes the department responsible for the course handles registration at the course's beginning.

How you register for a course

Two weeks before your course begins, you should have access to the course syllabus. For each course, there is also a list of literature, which should be available no later than eight weeks before the course starts.

Syllabus and reading list

The University of Gothenburg's uses the learning management system Canvas. In Canvas you'll find course rooms for your current courses, a digital space where you can find, for example, learning resources, assignments and results.

You must be registered for a course to have full access to Canvas, but you can log in to Canvas as soon as you have activated your student account. Canvas is also available to download as an app.

Canvas learning management system

The GU card is the University's multifunctional card. It serves as an access card, a library card at the University Library, and for using the University's printers. Typically, if you are studying remotely, you may not need to obtain a GU card. However, if you know that you will want to borrow books from the University Library, it's a good idea to apply for a GU card.

Learn more and apply for a GU card

Access card for Chalmers
If your programme or course includes classes at the Chalmers campus or if you are studying alongside Chalmers students, you may need to obtain an access card for Chalmers facilities. Scroll down on the page for program-specific information.

Other facilities with their own access cards
There are certain locations where you don't use your GU card for access, such as when you're studying at Campus Steneby or in Mariestad.

For specific information relevant to your situation, please refer to the details provided by the faculties and departments further down on this page or on the Finding your way on the University page.

As a student at the University of Gothenburg, you will have your own email account through Microsoft Outlook. Your student email is created when you activate your student account. To be able to access the student email and the other services in Microsoft 365, you need to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) when logging in. 

How to activate MFA for your account

It's important to monitor your student email
Sometimes, the University sends information directly to your student email, so it's essential to keep an eye on your student email inbox:

• A convenient way to do this is through notifications in the Outlook app, which you can download to your phone. By enabling notifications in the app, you can see if you have received a new email in your inbox.
• Another option is to forward your student emails to another inbox.

More information on how to login monitor your student emails is found on the Email and Microsoft 365 page.

Get to know the new Student Portal

To ensure that you do not miss important information from the University, it's essential that we have the correct contact information for you. There are several different systems that manage your contact details.

Here's how you can update your contact information

Support is available to you from the day you are admitted until graduation. We offer a wide range of services and support, including everything from helping you find your way around the University to providing extra assistance in your studies. Some of the available services include:

• Servicecenter
• Study counselling
• Academic language and study strategies
• Study support for students with disabilities
• An introduction to studies at the University of Gothenburg

Student life is about more than just studies and lectures! At the beginning of each semester, many different welcome activities are organized for new students, giving you the opportunity to get to know other new students and the student life in Gothenburg

International Student Welcome Programme
The International Student Welcome Programme is held at the beginning of each semester. The programme of events and activities provides international students with practical information about the University and living in Gothenburg. It is also a perfect opportunity to meet other international students and Student Buddies from all over the world.

Introduction Days (gu.se)

Welcome activities hosted by student unions
At the University of Gothenburg, there are four student unions, all of which organize various welcome activities. Which union you belong to depends on what you are going to study.

Your student union is also on your side throughout your studies, protecting your interests both in and outside the lecture halls. Check out your student unions website for more information!

Find your student union at the University of Gothenburg