diff --git a/monai/networks/nets/unet.py b/monai/networks/nets/unet.py
index f3742d05b5..9e3538c2b3 100644
--- a/monai/networks/nets/unet.py
+++ b/monai/networks/nets/unet.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from typing import Sequence, Union
+import warnings
+from typing import Sequence, Tuple, Union
 
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
@@ -35,8 +36,8 @@ def __init__(
         kernel_size: Union[Sequence[int], int] = 3,
         up_kernel_size: Union[Sequence[int], int] = 3,
         num_res_units: int = 0,
-        act=Act.PRELU,
-        norm=Norm.INSTANCE,
+        act: Union[Tuple, str] = Act.PRELU,
+        norm: Union[Tuple, str] = Norm.INSTANCE,
         dropout=0.0,
     ) -> None:
         """
@@ -49,17 +50,39 @@ def __init__(
             dimensions: number of spatial dimensions.
             in_channels: number of input channels.
             out_channels: number of output channels.
-            channels: sequence of channels. Top block first.
-            strides: convolution stride.
-            kernel_size: convolution kernel size. Defaults to 3.
-            up_kernel_size: upsampling convolution kernel size. Defaults to 3.
+            channels: sequence of channels. Top block first. The length of `channels` should be no less than 2.
+            strides: sequence of convolution strides. The length of `stride` should equal to `len(channels) - 1`.
+            kernel_size: convolution kernel size, the value(s) should be odd. If sequence,
+                its length should equal to dimensions. Defaults to 3.
+            up_kernel_size: upsampling convolution kernel size, the value(s) should be odd. If sequence,
+                its length should equal to dimensions. Defaults to 3.
             num_res_units: number of residual units. Defaults to 0.
             act: activation type and arguments. Defaults to PReLU.
             norm: feature normalization type and arguments. Defaults to instance norm.
             dropout: dropout ratio. Defaults to no dropout.
+
+        Note: The acceptable spatial size of input data depends on the parameters of the network,
+            to set appropriate spatial size, please check the tutorial for more details:
+            https://github.com/Project-MONAI/tutorials/blob/master/modules/UNet_input_size_constrains.ipynb.
+            Typically, applying `resize`, `pad` or `crop` transforms can help adjust the spatial size of input data.
+
         """
         super().__init__()
 
+        if len(channels) < 2:
+            raise ValueError("the length of `channels` should be no less than 2.")
+        delta = len(strides) - len(channels)
+        if delta < -1:
+            raise ValueError("the length of `strides` should equal to `len(channels) - 1`.")
+        if delta >= 0:
+            warnings.warn(f"`len(strides) >= len(channels)`, the last {delta + 1} values of strides will not be used.")
+        if isinstance(kernel_size, Sequence):
+            if len(kernel_size) != dimensions:
+                raise ValueError("the length of `kernel_size` should equal to `dimensions`.")
+        if isinstance(up_kernel_size, Sequence):
+            if len(up_kernel_size) != dimensions:
+                raise ValueError("the length of `up_kernel_size` should equal to `dimensions`.")
+
         self.dimensions = dimensions
         self.in_channels = in_channels
         self.out_channels = out_channels
diff --git a/tests/test_unet.py b/tests/test_unet.py
index 7bf2c0c920..4091c4e9d7 100644
--- a/tests/test_unet.py
+++ b/tests/test_unet.py
@@ -117,6 +117,49 @@
 
 CASES = [TEST_CASE_0, TEST_CASE_1, TEST_CASE_2, TEST_CASE_3, TEST_CASE_4, TEST_CASE_5, TEST_CASE_6]
 
+ILL_CASES = [
+    [
+        {  # len(channels) < 2
+            "dimensions": 2,
+            "in_channels": 1,
+            "out_channels": 3,
+            "channels": (16,),
+            "strides": (2, 2),
+            "num_res_units": 0,
+        }
+    ],
+    [
+        {  # len(strides) < len(channels) - 1
+            "dimensions": 2,
+            "in_channels": 1,
+            "out_channels": 3,
+            "channels": (8, 8, 8),
+            "strides": (2,),
+            "num_res_units": 0,
+        }
+    ],
+    [
+        {  # len(kernel_size) = 3, dimensions = 2
+            "dimensions": 2,
+            "in_channels": 1,
+            "out_channels": 3,
+            "channels": (8, 8, 8),
+            "strides": (2, 2),
+            "kernel_size": (3, 3, 3),
+        }
+    ],
+    [
+        {  # len(up_kernel_size) = 2, dimensions = 3
+            "dimensions": 3,
+            "in_channels": 1,
+            "out_channels": 3,
+            "channels": (8, 8, 8),
+            "strides": (2, 2),
+            "up_kernel_size": (3, 3),
+        }
+    ],
+]
+
 
 class TestUNET(unittest.TestCase):
     @parameterized.expand(CASES)
@@ -141,9 +184,26 @@ def test_script_without_running_stats(self):
             num_res_units=0,
             norm=("batch", {"track_running_stats": False}),
         )
-        test_data = torch.randn(16, 1, 16, 8)
+        test_data = torch.randn(16, 1, 16, 4)
         test_script_save(net, test_data)
 
+    def test_ill_input_shape(self):
+        net = UNet(
+            dimensions=2,
+            in_channels=1,
+            out_channels=3,
+            channels=(16, 32, 64),
+            strides=(2, 2),
+        )
+        with eval_mode(net):
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "Sizes of tensors must match"):
+                net.forward(torch.randn(2, 1, 16, 5))
+
+    @parameterized.expand(ILL_CASES)
+    def test_ill_input_hyper_params(self, input_param):
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            net = UNet(**input_param)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()