KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Kungliga Tekniska högskolan
Sweden's largest technical university: five-year engineering degrees in Swedish, master's years in English.
- Students
- 15,460
- International
- 28%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 18.2:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- SEK 141K
- Autumn 2027 intake (KTH fees page, last changed 17 February 2025)
- Founded
- 1827
About KTH
KTH Royal Institute of Technology was founded in 1827 and is Sweden's largest institution for technical education and research. Its main campus on Valhallavägen in central Stockholm, built around a red-brick main building from 1917, is roughly the size of the Old Town, Gamla Stan. KTH ranks 82nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and second in Sweden.
The university is organised into five schools: Architecture and the Built Environment; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Industrial Engineering and Management; Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health; and Engineering Sciences. In 2025 it had about 15,500 full-time students, around 1,500 active doctoral students and 369 professors. The flagship undergraduate route is the civilingenjör, a five-year, 300-credit Master of Science in Engineering offered in about 20 programmes, from Computer Science to Engineering Physics and Industrial Engineering and Management.
For international school-leavers the picture is narrow. The civilingenjör programmes are taught in Swedish for the first three years and in English only in the two master's years, and KTH offers just one full bachelor's degree in English, the BSc in Information and Communication Technology. Most international students therefore arrive for one of KTH's 60 master's programmes. Students who like hard mathematics, project work and building things, whether a Formula Student car or a start-up through KTH Innovation, fit in well.
Vetenskap och konst
“Science and Art” — university motto
Why students choose KTH
The three-year BSc in Information and Communication Technology is taught entirely in English and qualifies graduates for KTH's master's programmes.
Swedish-speaking applicants can take a five-year civilingenjör degree in one of about 20 engineering programmes, finishing with an English-taught master's.
KTH Innovation coaches more than 400 student and researcher teams with new ideas every year.
Fee-paying students on a full bachelor's or master's programme are guaranteed KTH Housing accommodation for their first academic year.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 intake (application rounds October 2026 to April 2027)
Selectivity
There is no single KTH admission rate; each programme selects separately through the national portals. For the English-taught BSc in Information and Communication Technology, KTH reports that in 2024 only 10% of eligible applicants were admitted (71 of 684). The Swedish-taught civilingenjör programmes admit through antagning.se using grade-based and Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (högskoleprovet) selection groups.
Typical entry requirements
| BSc Information and Communication Technology (English-taught) | Completed upper secondary education with Mathematics 4 and Physics 2 equivalents (advanced mathematics and physics, passed), plus English 6. KTH publishes country-specific equivalents for IB, A-levels, US, Indian, Chinese and Ukrainian qualifications. |
|---|---|
| Civilingenjör (5-year MSc in Engineering, Swedish-taught) | Swedish upper secondary eligibility (or equivalent) with Swedish-language proficiency and programme-specific science and mathematics courses; apply via antagning.se |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 English 6 (English Level 2) is required for the BSc in ICT: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 5.5, or TOEFL iBT 90 with at least 20 in writing (tests up to 20 January 2026; 4.5 on the new 1-6 scale for tests from 21 January 2026), per University Admissions in Sweden. |
Deadlines
- Round 1 (international round, autumn 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Opens 16 October 2026; documents and fee due 1 February 2027; results 8 April 2027. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants should use this round so they can obtain a residence permit before the start of studies.
- Round 2 (national round, autumn 2027) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027
Opens 15 March 2027; results 9 July 2027. Main round for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and for the Swedish-taught programmes.
Dates from KTH's bachelor's application page and University Admissions in Sweden's autumn 2027 key dates.
How to apply
For the English-taught BSc in ICT: apply at universityadmissions.se, upload upper secondary transcripts and proof of English by 1 February, and pay the SEK 900 application fee if you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen (EU/EEA/Swiss applicants prove citizenship instead). Swedish-taught programmes are applied for through antagning.se, where you rank your choices.
What admissions looks for
- Full eligibility, including advanced mathematics and physics at the level of Swedish Mathematics 4 and Physics 2.
- A high upper secondary GPA: for the BSc in ICT this is the only selection criterion.
- Proof of English at English 6 level.
- Complete documentation submitted on time through University Admissions.
Tips for applying to KTH
- 1 Use KTH's country-specific requirement pages to check that your maths and physics courses (for example IB Higher Level or A-level subjects) meet the Mathematics 4 and Physics 2 equivalents before you apply.
- 2 Don't spend time on a motivation letter for the BSc in ICT; KTH says letters are not considered, so your grades decide.
- 3 If you want the civilingenjör route, plan on learning Swedish: the first three years are taught in Swedish.
- 4 Many international students come to KTH for a master's instead; if the one English bachelor's is too narrow, a bachelor's elsewhere followed by a KTH master's is a common path.
Costs & financial aid
Autumn 2027 intake (KTH fees page, last changed 17 February 2025) · figures in SEK
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition. KTH states that it does not offer scholarships for bachelor's studies; its scholarships are for master's students.
- SEK 900
- Application fee (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)
- None offered
- KTH scholarships for bachelor's students
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn and spring), each divided into study periods
BSc in Information and Communication Technology
KTH's only English-taught bachelor's degree, combining programming, digital electronics, computer security and industrial economics.
Civilingenjör in Computer Science and Engineering (Datateknik)
One of KTH's roughly 20 five-year MSc in Engineering programmes, in the school that houses KTH's computing research.
Civilingenjör in Industrial Engineering and Management (Industriell ekonomi)
Five-year programme combining engineering with economics and management.
Civilingenjör in Engineering Physics (Teknisk fysik)
A mathematics- and physics-heavy route into KTH's research-intensive School of Engineering Sciences.
English-taught master's programmes
Around 60 master's programmes, which is where KTH's civilingenjör students and most international students meet in years four and five.
Research
- Several KTH researchers and alumni contributed to Nobel Prize-winning work, including Hannes Alfvén, 1970 Nobel laureate in Physics.
- A decommissioned nuclear reactor beneath the main campus is now used as an arts venue.
- KTH Innovation supports more than 400 new idea teams a year, and alumni include the co-founder of Spotify.
- In QS's latest subject rankings, 13 of the 18 KTH subjects included are in the world top 100.
Schools & faculties
- School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE)
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)
- School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM)
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH)
- School of Engineering Sciences (SCI)
Student life
Student life at KTH is organised by the student union THS (Tekniska Högskolans Studentkår), founded in 1902, and its programme-based chapters. KTH students are traditionally called Osquar and Quristina, now Osquarina, and at celebrations they wear boilersuits in their chapter's colour. Beyond the chapters there is a symphony orchestra made up of students, alumni and staff, a Formula Student team that designs and races electric cars, and a strong start-up culture around KTH Innovation.
- THS student union, founded 1902, with chapter-based student sections
- Coloured boilersuits worn by each chapter at celebrations
- KTH Formula Student team building electrified race cars
- A symphony orchestra of students, alumni and staff
- About 100 nationalities among students and staff
Housing. Students paying tuition fees for a full bachelor's or master's programme are guaranteed KTH Housing accommodation for their first academic year; most students who don't pay fees cannot use KTH Housing and must find their own housing in Stockholm.
Location
KTH's main campus sits on Valhallavägen in central Stockholm. Stockholm is Sweden's capital and largest city, spread across islands, with a big tech and start-up scene that KTH feeds directly. Finding housing is the main practical challenge for students without KTH's housing guarantee. KTH has three campuses in and around Stockholm, including KTH Flemingsberg, which shares a student community of over 10,000 students with other universities.
Nearest airport: Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN)
Notable alumni
- DE Daniel EkFounder and executive chairman of Spotify (studied at KTH without graduating)
- CF Christer FuglesangESA astronaut, the first Swedish citizen in space
- GW Greta WoxénThe first woman to graduate as a civil engineer in Sweden (1928)
- GL Gustaf LarsonCo-founder of Volvo
- MT Max TegmarkMIT physicist and AI researcher
- RÖ Ragnar ÖstbergArchitect of Stockholm City Hall
- GL Gustaf de LavalInventor of the de Laval steam turbine and nozzle
- DL Dolph LundgrenActor, trained as a chemical engineer
Frequently asked questions
Does KTH offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Only one: the three-year BSc in Information and Communication Technology. KTH's other undergraduate engineering degrees are taught in Swedish for the first three years.
How hard is it to get into KTH?
For the English-taught BSc in ICT, KTH reports that 10% of eligible applicants were admitted in 2024 (71 of 684), and selection is on upper secondary GPA only.
How much does KTH cost for international students?
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition. Other students pay SEK 423,000 for the full three-year BSc in ICT (about SEK 141,000 a year), charged per semester, plus a SEK 900 application fee, and KTH offers no scholarships at bachelor's level.
When is the KTH application deadline for autumn 2027?
Non-EU applicants should apply in round 1 on universityadmissions.se between 16 October 2026 and 15 January 2027, with documents due 1 February 2027. Round 2, mainly for EU/EEA/Swiss applicants, runs from 15 March to 15 April 2027.
Does KTH guarantee housing?
Yes for students paying tuition for a full bachelor's or master's programme, for their first academic year. Most students who don't pay fees can't apply through KTH Housing.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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