University of Borås

About University of Borås

The University of Borås is an independent, degree-granting higher-education institution recognized by Sweden’s national higher-education authority, which categorizes it as a university college rather than a full university. That legal category does not prevent it from offering education through the doctoral level in authorized fields. Founded in 1977, the institution brings together four faculties covering librarianship, information, education and IT; textiles, engineering and business; caring science, working life and social welfare; and police work. Its profile is more specialized than that of a comprehensive university. The Swedish School of Textiles and the Swedish School of Library and Information Science are integral parts of the institution, while Science Park Borås supports work connected with sustainability and consumption. The university also emphasizes collaboration with businesses, industry, and public organizations. Official figures drawn from the 2025 annual report record approximately 19,500 registered students, although this is not the same as the number studying full time. The corresponding full-time-equivalent count was 6,579. The report lists 64 programmes, 187 freestanding courses, and 1,794 bachelor’s- and master’s-level degrees awarded during the reporting year. These figures indicate an institution with substantial distance and part-time activity as well as campus teaching. For prospective students, the main decision point is academic fit. Borås is especially relevant to applicants seeking its established subject clusters rather than the breadth of a large comprehensive university. Programme pages should be treated as authoritative for attendance, language, location, and entry requirements.

Applications for regular degree study are made online through Universityadmissions.se, Sweden’s national admissions portal; the university does not accept direct paper applications. Applicants submit the documents required for their category, which may include passport identification, prior diplomas, transcripts, and evidence of English proficiency. The national admissions system first reviews general eligibility, after which the University of Borås assesses programme-specific requirements. Those requirements and selection procedures vary, so the individual programme listing is essential. For autumn 2026 bachelor’s and master’s study in the first international round, applications opened on 16 October 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026. The supporting-document and application-fee deadline was 2 February 2026. Those rounds are now closed. The second autumn round closed on 15 April 2026 and was chiefly intended for applicants living in Sweden; the university warned that students needing a residence permit would not have enough time to obtain one through that round. For spring 2027 master’s entry, the published first-round application deadline was 17 August 2026, with documents and any application fee due 1 September 2026 and selection results scheduled for 7 October 2026. Because the stated current date is 20 August 2026, the application deadline has passed, though the document deadline may still be relevant to applicants who applied on time. Artistic fashion and textile programmes may have separate application instructions. Admitted students must register by the programme-specific deadline stated in their admission communication to retain their place.

The university offers first-cycle, second-cycle, and doctoral study. Its live catalogue for autumn 2026 and spring 2027 includes both programmes and individual courses, with campus, distance, and no-obligatory-attendance formats. Applicants should not assume that every subject is available in English or at every entry point; the international catalogue and individual course pages specify the term, location, credits, study pace, prerequisites, and teaching language. The autumn 2026 international programme selection illustrates the institution’s specialist strengths. Listed bachelor-level options include Fashion Design, Textile Design, and Textile Production and Innovation. Master’s provision includes textile engineering, technical textile innovation, textile and fashion design specializations, textile management, fashion marketing and management, information science, informatics, and several resource-recovery pathways. Some options are based in Borås, while selected programmes have no obligatory campus attendance. The catalogue also includes spring 2027 starts in several resource-recovery subjects. Research is organized around Library and Information Science, Business and IT, the Human Perspective in Care, Educational Work, Resource Recovery, and Textiles and Fashion. Doctoral education is available in authorized scientific and artistic areas. The university identifies seven doctoral programmes: Library and Information Science, Caring Sciences, Resource Recovery, Textiles and Fashion Design, Textile Technology, Textile Management, and Information Systems. A doctorate normally comprises 240 higher-education credits and four years of full-time study. This mix suits students seeking focused, applied or research-connected study. However, applicants should compare curriculum and delivery details rather than relying on the broad subject label, especially where programmes combine design, technology, management, or sustainability.

Key Highlights

• Recognized by the Swedish Higher Education Authority as a Swedish university college
• Founded in 1977
• Organized across four faculties
• Approximately 19,500 registered students and 6,579 full-time-equivalent students in the 2025 annual report
• The Swedish School of Textiles and Swedish School of Library and Information Science are part of the institution

Student Life & Environment

The main campus occupies modern, purpose-built buildings in central Borås. Academic and everyday services are concentrated within walking distance of shops, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, and the central bus and railway station. Campus facilities described by the university include the library, group-study rooms, a student bookstore, restaurants and cafés, student kitchens, IT support, and Student Reception. The university also conducts some teaching in Varberg, so applicants should verify the location attached to their programme. Students can access Student Health Care, including a nurse and social counsellors, as well as study and career counselling. Student Reception coordinates practical support and can help arrange measures such as note-taking assistance, educational interpreting, extended examination time, and mentoring when eligibility requirements are met. The Student Union represents students in university councils and committees and organizes activities. Entrepreneurial support is available through Drivhuset, a collaboration between the university and Student Union that offers education, guidance, and workspace for people developing businesses. International and domestic students may also find opportunities to study or undertake placements abroad, although availability depends on the programme. Housing requires early planning. The university explicitly states that accommodation is not guaranteed and that students are responsible for securing it. International Office guidance is available, but degree students should not expect university-managed housing. Families may face particular difficulty because many student properties do not accommodate children.

Location & Surroundings

Borås is in southwestern Sweden, approximately 60 kilometres east of Gothenburg. The university’s principal campus is at the end of Allégatan in the city centre, about a ten-minute walk from Resecentrum, the main railway and bus station. This compact setting places teaching buildings close to everyday services and makes regional commuting possible by public transport. The location may appeal to students who want a city-centre campus without living in one of Sweden’s largest metropolitan areas. Gothenburg’s relative proximity broadens access to a larger regional labour market and transport hub, but commuting times and costs should be checked against an individual schedule. Not all study is tied to the main campus: the university conducts some teaching in Varberg, and its catalogue also identifies distance or no-obligatory-attendance formats. Prospective residents should distinguish campus convenience from housing availability. The university does not guarantee accommodation, and finding a room or apartment can be time-consuming. Students are advised to search before arriving and to arrange temporary lodging in advance if permanent housing has not been secured.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition liability depends primarily on citizenship and residence status. As stated on the university’s page updated in January 2026, citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland generally do not pay application or tuition fees. Most other applicants to bachelor’s and master’s study must pay fees unless an exemption applies. Doctoral applicants and registered doctoral students are not charged application or tuition fees. For applicants subject to the national application fee, the university’s admissions guide states SEK 900. The university does not publish one institution-wide tuition figure because charges vary by programme. Applicants should use the relevant 2026/2027 programme page for the first instalment and total tuition. University of Borås scholarships are limited to selected tuition-paying master’s applicants and reduce tuition by approximately 75 percent; they do not cover living expenses. The autumn 2026 scholarship round is closed, and the page says applications for autumn 2027 will open in December. Scholarships are not offered there for bachelor’s or artistic programmes. Housing and living costs must be budgeted separately. Accommodation is not guaranteed, and students may need temporary lodging while searching. The university’s living-cost page still cites a 2025 maintenance estimate, so it should not be treated as the current 2026 residence-permit threshold. Career Services offers counselling on career planning, application letters, and interviews. Its job page also points students and alumni to part-time work and internship notices, although that listing is in Swedish. Opportunities and outcomes vary by field, and the university does not provide verified institution-wide salary or placement statistics on the sources reviewed.