Founded in 1827, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is Sweden’s largest and oldest technical university. It has grown to become one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key center of intellectual talent and innovation, providing one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education capacity at the university level.
KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is the largest and oldest technical university in Sweden. It was founded in 1827 as the Technological Institute, and in 1877 it became the Royal Institute of Technology. It has about 14,000 students and 5,300 staff, and roughly 30 percent of the students come from abroad. The main campus lies on Valhallavägen, in the east of central Stockholm, with historic red-brick buildings, and with further campuses at Kista, Flemingsberg and Södertälje.
The institute is known for engineering and applied science. Engineering physics, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials, energy technology, architecture, industrial management and civil engineering are among the best-known fields. Kista, in the north-west of the city, is one of Europe’s major ICT clusters, with companies such as Ericsson, and KTH has a school for electrical engineering and computer science there. The AlbaNova campus houses physics and astronomy, shared with Stockholm University.
Hannes Alfvén, who received the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on plasma physics and magnetohydrodynamics, was a professor at KTH. Daniel Ek, founder of Spotify, studied engineering at the institute. Research is strong in sustainable energy, nanotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence, transport, and the built environment, and KTH takes part in the Wallenberg programmes for AI and autonomous systems.
Tuition is free for citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, while students from other countries pay tuition fees that vary by programme. Check the current tariff and the scholarships available. Applications for bachelor’s and master’s programmes go through the national portal, and deadlines are in the winter for the autumn intake. Bachelor’s programmes are mostly in Swedish, while most master’s programmes are in English.
Housing in Stockholm is scarce, so students are advised to apply for accommodation as soon as they receive an offer. The university offers support for international students, and the metro connects the campus to the city centre in minutes.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnologies, Robotics, Software Engineering, Telecommunications, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
KTH has strategic partnerships with major global companies like ABB, Ericsson, Scania, and Vattenfall, as well as public sector organizations like the City and Region of Stockholm. It is also part of several international university networks, including CLUSTER, CESAER, and Nordic Five Tech, and a member of the European University Association (EUA).
Research:
KTH’s research spans from natural sciences to all branches of engineering, including architecture, industrial management, and urban planning. Key research areas include climate change, future energy supply, urbanization, and digitalization. KTH hosts several national research centers and is a major partner in European research initiatives like the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Famous Alumnis:
Dolph Lundgren, Max Tegmark, Christer Fuglesang, Gustaf Larson, Daniel Ek
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5286
Current students***:
13955
Foreign students***:
30%
Cumulative former students***:
100000
Pros
Strong international reputation and high rankings, close ties with industry leaders, and a vibrant student life with a large international student body.
Cons
Some students have reported that the quality of teaching and curriculum can be inconsistent, and that the university can be bureaucratic.
Best For
Students seeking a world-class technical education with strong industry connections and a focus on research and innovation.
Both schools build their programmes around transportations, nanotechnologies and industrial design, and Chalmers University of Technology is the one to compare first within the country, since it is slightly smaller, at about 11,000 students against roughly 13,955 here, and is private, whereas this institution is public.
The comparison with Lund University is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on nanotechnologies, industrial design and civil engineering, and it covers physics as well, and is far larger, with about 44,000 students against roughly 13,955 here.
Among national alternatives, Linköping University stands out for its focus on industrial design, telecommunications and robotics, and it is larger, enrolling about 32,000 students against roughly 13,955 here, and is also a public institution.
Uppsala University takes a similar route through bioengineering, electrical and electronics and materials, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers statistics and ecology and sustainability as well.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of aerospace, civil engineering and robotics can consider Luleå University of Technology, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of Colorado Denver, in the United States, takes a similar route through civil engineering, life sciences and data analytics; it covers finance and mathematics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 13,853 students.
Technical University of Denmark (Denmark) works on the same fields as this school, chiefly civil engineering, bioengineering and mechanical engineering; it covers ecology and sustainability as well, and has almost the same size, at about 13,400 students.
TU Wien (Austria) works on the same fields as this school, chiefly civil engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Beyond national borders, Dublin City University stands out as a comparable school for bioengineering, telecommunications and data analytics; it is slightly larger, at about 17,500 students against roughly 13,955 here, and is also a public institution.
Abroad, Seoul National University (South Korea) covers electrical and electronics, materials and life sciences in a comparable way, and it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is KTH?
The main campus is on Brinellvägen 8 in Stockholm, Sweden. Other campuses are at Kista, Flemingsberg and Södertälje.
When was it founded?
In 1827 as the Technological Institute. It became the Royal Institute of Technology in 1877.
How large is KTH?
About 14,000 students and 5,300 staff, with roughly 30 percent of students from abroad.
What is it known for?
Engineering physics, computer science, electrical engineering, energy, materials, architecture and the built environment.
Which Nobel laureate worked there?
Hannes Alfvén, who received the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on plasma physics.
Which well-known entrepreneur studied there?
Daniel Ek, the founder of Spotify.
What is Kista?
A major ICT cluster in the north-west of Stockholm where KTH has a school for electrical engineering and computer science.
Is there tuition?
Tuition is free for citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Other students pay fees that vary by programme. Check the current tariff and scholarships.
In which language are courses taught?
Bachelor's programmes mostly in Swedish, and most master's programmes in English.
How do you apply?
Through the national admissions portal, with deadlines in the winter for the autumn intake.
Architecture, Climate Change, Engineering, Industrial Design, Innovation, Renewable Energy, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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