Medicine, Public Health, Dentistry, Nursing, Biomedical Sciences
Karolinska Institutet is a medical university in Stockholm, founded in 1810 as a school for training military surgeons. It is often referred to in English as the Karolinska Institute, or KI. Its main campus is in Solna, north of central Stockholm, next to the Karolinska University Hospital, and a second campus lies at Flemingsberg in Huddinge. The institute accounts for about 30 percent of medical training in Sweden and for more than 40 percent of academic medical and life science research in the country.
In 2020 the institute counted about 6,500 full-time equivalent students and about 2,000 doctoral students. Programmes include medicine, dentistry, nursing, biomedicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, and public health, together with international master’s programmes. Most professional programmes are taught in Swedish, while many master’s courses and most doctoral research are carried out in English.
The institute is known worldwide for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The prize is awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, a body of fifty professors that is formally independent from the university. Several scientists of KI have received the prize themselves, among them Hugo Theorell in 1955, Ragnar Granit in 1967, Ulf von Euler in 1970, Torsten Wiesel in 1981 and Sune Bergström and Bengt Samuelsson in 1982. The chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius taught here, and Lars Leksell, who invented the Gamma Knife, worked in the institute’s orbit.
Karolinska University Hospital in Solna and Huddinge is one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, and it provides training and patient material for research. The institute is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities. Tuition is free for citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area, while students from other countries pay fees for most programmes. Check the current tariff.
Stockholm is a relatively expensive city, but a large share of its students find housing through student housing queues. The Solna campus is served by commuter trains and buses.
Domains taught:
Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Data Analytics, Life Sciences, Microbiology and Genetics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and the League of European Research Universities.
Research:
Medical and life science research, neuroscience, cancer, cell biology, genetics, immunology, public health and clinical research, closely linked to Karolinska University Hospital.
Famous Alumnis:
Jöns Jakob Berzelius, Hugo Theorell, Ragnar Granit, Torsten Wiesel, Bengt Samuelsson, Lars Leksell
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5000
Current students***:
6500
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
One of the leading medical universities in Europe, large share of Swedish medical research, close link with a university hospital, well-known name worldwide.
Cons
Most medical degrees are taught in Swedish, competitive admissions, tuition fees for students from outside the European Union.
Best For
Students and researchers in medicine and life sciences who want a leading European medical university with a strong hospital link.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences follows much the same lines as this school, with bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering as common ground, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
A good alternative in the same country is Umeå University, which likewise covers bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and statistics; it is far larger, with about 34,000 students against roughly 6,500 here, and is also a public institution.
A good alternative in the same country is Uppsala University, which likewise covers bioengineering, statistics and life sciences; it covers ecology and sustainability and physics as well, and is far larger, with about 50,000 students against roughly 6,500 here.
Also strong in statistics, life sciences and data analytics, Stockholm University makes a sensible second look at home; it covers astroscience and marine science as well, and is far larger, with about 33,000 students against roughly 6,500 here.
Among national alternatives, Royal Institute of Technology stands out for its focus on bioengineering, life sciences and data analytics, and it covers aerospace and transportations as well, and is larger, enrolling about 13,955 students against roughly 6,500 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Medical University of Vienna brings a Austria setting to the same core fields, bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, and it is slightly larger, at about 8,000 students against roughly 6,500 here, and is also a public institution.
For bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering outside the home country, Oregon Health & Science University in the United States is a natural reference; it also offers certificate programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 4,123 students against roughly 6,500 here.
If this institution is on your list for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco in the United States deserves a comparison, because it also offers graduate certificate programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 3,100 students against roughly 6,500 here.
Looking internationally, Medical University of Graz in Austria is where bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences get a comparable treatment; it is slightly smaller, at about 5,110 students against roughly 6,500 here, and is also a public institution.
Looking internationally, Hannover Medical School in Germany is where bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering get a comparable treatment; it is smaller, enrolling about 3,997 students against roughly 6,500 here, and is also a public institution.
*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 Karolinska Institutet?
In Solna, north of central Stockholm, Sweden, with a second campus at Flemingsberg.
When was it founded?
In 1810, as a school for training military surgeons.
How large is it?
About 6,500 full-time equivalent students and about 2,000 doctoral students in 2020.
Does KI award the Nobel Prize?
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. It is a body of fifty professors that is formally independent from the university.
Which Nobel laureates are linked to KI?
Among others Hugo Theorell, Ragnar Granit, Ulf von Euler, Torsten Wiesel, Sune Bergström and Bengt Samuelsson.
Who invented the Gamma Knife?
Lars Leksell, who worked in the institute's orbit.
What is Karolinska University Hospital?
One of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, in Solna and Huddinge.
In which language are programmes taught?
Most professional programmes in Swedish, many master's courses and most doctoral research in English.
Is tuition free?
For citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area. Students from other countries pay fees for most programmes. Check the current tariff.
Is KI a member of European research networks?
Yes, it is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities.
Biology, Biomedical Sensors, Innovation, 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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