Chalmers University of Technology

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Chalmers University of Technology

Chalmers was founded in 1829 following a donation by William Chalmers. It was run as a private institution until 1937, when it became the second state-owned technical university, and in 1994 the Swedish government reorganised it as a private company owned by a government-controlled foundation.^[5] Today Chalmers describes itself as an independent university of technology that carries out research and education under agreements with the state.^[1]

The main campuses are Johanneberg and Lindholmen in Gothenburg.^[5] Chalmers reports 10,999 full-time students, 988 active doctoral students, 3,235 employees and 329 professors for 2024.^[1]

How is Chalmers University of Technology ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Chalmers is 174th in the world, down from 165th in the 2026 edition. A table published by the University of Gothenburg that day lists the Swedish results: Lund 71, KTH 82, Uppsala 87, Stockholm University 167 and Chalmers 174, followed by Gothenburg (225) and Linköping (308).^[2]

Chalmers’ own pages disagree. Its Swedish ranking page (updated 19 October 2026) lists 174 globally, 11th in the Nordic countries and 71st in Europe. Its English page, updated the same day, lists 165 globally and 70th in Europe, without naming an edition.^[8][9] The 165 matches the 2026 edition in the table above, so the English page seems to show the previous edition.^[2]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Chalmers?

Chalmers’ master’s page lists 35 programmes in 15 areas. They are two-year programmes of 120 credits, equivalent in scope to 120 ECTS credits, and are taught entirely in English.^[6] The areas are:^[6]

• Acoustics Engineering; Architecture and Urban Design; Automation and Mechatronics
• Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering and AI; Electrical and Biomedical Engineering
• Energy and Sustainability Systems; Engineering Physics and Mathematics
• Industrial Engineering and Management; Industrial and Interaction Design
• Maritime Management; Mechanical Engineering; Space Engineering; Subject Teacher

Bachelor’s programmes are a different route: Chalmers says proficiency in Swedish is required for its bachelor’s programmes and the foundation year.^[10] This page therefore concentrates on the English-taught master’s level.

How much does Chalmers cost for international students?

These are Chalmers’ published amounts for citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, in Swedish kronor; fees are set before each academic year and can differ between programmes. Chalmers’ page was last updated on 21 October 2026.^[3] Counting two semesters a year, the 2026/27 amounts equal SEK 160,000 and SEK 210,000 per year; that is our arithmetic from the semester fees.

Who does not pay?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not pay tuition. Holders of a permanent Swedish residence permit, or a temporary one granted for reasons other than studies, are also exempt, as are incoming exchange students under an exchange agreement.^[3] If you think you qualify, email admissions@chalmers.se with documents before the autumn semester starts. Chalmers revokes admission if you neither establish an exemption nor pay on time.^[3]

What the fee includes and how to pay

• For students who started from autumn 2023 the programme fee includes one accommodation offer (rent not included), an introductory Swedish course, a design methodology preparatory course, two elective courses, student union membership for up to five semesters and FAS+ insurance.^[3]
• You pay one semester at a time before it starts; admission stays conditional until the first fee is paid in full, in one instalment. Pay by Visa or Mastercard in the Pay Portal or by bank transfer.^[3]
• Pay before you apply for a residence permit: Chalmers notifies the Swedish Migration Agency once payment is complete.^[3]
• Chalmers’ bank generally does not process payments linked to Belarus, Iran, North Korea and Russia; contact tuitionfees@chalmers.se before paying if this affects you.^[3]
• Single-subject courses cost SEK 2,667 per credit in 2026/27 (SEK 3,500 for the architecture and design group).^[3]

Scholarships

Chalmers lists scholarships for fee-paying master’s students; some are administered by Chalmers and some by other foundations and associations.^[11] If you need a scholarship, Chalmers recommends waiting for the decision before paying; not receiving a scholarship is not a ground for a refund.^[3] The pages we read give no scholarship amounts, so check the scholarships page. For rent and living costs in Gothenburg, see our Sweden guide and the Study in Sweden guide.

How do you apply to Chalmers?

Every Chalmers programme page has a direct link to the application form on universityadmissions.se, the portal that all Swedish universities use. You can apply to several programmes and universities in the same round, and results appear in your account on the portal.^[10]

1. Check the entry requirements on the programme page; they vary by programme and specialisation.^[10]
2. Create an account and rank your choices. The order in which you rank programmes matters.^[12]
3. Pay the application fee if you are not a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland: SEK 900. The fee is paid per semester, not per programme, and the application is not reviewed without it.^[4]
4. Upload your documents (previous studies; EU/EEA and Swiss applicants document their citizenship instead of paying a fee).^[12]
5. After admission, pay the first tuition instalment before you apply for the residence permit.^[3]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme; see the programme page and universityadmissions.se. The central application guide we read (updated 2021) predates the current site, so rely on the programme page for the current steps.^[12]

Which language level do you need?

Applicants to Chalmers’ master’s programmes must meet the English language requirement.^[10] For most master’s programmes this is the equivalent of the Swedish upper secondary course English 6; a few programmes require English 5 or English 7, so check the programme page.^[7]

The national portal accepts, among others:^[7]

• IELTS Academic: overall 6.5, no section below 5.5.
• TOEFL iBT: from 21 January 2026 a total of 4.5 on the new 1–6 scale with no section below 4; for results up to 20 January 2026, a total of 90 with 20 in the written test.
• Pearson PTE Academic: 62, with 61 in writing.
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced with at least 180.

Exemptions include a degree with English as the main subject and 60 ECTS credits taught in English at a university in the EU/EEA, Switzerland or a listed English-speaking country (the portal page was updated 13 October 2025).^[7] No Swedish is needed for the English-taught master’s programmes; Swedish is required for the bachelor’s programmes.^[10]

More about studying in Sweden

• Sweden: best universities
• Study in Sweden: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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