Mälardalen University

Key facts

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

About Mälardalen University

Mälardalen University was established in 1977; its own facts page says it came out of collaboration with industry.^[2] The main campus is in Västerås, with a second site in Eskilstuna.^[1] Its strategic collaboration partners include ABB, Hitachi Energy, Alstom, Volvo Construction Equipment and the city of Västerås.^[2]

Wikipedia names four schools: Health, Care and Social Welfare; Education, Culture, and Communication; Sustainable Development of Society and Technology; and Innovation, Design, and Engineering.^[1] The same article reports that the Swedish government proposed in December 2020 that the institution receive university status from 1 January 2022; older sources may still call it a university college.^[1]

MDU says it has about 20,000 students.^[2] Wikipedia gives a lower figure of about 18,000 full-time equivalent students and cites the university’s 2023 annual report.^[1] The counts differ in method and year, so treat them as orders of magnitude.

How is Mälardalen University ranked?

We could not confirm a position for Mälardalen University in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026. QS blocks automated access to its own site, and none of the secondary sources we read gave a QS position for MDU.

The U.S. News Best Global Universities ranking lists MDU at =1,556 in the 2027 edition, after 1,514 in 2026 and 1,618 in 2025. The source is a Mastersportal aggregator page, so treat it as a secondary reading.^[5] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Mälardalen University?

MDU offers 62 study programmes and 900 courses; it names design and communication, economics, health, teacher education, classical music and engineering among its subject areas.^[2] Doctoral education is part of the offer, with 270 doctoral students.^[2]

The programmes on MDU’s fee page for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland show the range:^[3]

• Bachelor’s: Analytical Finance; Environmental Engineering within Planetary Boundaries; International Business Management; Chamber Music.
• Master’s: Engineering Mathematics; Environmental Engineering; Financial Engineering; Global Strategy and Management; Innovation and Design; Intelligent Embedded Systems; International Marketing; Product and Process Development; Public Health Science – Social Sustainable Development from a Global Perspective; Software Engineering; Sustainable Energy Systems; Chamber Music/Chamber Opera.

Most programmes start once a year, in late August.^[9] Check the programme page for the language of instruction before you apply.

How much does Mälardalen University cost?

Tuition applies to citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.^[3] Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland are exempt, as are some other groups such as holders of a permanent Swedish residence permit.^[4] MDU lists its programme fees per semester. The page names no academic year, so confirm the amount for your intake on the programme page.^[3]

The last column is our own arithmetic, assuming two semesters per year; MDU defines full-time study as 30 credits per semester and 60 credits per academic year.^[3] For separate courses MDU lists the price of a full year (60 credits) by subject area: SEK 240,000 for music, SEK 290,000 for design, SEK 135,000 for science, technology, health care and medicine, and SEK 100,000 for humanities, social sciences and education.^[3]

Paying and refunds

You pay the semester fee in full in SEK; partial payments and instalments are not accepted. Paying the fee confirms your admission.^[3] A refund request is possible, but MDU deducts an administrative fee of SEK 3,000 from any refund.^[3]

Application fee

Applicants who must pay fees pay SEK 900 to University Admissions. The fee is not refundable.^[6] MDU says the fee cannot be waived.^[9]

Scholarship

MDU offers a scholarship to especially qualified fee-paying students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who apply to a master’s programme with MDU as their first choice. It covers a part of the programme’s tuition fee (the page gives no percentage), as long as you follow the normal study plan, and it does not cover living expenses.^[7] Students from the twelve long-term Swedish development cooperation countries named on the page are not eligible for it and are directed to the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship instead.^[7] Swedish Institute scholarships are for master’s studies starting in the autumn semester, and most Swedish universities offer their own scholarships as well.^[10] Application dates change every year; check the scholarship page. For living costs see our Study in Sweden guide.

How do you apply to Mälardalen University?

You apply through universityadmissions.se, Sweden’s national admissions portal; each programme page has an “Apply” button during admission periods.^[9]

1. Submit the electronic application and rank your programme choices; you can change the order until the deadline.
2. Submit your documents to show that you meet the entry requirements.
3. Check that the application is complete. Non-EU/EEA applicants must also pay the application fee.^[9]

MDU asks for proof of your completed previous degree, transcripts listing courses and grades, and evidence of English ability. It does not require a CV, motivation letter, recommendation letter or statement of purpose.^[9]

• Bachelor’s: you must have completed upper secondary education and have English 6 (English Level 2) or equivalent; applicants with final grades after 31 December 2009 also need courses equivalent to Mathematics 1a, 1b or 1c.^[11]
• Master’s: you need a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Swedish kandidatexamen from an internationally recognised university, plus English as a specific requirement.^[12]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ between application rounds. Check the programme page and the MDU admission page before you start. MDU’s page lists neither general nor programme-specific entry requirements, so read them on the programme page.^[9]

Which English level do you need?

MDU asks applicants to show English proficiency, either through earlier studies or test results, but its application page does not list accepted scores.^[9] The national rules apply: bachelor’s applicants need English 6 (English Level 2). Most master’s programmes also require English 6; a few require English 5 or English 7.^[8]

• IELTS Academic: overall 6.5, no section below 5.5.
• TOEFL iBT: for results from 21 January 2026, a total of 4.5 on the 1 to 6 scale, no section below 4; for earlier results, a written score of 20 and a total of 90.
• Pearson PTE Academic: overall 62, writing 61.
• Cambridge: C1 Advanced with at least 180.^[8]

You can also qualify through 60 ECTS credits taught in English in an accepted country, or through a bachelor’s degree from listed African countries. A school certificate alone does not count.^[8] The exact requirement for your programme is on its page.

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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