In 2025, 803 international students applied for the KTH Scholarship, and 65 received it. That is an 8 percent acceptance rate lower than most applicants realize when they first encounter this opportunity. It is also the most honest number to start with because understanding the competition changes how you prepare.
The KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm offers this scholarship to outstanding fee-paying international students admitted to eligible master’s programs. It covers the full tuition fee for the duration of the program. Applications for the 2027 cycle open on 1 December 2026 and close on 15 January 2027.
At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | KTH Scholarship 2027 |
| Institution | KTH Royal Institute of Technology |
| Location | Stockholm Sweden |
| Level | Master’s degree |
| Funding | Full tuition fee only |
| Living allowance | Not included |
| Applications open | 1 December 2026 |
| Application deadline | 15 January 2027 |
Scholarship Coverage
Full tuition. That is the scholarship.
For 2 year programs, KTH covers tuition fees for both years, provided the recipient meets satisfactory academic results during year one. For the 1 year Architectural Lighting Design program, tuition is covered for the full program duration.
Living costs are not included. Stockholm is one of the more expensive cities in Northern Europe. Accommodation, food, transportation, insurance and personal expenses all need to be funded separately.
This is worth stating plainly because many applicants searching for fully funded scholarships in Sweden will encounter the KTH Scholarship in the results and the distinction between tuition-only and full funding matters significantly when planning finances.
If you are accepted, you will need to demonstrate to Swedish immigration authorities that you have sufficient funds to cover living costs independently.
Which Programs Qualify
The scholarship applies to most KTH master’s programs where both years are spent at KTH. It also covers two joint programs:
- Molecular Techniques in Life Science
- Biostatistics and Data Science
The one-year program in Architectural Lighting Design is also eligible.
Programs excluded from the KTH Scholarship include:
- Joint Erasmus+ programs
- EIT programs
- Computer Simulations for Science and Engineering joint program
Applicants to excluded programs may be eligible for the KTH Joint Programme Scholarship instead. Check the individual program page to confirm which scholarship applies to your chosen course.
The Eligibility Requirements
To be considered applicants must:
- Be a fee-paying international student
- Apply for an eligible KTH master’s program as your first priority
- Pay the required master’s program application fee
- Meet the full admission requirements for their chosen program
That first-priority rule is the one most applicants miss. Listing KTH as your second, third or fourth priority through UniversityAdmissions.se removes you from scholarship consideration entirely, regardless of how strong your application is.
What KTH Actually Looks For
Academic grades are the foundation. Beyond GPA, the selection process weighs:
- The international ranking of your bachelor’s degree institution
- Extracurricular research experience or publications
- Relevant professional experience
- Teaching experience where applicable
- Competition awards and extracurricular achievements
- A clear specific motivation for contributing to sustainable development
That last criterion deserves more attention than most guides give it.
KTH has a genuine institutional focus on sustainability and the scholarship application asks candidates to explain concretely how their master’s degree will enable them to contribute to sustainable development in their field or region. A vague commitment to a better future will not distinguish an application. A specific credible connection between your academic goals your professional trajectory and a real sustainability challenge in your context will.
Each KTH master’s program page includes information about sustainability themes relevant to that discipline. Reading it before writing your motivation is time well spent.
Two Deadlines Most Applicants Confuse
There is an important sequence here that catches applicants off guard.
The scholarship application closes on 15 January 2027. But the document submission deadline for the master’s program is 2 February 2027.
These are two separate processes with two separate dates. The scholarship application uses documents submitted through the master’s program application on UniversityAdmissions.se. No additional documents are required specifically for the scholarship. But those program documents need to be in by 2 February.
In practical terms, apply for the scholarship by 15 January, then ensure all your master’s program documents are uploaded by 2 February 2027.
Missing either date affects your candidacy differently. Missing the scholarship deadline removes you from scholarship consideration. Missing the document deadline affects your admission standing which also affects scholarship eligibility.
The Application Process
Step 1: Apply for your chosen KTH master’s program through UniversityAdmissions.se, selecting KTH as your first priority.
Step 2: When the scholarship window opens on 1 December 2026, submit the KTH Scholarship application through the university’s scholarship portal.
Step 3: Ensure all supporting documents for your master’s application are uploaded by 2 February 2027.
Step 4: Scholarship results are announced on 1 April 2027.
No separate document package is required for the scholarship itself. KTH assesses scholarship candidates using the same documents submitted for program admission.
