Why KTH?

“So why did you decide to come to KTH?”

Each time I’ve been asked this question I give the same answer: The rankings, the pretty photos and the courses taught in English. Usually, these are the basic aspects you check when deciding where to study: education, place and language. To give a better answer, here I’ll run through why these made me decide to go to KTH, and some of the reasons that you should too! 

Education

The rankings can sometimes be hard to connect with your specific study, but nonetheless we all look at them when choosing a university. They give an idea of the school’s reputation and KTH’s really stood out to me. QS listed KTH as the leading technical university in Northern Europe, and in the top 100 universities worldwide. In my school of Architecture & the Built Environment, KTH is listed at number 19 worldwide.

A lot of students also come to KTH for the strong ties the university has to industry. This helps with job opportunities, internships and keeping at the front of technological research. Many students complete their thesis work with well known Swedish companies such as Scania, Ericsson or Volvo. 

Stockholm

I saw so many lovely photos of Stockholm while I was applying for KTH. I was surprised to find that these pretty photos only begin to show how nice to city is. Of the many parts of the Stockholm that new students appreciate, some are: the closeness to forests and waters, the safety and calmness, the lovely wide streets and the efficient and extensive public transport. Weekend hikes and camping trips are common and a morning run in the forest is totally ordinary here.

The lifestyle is quite calm and relaxed in Sweden generally and people find family time and free time important. You can feel this around the city, and out in the countryside you’ll find endless forests and beautiful landscapes. International students usually love travelling around Sweden and exploring some of Northern Europe too. 

Language

The language barrier is sometimes a worry when moving to a new country, so I was delighted to find out that not only does KTH offer 60 programme courses in English, but the English language is widespread in Sweden, which means it was easy for me to talk to just about anyone. This makes Stockholm life a lot easier for international students. It’s also possible to join Swedish language courses in KTH.

Beyond the language, I found the university very warm and welcoming, putting lots of effort into making sure international students feel at home. Between the university and the student union there is a great welcome extended to international students and the staff are always approachable to give all the help and guidance you need when you need it.

So there are some of the reasons why I chose KTH, feel free to comment below if you have any more questions!

~ Declan