Skip to main content
To KTH's start page

Employment at KTH

Most doctoral students are employed by KTH, with a contract, a monthly salary and the accompanying conditions and benefits. Employed doctoral students may work for the department up to 20% of full-time.

Working conditions and benefits

Working at KTH means being part of an organisation founded on the values of democracy, equality and free and open discussion. At the core of this ideal is the basic principle of equal rights, opportunities, and obligations irrespective of ethnic identity, gender, religion or faith, disability, social background, sexual orientation, or age.

If you work and pay taxes in Sweden, you will have access to employment-based benefits within the Swedish social security system, which include sickness benefits, a rehabilitation allowance and parental-leave insurance, etc.

As an employee of KTH, you will enjoy benefits like occupational pension, subsidised preventive healthcare and parental compensation.

Contract and Salary

The first employment contract covers a maximum period of one year. After that, the contract may be renewed for up to two years at a time. The total employment time should not correspond to more than four years of full-time studies. If a student´s doctoral studies end with a licentiate degree, the total employment time should not correspond to more than two years of full-time studies. The total employment time may be extended if a doctoral student is absent due to illness, parental leave, or another legitimate reason.

The salary for doctoral students is based on a collective wage agreement currently starting at SEK 30 800 per month in the beginning of the employment and reach up to SEK 35 100 per month (according to the agreement of 2022-10-01), Doctoral student salary agreement .

Working for the department

As a doctoral student, you should primarily focus on your education; however, you might need to dedicate some time to working for your department in education, research or administration, up to a maximum 20% of full time. The content of this work is determined by each department head after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisor.