KTH-CSC programme is based on the agreement between KTH and the China Scholarship Council (CSC). A number of scholarships can be offered to Chinese citizens applying to KTH.
According to the agreement between KTH and the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the maximum number of available scholarships is the following:
50 Full PhD students (48 months) per year
20 Visiting PhD students (6-12 months) per year
5 Visiting scholars (3-12 months) per year
The KTH-CSC programme is a collaborative programme between CSC and KTH. The procedure consists of two parts: the student's application at KTH to receive KTH's official invitation letter, and application at CSC to receive a scholarship.
KTH-CSC programme Entry 2025
KTH has decided to take a temporary pause for KTH-CSC programme Entry 2025, this decision applies to all the categories: Full PhD student, Visiting PhD student and Visiting Scholar.
For KTH supervisors who are interested in recruiting CSC students/scholars, please note the following conditions:
You need to announce a position at KTH-CSC programme before the set deadlines.
KTH's official invitation letters should be signed by KTH Vice President for Global Relations. Please do not issue any invitation letter to an applicant by yourself.
Assist final KTH-CSC full PhD students in applying for KTH’s official admission letter, which is needed for the student's residence permit application.
Additional scholarship (Full PhD student position only)
Due to the changes of the Higher Education Ordinance (chapter 7, paragraph 36) for doctoral students with scholarships, full PhD students admitted from July 1, 2018 should be financed by a scholarship for four years. The scholarship should meet the income requirements of KTH for the doctoral student salary agreement (Doktorandstegen). Therefore, external funding must be arranged and added as an additional scholarship.
An additional scholarship must be financed by external funds, and a written acknowledgment that the funds may be used for scholarships is required.
Additional scholarships cannot be financed by public or government funds.
Additional scholarships is only required for full PhD students. Visiting PhD students and Visiting scholars do not require any additional scholarship.
Supervisors should arrange additional funding before position registration.
The amount of the additional scholarship should be equal to the difference between the CSC scholarship (15,000 SEK/month) and the doctoral student salary agreement after taxes. Equivalent level of the doctoral student salary agreement at KTH after tax deduction from 2023-10-01 is:
Type of position
KTH requirements 2023* (SEK/month)
CSC scholarship 2023 (SEK/month)
Additional scholarship 2023* (SEK/month)
Full PhD student
48 months
Level 1: 25,400
15,000
10,400
Level 2: 25,800
15,000
10,800
Level 3: 27,500
15,000
12,500
Level 4: 28,300
15,000
13,300
Visiting PhD student:
6–12 months
N/A
15,000
N/A
Visiting scholar
3-12 months
N/A
15,000
N/A
*The amount of additional scholarship has to be adjusted in relation to changes in the collective agreement (kollektivavtal) for “doktorandstegen” and for doctoral student’s advancement to a higher level.
Additional scholarships should be worked out in consultation with the KTH school's HR manager and/or the head of administration. The final decision is made by the head of school.
Additional Funding opportunity
Karl Engvers foundation
The Karl Engvers foundation announces scholarships for supplementary financing for international doctoral students at KTH. The supplementary financing is to be used as an addition to the financing that the doctoral students are receiving from the external financier outside of KTH, to ensure that the doctoral student has a salary equivalent to the “doktorandstege”. Eligible applicants are the main supervisor of the doctoral student planning to arrive at KTH. Please visit the following webpage for more information:
Karl Engvers Foundation
General requirements
Degree
You must have a degree that is equivalent to a Swedish Master's degree when you start your PhD studies at KTH. If you study in a combined Master+PhD programme (硕博连读) at a Chinese university, you must have completed at least two years of study.
English proficiency
For Full PhD applicants: IELTS (academic) 6.5 overall (no subscore below 5.5) or TOEFL (iBT) 90 (written minimum 20). This requirement is waived if English is the only language of instruction for your current or previous level of studies.
Visiting PhD students and visiting scholar applicants: IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall (no sub-score below 5.5) or TOEFL (iBT) 90 (written minimum 20) is preferred. If you cannot provide the above-mentioned test result, a letter of your English proficiency issued by the KTH responsible supervisor of the position is mandatory.
How to apply
If you are interested in the positions at KTH-CSC programme, you are welcome to submit an application.
Find the position that you want to apply in Available Positions.
Submit the following required documents to
kth-china@kth.se
before the application deadline. The application documents must be scanned and compressed into one PDF document, the subject of the email should be: Registration number + your full name.
Certified copies of your transcripts of records in English (from undergraduate level till now).
Certified copies of your university degree certificate in English (from both undergraduate and graduate levels).
If you have not completed your studies, please include a written statement(在读证明) from your department, school or university, giving your study status and expected completion date.
Proof of English proficiency.
CV.
A list of publications if any (only the titles are needed).
Certified copies of your highest university degree certificate in English.
Certificate of working status (在职证明) stating the permission of absence.
Proof of English proficiency.
CV.
A list of publications if any (only the titles are needed).
FAQ
We have gathered some of the most common questions regarding the KTH-CSC programme. Click on each question to see the answer.
No, you are not entitled to apply. KTH-CSC programme is open to Chinese citizens.
No, we do not require any application document in hard copies.
Unfortunately, you can only apply for positions on the list of available positions. If you cannot find any suitable position on the list, you cannot apply for KTH-CSC programme this year.
Yes, you can contact KTH supervisor for possibilities. But please note that if the supervisor is interested in your request, he/she should announce a position at KTH-CSC before the position registration deadline.
You should apply for KTH-CSC joint programme at CSC (合作项目).
KTH only accepts CSC scholarship holders via KTH-CSC joint programme (合作项目). CSC scholarship holders via any other CSC programmes are not accepted.
No, you should not arrange an additional scholarship by yourself. It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure an additional scholarship before he/she announces the positions.
KTH does NOT accept any CSC scholarship holders for Changing Host University.
Contact us
If you have any further question about KTH-CSC programme, please contact us at:
kth-china@kth.se
.
