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Entry requirements for Software Engineering of Distributed Systems

To be eligible for the master's programme in Software Engineering of Distributed Systems, you must meet the listed admission requirements and submit the documents required in your application. We will assess your application according to the selection criteria set for the programme. The same process applies to students with a bachelor's degree from a Swedish university.

Admission requirements

Bachelor's degree

You need a bachelor's degree or comparable qualification equivalent to a Swedish bachelor's degree from an internationally recognised university. Students following longer programmes that have completed courses equivalent to a bachelor's degree are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Students in the final year of undergraduate studies may apply and, if qualified, be conditionally admitted. These applicants must include a written statement according to the instructions given by University Admissions . Students in the final year of a bachelor's programme at a Swedish university do not have to provide a written statement to, if qualified, be conditionally admitted. However, students at Swedish universities must have completed 150 ECTS credits in their programme by 1 February.

English proficiency

You need English language proficiency equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. You can meet the requirement by achieving the minimum required score in the following internationally recognised English tests:

  • IELTS Academic or IELTS UKVI Online: Overall score of 6.5, no section lower than 5.5
  • TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or TOEFL iBT Paper Edition: Score of 20 (scale 0-30) in written test, total score of 90. We do not accept TOEFL ITP, TOEFL iBT MyBest, Institutional TOEFL, TOEFL Essentials, or the revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test.
  • Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments: University of Michigan, Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
  • Pearson PTE Academic or PTE Academic Online: Score of 62 (writing 61)
  • Cambridge ESOL: C1 Advanced (CAE), minimum overall score 180 (points awarded since 2015), or Cambridge English certificate level C1, minimum score 180, or Cambridge English: Advanced

Completed upper secondary and university studies in some countries can also fulfil the requirement. Detailed information on how you can meet the language requirement is provided by University Admissions .

Specific requirements for Software Engineering of Distributed Systems

A bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent degree, corresponding to at least 180 ECTS credits, including courses in mathematics, information technology or computer science equivalent to at least 90 ECTS credits.

Application documents

Your application is not complete without the required documents. Some documents are required for all programmes, while some are programme specific. Only submit documents requested below. For example, if a summary sheet is not requested below, you should not submit one. Unless otherwise is specified, all documents should be uploaded to your application at University Admissions and not sent to KTH. We may verify your documents' authenticity with the issuing institution. Applications made with fraudulent documents will be rejected, and legal action may be taken. Incomplete applications are not processed.

General documents for all programmes

1. Certificates and diplomas of your completed degree(s)

Certificates and diplomas must be officially issued by the Academic Registrar's Office, the Examinations Office, or the equivalent office that issues official transcripts of records at your university. The documentation requirements differ between countries; find out what is required for your country at University Admissions .

Applicants who already study at a Swedish university that use Ladok do not need to submit certificates and transcripts. Just make sure the same personal identity number is used in Ladok at the university and your application at University Admissions.

2. Transcript of completed courses and grades included in your degree

Transcript of completed courses and grades included in your degree must be officially issued as per the certificates and diplomas. If you have had courses credited and/or transferred from previous studies, you must also submit official transcripts for those.

3. Proof of English proficiency

Proof of English proficiency required depends on your country of study and if you meet the English requirements through a test or previous studies. Most English test scores must be verifiable online. Find out what proof you need at University Admissions .

4. Identification

A copy of passport with personal data and photograph, or other identification document.

Specific documents for Software Engineering of Distributed Systems

5. CV

KTH does not require a standard template, but the CV should clearly and concisely outline your education, work experience, computer literacy, qualifications and achievements (awards, publications, expertise knowledge and skills, etc.). It must be written in English.

6. Letter of motivation

The letter of motivation explains why you have chosen this programme at KTH, what you hope to gain from it and how your interests and skills will help you succeed in your studies. Include an autobiography with the development and relevance of your academic and professional pursuits, extra-curricular activities and related experiences. KTH does not require a standard template, but it must be in English and less than 500 words. If you apply to multiple programmes that require a letter of motivation, you should submit one for each and state which programme each letter applies to at the top of the page.

7. Letters of recommendation

The two letters of recommendations explicitly describe why you are the right choice for admission. If possible, have one referee from an academic environment and one from a professional setting. The letters must have the referees' full contact details. You must provide an English translation if the letters are in a different language. If your referee wants to submit the letter themselves they must sent it by post to University Admissions  and state your full name and application number. You, and your referee, can not submit via email. 

Selection criteria

The selection process is based on the following criteria: study results (grades, relevant subjects), motivation for studies (motivation letter, programme priority, CV, references, relevant working experience) and prior education.

Prior education is evaluated based on the quality and suitability of the subjects that are relevant for the programme applied for. Prior education is evaluated based on the Swedish Higher Education Authority´s standards for Swedish higher education institutions. For international higher education institutions, university rankings are used. The merit rating is carried out on a scale of 1-75

Acceptance rate

The acceptance rate for the master's programme in Software Engineering of Distributed Systems for 2023 was 22 %. We admitted 66 students out of the 305 applicants that met the admission requirements. To increase your chances of getting admitted to KTH, we advise you to select more than one programme when applying. You can apply for up to four programmes and rank them in your order of preference.

Recognition of prior learning

Suppose you entirely or partially lack a formal requirement for a course or programme, but you believe you have the necessary knowledge to meet the requirement. In that case, you can apply for recognition of prior learning .