Applications to Chalmers’ Master’s programmes remain at a continued high level ahead of the autumn semester. By the application deadline, 13,291 external applicants had submitted at least one application. This is an increase of 1,547 people, just over 13 per cent, compared with last year.
The number of first-choice applicants amounts to 5,414 people, which is 425 more than the previous year. This corresponds to an increase of approximately 8.5 per cent. Nationally, application pressure ahead of the autumn increased by 9 per cent across all higher education institutions.
‘The increase in the number of first-choice applicants is encouraging and suggests that students are motivated to study with us in particular rather than at other Swedish higher education institutions,’ says Cecilia Hillman, Head of Unit for Student and Alumni Relations at the Communications Department.
More applications per applicant – recovery at programme level
The total number of on-time applications, that is the number of programme choices, amounted to 16,600. This is 1,100 more than ahead of autumn 2025, an increase of just over 7 per cent. The development shows both that more people are applying to Chalmers and that the average number of choices per applicant is increasing.
Developments at programme level show a clear recovery compared with 2025. Ahead of the coming semester, 26 Master’s programmes are increasing their number of first-choice applicants compared with the previous year, while 13 programmes decreased.
AI, data, the built environment and entrepreneurship attract the most applicants
The Master’s programmes with the highest number of first-choice applicants are within data and IT, the built environment and management.
Data Science and AI has the highest number of first-choice applicants also ahead of this autumn, followed by Design and Construction Project Management and Computer Systems and Cybersecurity. Entrepreneurship and Business Design shows the largest increase among the five leading programmes. Entrepreneurship and Business Design accounts for the single largest increase: 326 first-choice applicants in 2026, up from 184 the year before – an increase of as much as 78 per cent. This makes the programme the most sought-after per place across all of Chalmers, and the fourth most applied to overall.
‘The figures are proof of the need for entrepreneurial competence, in combination with engineering science,’ says Karen Williams Middleton, Programme Director for Entrepreneurship and Business Design and Professor at Technology Management and Economics.
More applicants aged 25–34 – stable gender distribution
The gender distribution among applicants is stable. The share of women amounts to 33.51 per cent, compared with 33.33 per cent the year before. The share of men decreases marginally with a corresponding change.
The age distribution shows that the increase mainly occurs among applicants in the age group 25–34, who now account for 47.7 per cent of applicants.
‘A gradual change has taken place – from attracting younger people directly from a Bachelor’s programme, to seeing more international applicants who have spent a few years in working life and are now attracted to move here with their family,’ says Cecilia Hillman.
The share of applicants under 25 decreases compared with 2025, while the share over 34 increases slightly.
Unchanged top countries among first-choice applicants
The composition of first-choice applicants by country is largely unchanged compared with previous years. Applicants with qualifications from Nigeria and Sweden remain the two largest groups, followed by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
‘The number of applications from abroad can sometimes change quickly because they are influenced by different external factors. This year, however, they remain stable,’ says Cecilia Hillman.