Universities in Sweden ^New

Explore the uniRank League Table and University Ranking of 39 Universities in Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is divided into 21 counties (Swedish: län), which are further subdivided into municipalities (Swedish: kommuner). The majority of higher education institutions meeting the uniRank selection criteria are located in Stockholm County, which hosts Stockholm, the largest city and capital of Sweden. The following uniRank sub-rankings and league tables consider all counties that include at least one Swedish higher education institution meeting the uniRank selection criteria.

Blekinge County (1)  
Dalarna County (1)  
Gavleborg County (1)  
Halland County (1)  
Jonkoping County (1)  
Kronoberg County (1)  
Norrbotten County (1)  
Orebro County (1)  
Ostergotland County (1)  
Skane County (4)  
Stockholm County (14)  
Uppsala County (3)  
Varmland County (1)  
Vasterbotten County (1)  
Vasternorrland County (1)  
Vastmanland County (1)  
Vastra Gotaland County (5)  

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Overview of Sweden Universities

Sweden's higher education system comprises universities (universitet) and university colleges (högskolor). All institutions are state-funded except designated independent providers. The system features tuition-free education for EU/EEA students, with most programs taught in English at master's level. Swedish universities emphasize research-based teaching, innovation and industry collaboration. Degrees follow the Bologna Process with bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels across comprehensive and specialized institutions.

Top 10 Sweden Universities

1. Lunds Universitet (Lund University) (LU) - CountryRank #1, WorldRank #173. Established 1666 in Lund, Skåne County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Humanities, Medicine, Sciences, Engineering. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
2. Uppsala Universitet (Uppsala University) (UU) - CountryRank #2, WorldRank #183. Founded 1477 in Uppsala, Uppsala County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Theology, Law, Medicine, Arts. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
3. Kungliga Tekniska högskolan (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) (KTH) - CountryRank #3, WorldRank #196. Established 1827 in Stockholm, Stockholm County. Public research university. Specialized in Engineering, Technology, Architecture. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
4. Linköpings Universitet (Linköping University) (LiU) - CountryRank #4, WorldRank #219. Founded 1975 in Linköping, Östergötland County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Medicine, Education, Computer Science. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
5. Göteborgs universitet (University of Gothenburg) (GU) - CountryRank #5, WorldRank #274. Established 1891 in Göteborg, Västra Götaland County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Fine Arts, Business, Natural Sciences. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
6. Stockholms universitet (Stockholm University) (SU) - CountryRank #6, WorldRank #281. Founded 1878 in Stockholm, Stockholm County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Social Sciences, Law, Humanities. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
7. Umeå universitet (Umeå University) (UmU) - CountryRank #7, WorldRank #321. Established 1965 in Umeå, Västerbotten County. Public research university. Comprehensive fields: Health Sciences, Design, Environmental Studies. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
8. Chalmers tekniska högskola (Chalmers University of Technology) (CHALMERS) - CountryRank #8, WorldRank #327. Founded 1829 in Göteborg, Västra Götaland County. Private research university. Specialized in Engineering, Architecture, Nanotechnology. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.
9. Karolinska Institutet (Karolinska Institute) (KI) - CountryRank #9, WorldRank #397. Established 1861 in Stockholm, Stockholm County. Public research university. Specialized in Medicine, Biomedicine, Health Sciences. Master's to Doctoral levels.
10. Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) (SLU) - CountryRank #10, WorldRank #727. Founded 1977 in Uppsala, Uppsala County. Public research university. Specialized in Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry. Bachelor's to Doctoral levels.

Analysis of University Types

Sweden has 39 higher education institutions. Public universities dominate with 30 institutions (76.9% of total), while 9 private institutions (23.1%) complete the landscape. This distribution reflects Sweden's strong tradition of publicly funded education, though private providers like Chalmers University of Technology contribute significantly in specialized fields.

Global Ranking and Standing

Sweden boasts 3 universities in the global top 200 (7.7% of national institutions) and 10 in the top 1,000 worldwide (25.6% of national institutions). This demonstrates exceptional performance for a country of Sweden's size, with top-ranked universities excelling in technology, life sciences and sustainability research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many universities are in Sweden?
Sweden has 39 accredited universities and higher education institutions.

Are Swedish universities free for international students?
EU/EEA students study tuition-free. Non-EU students pay tuition fees, but scholarships are widely available.

What is Sweden's oldest university?
Uppsala University (1477) is Scandinavia's oldest continuously operating university.

Do Swedish universities teach in English?
Over 1,000 English-taught programs are available, especially at master's level.

Which Swedish university is best for technology?
KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Chalmers University of Technology are globally renowned tech institutes.

Since 2005, UniRank provides original research, valuable information and resources to help you explore and make informed decisions about Swedish universities and their online presence.

• Oldest Universities in Sweden
  Explore the most traditional and long-established Swedish post-secondary institutions according to uniRank's original research.
• A-Z Universities in Sweden
  Search for Swedish higher education institutions listed alphabetically from A to Z.
• Swedish Universities by Town
  Look for tertiary institutions located in a particular Swedish town or city.
• Top Public Universities in Sweden
  Discover Swedish public higher education institutions with potentially lower tuition fees.
• Top Private Universities in Sweden
  Find out about Swedish private higher education institutions.
• Top Non-Profit Universities in Sweden
  Explore Swedish not-for-profit higher education institutions that may offer lower tuition fees.
• Top For-Profit Universities in Sweden
  Look for Swedish for-profit higher education institutions.
• Top Swedish Universities on Facebook
  See which tertiary institutions in Sweden have the most followers on Facebook, according to uniRank's original research.
• Top Swedish Universities on Twitter
  Discover the Universities in Sweden that are most followed on Twitter, based on uniRank's original research.
• Top Swedish Universities on Instagram
  Find out which post-secondary institutions in Sweden are the most followed on Instagram, according to uniRank's original research.
• Top Swedish Universities on YouTube
  Explore the Universities in Sweden with the most subscribed channels on YouTube, based on uniRank's original research.