Interest from international students continues to grow – and this year it’s especially noticeable. New programmes are attracting applicants, and established programmes are also seeing increases in both total applicants and first-choice applications.
The Master’s Programme in Management – Sustainable Value Creation is experiencing a significant rise in interest ahead of autumn 2026. The total number of applicants has more than doubled to 467 people since the programme was launched six months ago, making it the third most applied for international master’s programme at Karlstad University.
– The number of first-choice applicants has more than tripled to 70 people, which is absolutely fantastic, says Programme leader Sara Davoudi.
The new Master’s Programme in Applied Economics – Advanced Analytical Methods is also seeing an increase in the number of applicants, corresponding to 40% compared with autumn 2025. And the already established programmes in business administration — such as the Master’s in Accounting and Management Control (93 first-choice applicants) and Marketing, as well as the Master’s in Information Systems — have also grown in popularity.
– It’s a good sign that our programmes are attractive and globally relevant, says Marie-Therese Christiansson, Head of Karlstad Business School at Karlstad University.
Most applications come from Asia, particularly from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India, where interest in higher education in international study environments is strong. Other parts of the world also show clear increases — from North America, including the United States; from Europe, with countries such as Germany and the Netherlands; and from Africa, where Nigeria and especially Ghana account for a marked rise in applications.
– This means our classrooms become more dynamic, where access to many different perspectives and global dimensions contributes to a higher-quality and more enriching learning environment, notes Marie-Therese Christiansson.
Voices from international students studying with us
