From Kiruna to Malmö – how KTH connects with future students
School visits, education fairs, campus visits and digital guidance – every year, KTH’s student ambassadors meet thousands of prospective students. Johanna Franson and Sanna Staflund, who work with national student recruitment at KTH’s Communications Department, explain how personal interactions play a key role in attracting future students.
Student ambassadors are at the heart of these personal encounters. When recruiting ambassadors, KTH strives to bring together students with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, while maintaining a balanced gender representation. The aim is to ensure that prospective students can identify with the people they meet and gain a broader understanding of what it is like to study at KTH.
“Personal interaction is one of our most important ways of inspiring, guiding and supporting prospective students as they make decisions about their future studies. Our student ambassadors visit education fairs and upper secondary schools, deliver inspirational presentations and welcome visitors to KTH’s campuses. Over the past year alone, they have met thousands of pupils across Sweden – from Kiruna in the north to Malmö in the south,” says Sanna Staflund.
How many school visits do you make each year?
“During the 2025/2026 academic year, we carried out 82 school visits, taking part in mini fairs, giving presentations and hosting information stands around the country. Each year we contact schools with information about our activities, and they can then book a visit from KTH or arrange a visit to campus through an online form. During the academic year, we also welcomed 1,450 visitors to our campuses.”
During the autumn, KTH participated in three major education fairs with a combined attendance of more than 40,000 visitors. These events provide an opportunity to engage with a broad audience at a crucial stage in their decision-making process. Both student ambassadors and study advisers play an important role by offering personal perspectives on KTH programmes and student life.
Together, education fairs, school visits and campus visits form an important part of KTH’s student recruitment activities, complementing the university’s digital communication by creating trust, inspiration and opportunities for dialogue.
Prospective students can also contact current students via KTH’s website. Tell us more.
“Through this service, prospective students can receive personal and authentic answers from people who are currently studying at KTH. The service is staffed by our student ambassadors and is highly appreciated by the target audience. In April alone, we had more than 126 first-time contacts, 110 of them before the application deadline.”
What should staff do if they would like to contribute to student recruitment activities?
“We really appreciate the enthusiasm and commitment of colleagues who want to get involved. However, we recommend contacting us first at studentrekrytering@kth.se if you are planning to visit a school. This helps us avoid duplication and ensures that schools are approached in a coordinated and professional way.”
Sanna Staflund and Johanna Franson also emphasise the value of involving a student ambassador in recruitment activities.
“Our ambassadors are experts at engaging with upper secondary school students. We are extremely proud of our ambassador team and the fantastic work they do for KTH. They meet prospective students with enthusiasm, credibility and warmth that truly make a difference. Through their efforts, they not only help more people discover KTH, but also find the programme that is right for them,” says Johanna Franson.
Text: Åsa Karsberg