Master Programme in Solar Energy Engineering

Solar Expertise for Sustainability

The European Solar Engineering School (ESES) at Dalarna University offers you a specialised educational experience that will broaden your professional opportunities in the renewable energy industry. For two decades, students from over 40 countries have come to a small town in central Sweden to gain knowledge and skills that are desired by the solar energy industry. Examples of subjects covered are the design of photovoltaics, solar thermal and hybrid systems, energy storage, solar project management, and financing of solar energy.

When you take this programme, you will be taught by industry experts and researchers from 10 countries, while becoming a member of the international ESES community, which comprises your classmates and our alumni.

Connect with Industry – Learning by Doing

Professional connections are just as important to your success as the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you will gain through your studies. With this understanding, we have developed this programme to ensure that you have ample opportunities to cultivate such connections through:

Site visits to solar installations and research centres, as well as through guest lectures from experts in areas such as solar cell physics and chemical energy storage. These will ensure you are up-to date on the latest developments in this expansive field.
Internships following your one year of studies, where we can help you with national and international contacts.
Your thesis project, which will afford you close contact with research facilities and companies both in Sweden and abroad.

Should you apply?

If you are interested in becoming part of the fast-growing field of renewable energy and have a bachelor's degree in physics; mechanical, electrical or energy engineering; or a related field, then you are strongly encouraged to apply. Since the programme is taught in English, you will also need documentation proving your good command of both spoken and written English.

How To Apply

Applying to the Solar Energy Engineering Programme is quick and easy. Just complete these two steps:

Click on the green "Apply" button to the right. Create a user account at universityadmissions.se and add the programme to your account in the online application portal (note: the "Apply" button is only visible when we are accepting applications).
Submit documents verifying your eligibility to your user account at universityadmissions.se. This way we will be able to verify that you fulfill the entry requirements (see the list below, and please do not forget to include your video statement of purpose). You can read about how to properly submit documents based on where you have previously studied at universityadmissions.se.

How to submit an application

Required documents for application

Eligibility Requirements (August 2023)

Specific Entry Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering (mechanical, electrical, energy, engineering physics) or equivalent field of study of at least 180 credits (ECTS), or an equivalent degree.
An approved Video Statement of Purpose.
(We require you to create a video, no longer than 90 seconds, where you explain your how your background and motivation make you a good candidate for the Solar Energy Engineering Programme. You must upload the video and share the link using an online form; your responses to this form are to be uploaded to your UniversityAdmissions.se user account)
Instructions for submitting a Video Statement of Purpose
Proof of English language proficiency equal to the course "English 6" or "English B" in the Swedish upper-secondary system.

Documenting English Language Proficiency

The most common tests and important scores that are accepted are:

IELTS (academic training): 6.5 (with no part of the test below 5.5)
TOEFL (internet-based): 90 (with a minimum of 20 on the written part)
TOEFL (paper-based): 575 (with a minimum of 4.5 on the written part)

Please check the University Admissions information on English Language Proficiency to see if you are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS test result.

Recommendation

We recommend all one-year solar energy programme applicants to also apply for the two-year master's programme for the following reasons:

You will improve your chances of securing student accommodation.
You will get a Swedish personnummer: this will make it easier to open bank accounts, make doctor's appointments, get internet connection, etc.
You will get a longer residence permit (13 instead of 10 months).
You will be able to transfer from the two-year programme to the one-year programme.

Tuition Fees

135 000 SEK (total)
*EU/EEA citizens are not required to pay tuition fees.

Tuition fees are paid in per-semester installments and the first payment (67 500 SEK) must be paid no later than June 1. This allows for a reasonable processing time for residence permit application.

If you have any questions about tuition fee payments, please e-mail tuitionfees@du.se.

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available for successful applicants to the Solar Energy Engineering programme who are not EU/EEA citizens.

Programme Overview

The programme aims to enhance the skill-set of students in our core solar-engineering subject areas, especially PV and systems design. You will gain international exposure through the faculty and your classmates as well as having the opportunity to partake in an international internship upon completing the program.

Programme Structure and Content

All courses are taught in English by international faculty staff. The programme comprises 60 credits (1 credit = 1 ECTS) and begins at the start of the autumn semester in late August. Note: 1.5 credits = one week of full-time study.

Semester 1 (August-January)

Semester 2 (January-June)

Degree Awarded

Degree of Master of Science (60 Credits) in Solar Energy Engineering

Study Environment

Dalarna University is a small university, which allows you to develop personal relationships with your classmates and teachers. You will study at Campus Borlänge, which is located in a town characterised by thriving business and industry, surrounded by nature and the charming Swedish countryside. The town is two hours north of Stockholm and only 20 km away from the historic town of Falun, the political centre of Dalarna County. The town of Borlänge is home to some major Swedish corporations, such as SSAB and Borlänge Energi, and within a short commute to another large corporation, namely ABB.

During the course of your studies, you will attend lectures, complete practical exercises and laboratories, prepare individual and group projects, participate in seminar discussions, enjoy study visits, and, of course, take exams. You can expect between 15 and 30 hours of class time each week, as well as a weekly study time of between 30 and 50 hours.

Typically, about 30-35 students enroll in the Solar Energy Engineering Programme each year. They come from all over the world. Since the programme admits only a limited number of students, you will soon get to know your classmates and be involved in activities in and around Dalarna and Sweden with your new-found friends. The knowledge you gain and the experiences you share with your classmates will prepare you to join our alumni who go on to find their ideal jobs within the field.

Career Opportunities

Many of our over 250 ESES alumni are active as engineers and managers in the global solar energy industry. After graduating, many go on to start their own solar businesses, while others go on to pursue a Ph.D. and become researchers and teachers at universities. The majority of our graduates go on to work in companies and organisations throughout the world.

Potential future employers are:

Solar equipment manufacturers,
Engineering and consulting companies with a renewable energy focus,
Energy utilities, and
Government and non-government organisations

Increasing Job Opportunities

Until a few years ago, jobs in the solar energy sector were found mostly in countries where political efforts had led to an early adoption of renewable energy, often through subsidies for businesses and private individuals to invest in renewable energy sources such as solar energy.

Today the cost of solar energy is lower than ever before: it has become competitive, even without subsidies, in many developed and still developing economies. While the cost of installing solar energy has decreased, the possibility to harness and store solar energy is constantly improving, ensuring excellent long-term job prospects for programme graduates.