The backbone of modern telecom infrastructure consists of optical fibre-based systems in combination with wireless technologies. Medical applications of photonics and microwaves are numerous, and measurement applications include radar, environmental monitoring and radio astronomy.
Satellite based microwave systems aid our everyday life e.g. television broadcasting, navigation and weather forecasts, and are used in remote sensing of the Earth and space geodesy.
Over the past decade, photonics and wireless technology have grown at an exceptional rate and investments in future telecom systems will have a profound impact on social and economic development, but everything wireless needs hardware.
The programme offers a unique opportunity to study a combination of subjects for which Chalmers has world-class facilities: Onsala Space Observatory with radio telescopes and equipment to study the Earth and its atmosphere, the Nanofabrication Laboratory with a cleanroom for research in and fabrication of micro and nanotechnology and research laboratories with state-of-the-art photonics and microwave measurement equipment.
We focus on applied science and engineering, where we combine theory with hands-on practise, labs and projects. We are involved in cutting edge research and the manufacturing of components for and like e.g. microwave and millimetre wave electronics, instruments for radio astronomy and remote sensing, optical fibres, lasers, and microwave antennas.
As a student of the programme, you will gain solid knowledge of wireless, photonics and space engineering on a system level as well as specialised skills in a chosen subfield. You will be prepared for a career in the field through studies of wireless and optical communication components and systems, RF and microwave engineering, photonics, and space science and techniques.
The programme provides a masters education for a future career in engineering branches that rely heavily on electromagnetic waves e.g. telecommunication, automotive electronics, space engineering, medical applications of microwaves and photonics, remote sensing, solid state lightning, environmental monitoring, navigation and radio astronomy. You will find career opportunities in industry, at universities or research institutes.
Swedish industry has a strong tradition in wireless, photonics and space engineering and the Swedish wireless industry is largely situated in the Gothenburg region.
The programme is part of Chalmers Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Area of Advance, which is an organized interface between Chalmers and the ICT industry. The ICT academy arranges seminars on the latest industrial topics, supports students and faculty in getting access to industrial projects, field trips, internships etc and keeps the education in line with the continuously developing needs of the industry.
All teachers in the program are active researchers at Chalmers. At the department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, a radio receiver has been developed together with the space industry for the radiometer SteamR (the second largest space initiative in Sweden). It will take part in the continuous measurement of atmospheric gases to create a better understanding of climate change.
Since microwave power amplifiers dominate the energy consumption in mobile communication networks, Chalmers performs research on advanced transistor technologies and amplifier designs for increasing power efficiency. Research at the photonics laboratory focuses on different methods to increase data flow in fibre optical communications. For example, new optical amplifiers with extremely low noise with potential to fourfold the transmission distance for long distance links has been presented, as well as energy and cost efficient lasers for high capacity short distance links.
This technology is well suited for interconnects and networks within e.g. datacenters or supercomputers. The department of Earth and Space Sciences is involved in the development of methods to quantify gas emission from active volcanoes. Apart from geophysical research and risk assessment, this will provide information on ozone depletion and climate change. A method based on UV/visible light for quantifying hydrocarbon emission from oil related industrial activities has also been developed. Data from satellite global radar mapping is used to understand the role of forest in the global carbon cycle.
Chalmers will take part in constructing the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), the world's largest and most advanced radio telescope. A compact feed antenna with extremely large bandwidth is developed for this purpose. This antenna technique can also be used in satellite communication terminals, radio links and medical imaging.
Together the research laboratories cover phenomena of electromagnetic waves on all frequencies from microwaves to visible light. Not only are we connected to research, several companies have also emerged from research at Chalmers e.g: Bluetest, Food Radar Systems, Gotmic, Low-noise factory, Omnisys Instruments, Smoltek, and Wasa mm-wave.
The programme starts with five compulsory courses that form a common foundation in wireless, photonics and space engineering. Through semi-compulsory courses, students can then specialize in wireless, photonics or space engineering, or a combination thereof.
Students can choose from a wide range of elective courses, including the following:
Important: Applications for scholarships should be made along with the application for Master's studies. Students should not wait until they receive an admission to do so.
The Avancez Scholarships are 75% tuition fee waivers awarded by Chalmers University of Technology and are funded by the Chalmers Foundation. These scholarships are available to all students who are liable to pay tuition fees i.e., students with non-EU/EEA nationality.
The IPOET (International Programme Office for Education and Training) Scholarships are 75% tuition fee waivers funded by the Government of Sweden. They are awarded by Chalmers University of Technology and available to nearly all fee-paying students, with the exception of 12 countries.
The Mölnlycke Health Care Scholarships are 100% fee tuition waivers with possibilities for summer internships and a final master's thesis project.
The Sievert Larsson Scholarship Fund (within Friends of Chalmers) offers a 100% tuition fee waiver and living expenses to students of Thai nationality who aim to study on a Masters programme at Chalmers University of Technology.
The US Friends of Chalmers Scholarship is a scholarship comprising USD 35 000 (i.e. a reduction of the tuition fee by USD 8750 per semester) and is awarded to one student with US citizenship.
The Volvo Car Corporation Scholarships are 100% tuition fee waivers awarded to 2 Chinese students with the guarantee of participation in the VESC (Volvo Engineering Student Concept) programme which includes a summer job, master thesis project, mentorship and possible employment at Volvo Car Corporation.
The Volvo Group Scholarship Programme is a 100% fee tuition fee waiver awarded to students of Indian nationality and Chinese nationality. The Scholarship includes possibilities for internships during the summer, a final Master thesis project and mentorship.
Scholarships that will not be offered in 2014
The Chalmers MasterCard Scholarship (will be offered again in 2015) Available biennialy for a Master's student from Central America, South America or Mexico. The scholarship comprises a 280 000 SEK reduction of the tuition fee (70 000 SEK reduction/ semester).
The FlexLink Scholarship (not available in 2014) for a Master's Student from China is a 100% tuition fee waiver along with possibilities for internship and a final master thesis project.
Note: Being granted alternative funding from external patrons does not affect the possibility of obtaining scholarships from Chalmers as an applicants financial status is not taken into account during the nomination process.
Scholarships for current students
Adlerbert 60th Anniversary Scholarships - Will be offered for the first time during 2014 to fee paying Master's Programme students who were admitted Autumn 2013, including scholarship holders whose scholarships do not include costs of living coverage. This means that, for instance, holders of Swedish Institute scholarships and Sievert Larsson, version 2 scholarships will not be eligible to apply. In order to be eligible the applicant must have passed at least 60 credits during the first year of studies. The scholarships, which amount to 60 000 SEK each, will be awarded based on the applicants' cumulative grade point average . Around 10 to 20 scholarships will be offered in 2014. More information about how to apply, etc., will be published soon.
Adlerbert Foreign Student Hospitality Fund - Only open for international students who have been admitted to, and enrolled on, a Master's Programme at Chalmers. Thus, prospective students cannot apply. Students can be awarded the scholarship a maximum of two times. The application period opens in late January and closes in late February. Consequently, it is only possible to apply during this period of a student's first and second year.
Scholarships administered by the Swedish Institute
The Swedish Institute, a government agency, administers over 500 scholarships each year for students and researchers coming to Sweden to pursue their objectives at a Swedish university. Use their online guide in order to find out if any of the Swedish Institute scholarships are available for citizens of your country at your intended level of study.
