Swedish Institute - Pioneering Women in STEM

What the Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship gives you

You get a fully funded master's degree in Sweden. The Swedish Institute pays your full tuition fees directly to your university each semester. You also receive a monthly living allowance of 12,000 SEK (about 1,050 EUR) for your whole study period. If you do not already live in Sweden, you get a one-time travel grant of 15,000 SEK (about 1,300 EUR). During your studies you join the SI Network for Global Professionals, and afterwards the Sweden Alumni Network, both networks that connect you with other scholarship holders and professionals. The award covers a one- or two-year, full-time master's programme in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), taught in English. It does not cover insurance, family allowances, the University Admissions application fee, or any change or extension of your programme.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are a woman and a citizen of one of these 10 countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam. You do not need to live in your home country when you apply.
• Degree level: You are enrolled in, or conditionally admitted to, an eligible STEM master's programme at a Swedish university. Over 300 programmes at 27 universities qualify, for example computer science, data science and AI, biomedical engineering, sustainable energy or biotechnology.
• Tuition status: You have to pay tuition fees at a Swedish university. Students who study there for free cannot apply.
• Work experience: You have at least 3,000 hours of documented work, gained before February 2026, from no more than three employers. Full-time, part-time, freelance and self-employed work all count.
• Leadership: You can show leadership experience, from work or from involvement in civil-society organisations.
• No prior Swedish ties: You do not hold a Swedish degree, are not already enrolled at a Swedish university, and have not lived in Sweden for 2 years or more before the scholarship starts. You are not a Swedish or EU/EEA citizen and hold no Swedish permanent, work or family residence permit.
• No earlier SI scholarship: You have not received a Swedish Institute scholarship before. Short summer courses and language courses do not count.

How to apply

First apply to up to four Swedish master's programmes through UniversityAdmissions.se between 15 October 2025 and 15 January 2026, and keep your 8-digit application number. Then apply for the scholarship in the SI portal between 9 and 25 February 2026, using SI's templates for your CV, your work and leadership record, and two reference letters. Scholarship holders are announced on 23 April 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is competitive, but it is cut narrowly: only women from 10 named countries, admitted to specific STEM master's programmes, with 3,000 hours of work plus leadership experience, can apply. That makes the field far smaller than for open scholarships. Selection rewards a clear link between your studies and the sustainable development of your home country and region. If you fit the profile and can document strong, relevant work and leadership experience, your prospects are solid. Starting the two-step application early leaves room to get the templates and references right.