Swedish Institute - Pioneering Women in STEM

Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship (Swedish Institute)

You will receive fully funded master's degree in Sweden. The Swedish Institute will pay your tuition fees in full directly to the university. You will also receive a monthly living allowance of 12,000 SEK (about 1,050 EUR) for the entire duration of your studies. If you do not yet live in Sweden, you will receive a one-off travel allowance of 15,000 SEK (approximately 1,300 EUR). The scholarship covers a one- or two-year full-time Master’s programme (60 or 120 credits) taught in English, starting in the autumn of 2026. During your studies, you will become a member of the ‘SI Network for Global Professionals’ and subsequently of the ‘Sweden Alumni Network’ – both networks that connect you with other scholarship holders and graduates. Health insurance, family allowances and the university application fee are not covered.

Who can apply

• Gender: You are a woman.
• Nationality: You are a national of one of the following ten countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam. You do not need to live in your home country.
• Study field and place: You have been admitted, or conditionally admitted, to a recognised MAST Master’s programme (natural sciences, technology, engineering or mathematics) at a Swedish higher education institution. Programmes at 27 higher education institutions are eligible for this, for example Computer Science, Data Science and AI, Biotechnology or Sustainable Energy Technology.
• Tuition status: You will have to pay tuition fees in Sweden. Free places are out of the question.
• Work experience: Before February 2026, you had at least 3,000 hours of verifiable working time with no more than three employers. Full-time, part-time, freelance or self-employed work is taken into account equally.
• Leadership: You can demonstrate leadership experience, whether from your professional life or from your involvement in the community.
• No prior SI funding: You have not yet received an SI study grant. Short summer courses do not count towards this.
• No Swedish ties: You do not hold a Swedish qualification, are not currently studying in Sweden, have not lived there for at least two years, and do not hold Swedish citizenship, citizenship of an EU or EEA country, or a Swedish residence permit.

How to apply

First, apply via “University Admissions” for up to four Swedish Master’s programmes between 15 October 2025 and 15 January 2026. You should then submit your scholarship application via the SI online portal, which is open from 9 to 25 February 2026 and closes on the last day at 14:59 CET. The scholarship recipients will be announced on 23 April 2026.