Swedish Institute - Scholarships for incoming students

Swedish Institute (SI) scholarships for a master's in Sweden

You will receive fully funded master's place in Sweden. The Swedish Institute will pay your tuition fees in full directly to your university. You will also receive a monthly living allowance of approximately 1,080 EUR (SEK 12,000) throughout your studies. The funding covers a one- or two-year Master’s programme, i.e. up to 24 months. In addition, there is a one-off travel allowance of approximately 1,350 EUR (15,000 SEK). You will also become a member of two networks offering events, mentoring (guidance from experienced professionals) and long-term contacts: the SI Network for Global Professionals during your studies and the Sweden Alumni Network afterwards. The Swedish Institute (SI) is a public body. It runs two programmes here: the SI Scholarship for Global Professionals and the ‘Pioneering Women in STEM’ Scholarship. If you already live in Sweden, you will not receive the travel allowance.

Who can apply

• Level: You are applying for a full-time Master’s programme taught in English at a Swedish university, starting in the autumn.
• Nationality: You must be a national of an eligible country. For the ‘Global Professionals’ scholarship, this means one of the 34 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The STEM scholarship is aimed exclusively at women from 10 countries in Africa and Asia.
• Field of study: The ‘Global Professionals’ scholarship is open to various fields of study, such as governance, public health, entrepreneurship and STEM subjects. The ‘Pioneering Women in STEM’ scholarship is intended exclusively for degree programmes in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• Tuition status: You are probably one of those people who have to pay tuition fees at Swedish universities. This usually applies to students from countries outside the EU or the EEA.
• Work experience: You can provide details of your professional and leadership experience, whether gained through your career or through your involvement in civil society.
• No repeat funding: You have not yet received an SI scholarship and do not yet hold a Swedish qualification.

How to apply

First, apply for your chosen Master’s programme via ‘University Admissions’ between mid-October and 15 January. You should then submit your separate SI scholarship application via the SI portal during the two-week window in February. The results will be announced in April.

How realistic are your chances?

These are competitive, fully-funded scholarships restricted to nationals of specific countries who already have genuine professional and leadership experience. The pool of applicants is therefore smaller than for an open scholarship. If you clearly belong to one of the lists of eligible countries and can demonstrate outstanding professional and leadership achievements, your prospects are good. Prepare both your application for the programme and your scholarship documents well in advance, as the two deadlines are separate and the application window for the scholarship is only two weeks.