Stiftelsen PAUSE - PAUSE scholarship

PAUSE scholarship

You receive 100,000 SEK (about 8,800 EUR) for at least three connected months of study or a supervised internship abroad in HR, leadership and working life. The money comes in three parts: 30,000 SEK once you are chosen and sign the contract, 35,000 SEK after you hand in your written report, and 35,000 SEK after you deliver a short summary film. Stiftelsen PAUSE, a Swedish foundation set up in 1982, awards it. Your project must centre on the 2027 theme: how introducing AI into organisations changes people's work, skills and workplace design.

Who can apply

• Residence or citizenship: You are a Swedish citizen, or a foreign citizen who has lived in Sweden for at least two years and still lives there.
• Education: You study, or have finished studying, at university or college level. Any field is fine, as long as your project clearly relates to HR or leadership.
• Where you go: You spend at least three connected months of study or supervised practice abroad. Staying in Sweden or joining remotely does not count.
• A concrete host: You have already found a university, organisation or company abroad that offers relevant teaching, an internship or supervision.
• Theme fit: AI, skills and work design are the core of your project. You can also show how the knowledge will benefit Sweden.

How to apply

You apply by email to the foundation. Attach your motivation, CV, grades, references and a full project plan with dates, host, budget and how you will share the knowledge in Sweden. Applications for the 2027 round open on 31 August 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 at 23:59. The board decides by 30 November 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is narrow: you need a Swedish connection, a concrete host abroad, and a project built tightly around the yearly AI theme. So the eligible pool is small. The bar is also high: no scholar was chosen for 2025 or 2026 because no application met the requirements. If you can present a realistic, well-supervised project with clear international value and a plan to bring the knowledge home, your prospects are strong precisely because so few applicants manage all of that.