Swedish Government Scholarship (Swedish Institute Scholarship)

Application for the Swedish Government Scholarship (Swedish Institute Scholarship) for the academic year 2025-2026 is now open. The Swedish Institute (SI) Scholarship is a fully funded program that allows eligible candidates from participating countries to get a Master’s degree at Swedish universities.

A few hundred scholarships will be granted for numerous master’s programs (taught in English) starting in the autumn semester of 2025. The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals aims to develop future global leaders who will contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and contribute to positive and sustainable development in their home countries and regions.

The scholarship is intended for full-time, one-year or two-year master’s programs. The tuition fee will be paid directly to Swedish universities at the beginning of each semester. The stipend for living expenses is paid monthly during the scholarship period.

Programme Details

• Host Institutions: Swedish universities, Sweden.
• Field of Study: About 700 master’s programs taught in English starting in the autumn semester of 2025 are eligible for an SI scholarship. Please see below for more details.
• Number of Awards: Not specified.
• Duration: The scholarship is intended for full-time one-year or two-year master’s programs, and is only awarded for programs starting in the autumn semester.
• Eligible Countries: Open to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Swedish Government Scholarship Benefits

This government scholarship provides successful applicants with the followings:

1. Full tuition fee coverage. The fee is paid directly by SI to your Swedish university at the beginning of each semester.
2. Living expenses of SEK 12,000/month to cover your living expenses throughout the study period.
3. A travel grant of SEK 15,000 (10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). This is a one-time payment and does not apply to students already living in Sweden.
4. Insurance against illness and accident
5. Membership of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders (NFGL) – a platform to help you grow professionally and build your network while in Sweden
6. After your scholarship period has ended, you become a member of the SI Alumni Network. As a member, you get a unique opportunity for continued networking and professional development.

Applicants must be aware that this scholarship does not:

• Provide additional grants for family members.
• Cover the application fee to University Admissions.
• Allow changes to the study program. We are only able to support you through the awarded master’s program.
• Allow extensions or changes to the awarded scholarship period.

Eligible programmes

About 700 English-taught master’s programmes are eligible for the SI scholarship for Global Professionals, covering programmes in the fields of humanities, agricultural science, medicine and public health, natural science, social science, and technology. Please click here to download the full list of eligible master’s programmes for the academic year 2025/2026.

To have a successful application, you should have a clear idea of how your education will contribute to the sustainable development of your home country and region; It is up to you to motivate in your scholarship application if/how your chosen programmes are related to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Swedish Government Scholarship Eligibility

To apply for this Europe scholarship program, applicants must:

• You must be a citizen of one of the eligible countries (check the full list above), however, you do not need to reside in that country at the time of the application.
• be liable to pay tuition fees to Swedish universities. Find out if you are liable for tuition fees here.
• have paid the application fee for master’s programmes on time. The payment is made to University Admissions. Find all the key dates here.
• be admitted (or conditionally admitted) to one of the eligible master’s programmes on 27 March 2025. You will only be awarded a scholarship for the master’s program you are admitted to on 27 March 2025. Master’s programs to which you are listed as a reserve cannot be considered. There are no scholarships available for late admissions.
• Master’s programmes : The master’s programmes you apply for must be eligible for the SI scholarship. More details above.
• Previous experience : You must have demonstrated work experience (conditions apply to certain regions).
• In addition, you must have demonstrated leadership experience from your current or previous employer, or from civil society engagement.

Regardless of all the eligibility criteria listed above, you are not eligible for SI Scholarships for Global Professionals if you:

• are currently enrolled in or hold a degree from a Swedish university/university college;
• have already resided in Sweden for cumulatively two years or more, prior to the scholarship period (starting August);
• have previously been awarded a Swedish Institute scholarship. Previous participants of the SI Summer Academy for Young Professionals. Students who have attended SI summer courses in Swedish language or the Swedish Institute Summer University (SISU) may still apply;
• have a Swedish or EU/EEA citizenship, a Swedish permanent residence permit or a temporary work- and residence permit based on work or on family ties with a citizen of Sweden/EU/EEA country who has a temporary or permanent right of residence in Sweden
• have dual citizenship in countries not listed on the DAC list of ODA recipients 2022-2023.

Similar opportunities

1. Chinese Government Scholarship EU Program;
2. Holland Scholarship for Non-EEA International Students;
3. Ghent University PhD Scholarship for Developing Countries.

How to Apply for the Swedish Government Scholarship

The program grants scholarships to a large number of master’s programs starting in the autumn semester of 2025. Please click here to download the list of master’s programs that are eligible for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Step 1 : University Application

1. To begin, apply for up to four eligible master’s programs at a master’s program at universityadmissions.se, by 15 January 2025. Note that Applicants for Stockholm School of Economics Konstfack – University of Arts, Craft and Design and Stockholm University of the Arts have their separate intake and admission processes; applicants will not receive an application number. Before you apply, make sure you’re
   • liable to pay tuition fees to Swedish universities. Please click here to check if you are liable for tuition fees.
   • able to pay the application fee for master’s programs to University Admissions. Please check key dates here.
   • finally, apply and get admitted (or conditionally admitted) to one of the eligible master’s programs. You will only be awarded a scholarship for the master’s program you are admitted to. Master’s programs to which you are listed as a reserve cannot be considered. If you have been admitted to another program/programs of lower priority, it is important that you make sure to decline reserve places on time so that your successful admissions are not deleted later on. Please check the information on how to reply to University Admissions. For any questions related to your application, tuition fees, and admittance please contact University Admissions.
2. Once you have submitted your application for master’s program(s) at universityadmissions.se, you will get a personal application number consisting of eight digits. Save this number as you will need it when applying for the SI Scholarship for Global Professionals. Your application will be disqualified if you type in the wrong number in the online application form. Applicants to the Stockholm School of Economics will not receive such a number.
3. Submit your receipt of the application fee and the supporting documents required by University Admissions before the deadline. The fee is non-refundable.

Step 2 : Scholarship Application

Apply for the Swedish Government Scholarship between February 10 to February 26, 2025, through the online application portal. A complete application consists of:

1. Curriculum Vitae : You must use SI’s provided template for CV 2025/2026. The CV should not exceed three pages. Please click here to download the template.
2. Proof of work and leadership experience : The work and leadership form should be signed by the referee and stamped with an official stamp of the referring organisation or a notary office. The form(s) must be typed, then printed, signed, stamped and uploaded as one single PDF-file. Pleaseclick here to download the template.
3. Two letters of reference : Please click here to download the template.
4. Photocopy of your valid passport/National ID card
5. Motivation (this will be asked of you in the application portal)

The deadline to submit applications to this scholarship program is February 26, 2025 at 14:59 CET. Please visit the official page for more details on the Swedish Government Scholarship. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.