SI Scholarship for Global Professionals

About the Scholarship

Sweden pays for the degree and for the living: tuition settled directly with the university each semester, 12,000 kronor a month throughout, and a one-off travel grant of 15,000, or 10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

This is aimed at people already working rather than at strong graduates. Demonstrated work experience is required, and so is demonstrated leadership, either from an employer or from civil society engagement, which puts the award out of reach of someone applying straight from a bachelor's.

The sequencing is what catches people out, and the two deadlines are a month apart in the wrong order. Applications to Swedish master's programmes run through University Admissions from mid-October to mid-January. The scholarship portal then opens for only two weeks in February, closing at 14:59 CET. Miss the January university deadline and the February scholarship window is unusable, because admission to an eligible programme has to be confirmed when results are announced in late March.

Citizenship decides access, and residence does not. A citizen of an eligible country living anywhere in the world can apply. Anyone holding two eligible citizenships picks one, since submitting under both disqualifies every application.

Read the exclusions before budgeting. No insurance, no grants for family members, no cover for the University Admissions application fee, no change of programme once awarded, and no extension of the scholarship period.

The scholarship page was checked on 16 September 2026, when applications were closed.

What It Covers

Tuition
Living stipend
Travel

Full tuition fee coverage, paid by the Swedish Institute directly to the university each semester, a monthly allowance of 12,000 Swedish kronor for the whole study period, and a one-off travel grant of 15,000 kronor, reduced to 10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and not paid to students already living in Sweden. Holders join the SI Network for Global Professionals and afterwards the Sweden Alumni Network. The award excludes insurance, grants for family members and the University Admissions application fee, and allows no change of programme and no extension of the scholarship period.

Eligibility

Hold citizenship of one of the 34 eligible countries, apply to a master's programme on the Swedish Institute's eligible list, and be liable to pay tuition fees at University Admissions. Applicants need demonstrated work experience, with conditions varying by region, and demonstrated leadership experience from a current or previous employer or from civil society engagement. Admission to an eligible programme must be confirmed on the day admissions are announced. A strong application explains how the chosen programme connects to the sustainable development of the applicant's home country and region.

Eligible Countries

Citizens of the 34 eligible countries. Residence in that country is not required at the time of application. An applicant holding two eligible citizenships must choose one; submitting more than one application disqualifies all of them.

🇦🇲 Armenia🇦🇿 Azerbaijan🇧🇩 Bangladesh🇧🇾 Belarus🇧🇴 Bolivia🇧🇷 Brazil🇨🇴 Colombia🇪🇨 Ecuador🇪🇬 Egypt🇪🇹 Ethiopia🇬🇪 Georgia🇬🇹 Guatemala🇮🇩 Indonesia🇮🇶 Iraq🇯🇴 Jordan🇰🇪 Kenya🇱🇷 Liberia🇲🇦 Morocco🇲🇩 Moldova🇲🇽 Mexico🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇬 Nigeria🇵🇪 Peru🇵🇭 Philippines🇷🇼 Rwanda🇸🇳 Senegal🇹🇭 Thailand🇹🇿 Tanzania🇺🇦 Ukraine🇺🇬 Uganda🇺🇿 Uzbekistan🇻🇳 Vietnam🇿🇦 South Africa🇿🇲 Zambia

How to Apply

Two applications in sequence, and the first one gates the second. Apply to Swedish master's programmes through University Admissions between mid-October and mid-January, then apply to the Swedish Institute through its own portal, which opens for two weeks in February and closes at 14:59 CET on the final day. The list of eligible programmes and the scholarship documents are published in mid-November. University admissions results come in late March and the scholarship decision follows in late April.