SI Scholarships 2027: Fully Funded Master’s in Sweden

Study in Sweden for Free: Swedish Institute Scholarships for Master’s Students (2027 Intake)

Dreaming of a master’s degree in Europe but worried about the cost? The Swedish Institute (SI) might have the answer. Every year, it offers fully funded scholarships to students and professionals from selected countries who want to study in Sweden. If you’re ambitious and want to make a difference back home, this one’s worth your time.

About the Scholarships

The Swedish Institute is a Swedish government agency that builds links between Sweden and the rest of the world. It runs two fully funded master’s scholarships:

1. SI Scholarship for Global Professionals. This one is for working professionals who want to drive change and sustainable growth in their home countries. It covers full-time, one or two-year master’s programmes taught in English at Swedish universities.

2. SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM. This one backs women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It aims to boost their participation, leadership, and performance in these fields. In earlier rounds, women from Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and a few other countries were eligible.

Both scholarships also give you membership in SI’s alumni and professional networks, so you leave Sweden with more than a degree.

Scholarship Benefits

• Full tuition covered. SI pays your tuition fees directly to the Swedish university.
• Monthly living stipend. Global Professionals scholars receive 12,000 Swedish kronor a month.
• A global network. Global Professionals scholars join the SI Network for Global Professionals, with events, training, online sessions, and mentorship.
• Alumni membership. Pioneering Women in STEM scholars join the alumni network after their studies, and past rounds have also mentioned a one-time travel grant.

Eligibility Criteria

For Global Professionals, you need to:

• Be a citizen of one of the eligible countries (SI publishes the list every year, so check that yours is on it).
• Have demonstrated work experience. For most eligible countries, that means at least 3,000 hours, which is about 18 months of full-time work. Part-time jobs, freelance work and self-employment can count.
• Show leadership experience, from your job or from civil society work.
• Be admitted to, or have applied to, an eligible English-taught master’s programme.

For Pioneering Women in STEM, you need to:

• Be a woman and a citizen of one of the eligible countries.
• Apply to a STEM master’s programme that SI has approved for this scholarship.
• Not have received an SI scholarship before, and not hold a Swedish degree.

Required Documents

Exact lists are published on the SI website each year, but you should expect to prepare:

• An up-to-date CV (SI provides a template)
• Proof of your work and leadership experience
• Two letters of reference
• A strong motivation statement
• Your University Admissions application number
• Your academic documents and passport for the university application

Start collecting these early. Reference letters and work experience proof take the longest, because you depend on other people.

Application Process and Deadlines

It’s a two-step process. First, you apply to your chosen master’s programme through the national University Admissions portal. Then you apply separately for the scholarship through SI’s portal.

Based on previous rounds, here’s what to expect for the 2027 intake:

• Mid-January 2027: deadline to apply to master’s programmes on University Admissions (it was 15 January in the last round)
• Early to late February 2027: SI scholarship portal open (9 to 25 February in the last round)
• April 2027: scholarship results announced

These dates follow the previous cycle, so please confirm the final ones on the official SI website at si.se before you plan around them. SI is strict about deadlines, and it won’t consider late applications.

Final Thoughts

Scholarships like this don’t come around often. Competition is tough, but SI isn’t only looking for perfect grades. It wants motivated people with a clear plan, real experience, and the drive to bring change home. If that sounds like you, start preparing now, because the strongest applications are built over months, not days.

Know someone who should see this? Share this post with friends, classmates, and colleagues. Need help with your application, motivation statement, CV, or document checklist? Contact us, and we’ll guide you through it.