Swedish Institute Scholarships 2027: Women in STEM

Swedish Institute Scholarships 2027: Women in STEM

Updated on 26 October 2026

The Swedish Institute (SI) Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship is for women from ten countries in Africa and Asia who want to do a master's degree in Sweden. It pays full tuition, a monthly allowance and a travel grant.

University application: 15 January 2027 — SI portal: 8 to 24 February 2027

Only four African countries are eligible: Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa. Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and the rest of the continent are not on the list for this scholarship, whatever your profile.

Provider	Swedish Institute (SI)
Country	Sweden
Level	One- or two-year master's programmes in STEM, taught in English
Benefits	Full tuition, SEK 12,000 per month, SEK 15,000 travel grant
Deadlines	15 January 2027 (university application), 8 to 24 February 2027 (SI application)
Official link	SI Pioneering Women in STEM page

Contents

• What it covers
• Who can apply
• Documents to prepare
• How to apply
• Selection timeline
• Mistakes to avoid

What the scholarship covers

The scholarship funds full-time master's studies in science, technology, engineering or mathematics at a Swedish university. Only programmes on SI's list of eligible programmes count.

SI pays your tuition fees directly to the university each semester. You also receive SEK 12,000 per month to live on, plus a one-time travel grant of SEK 15,000.

Winners join the SI Network for Global Professionals. After the scholarship ends, they join the Sweden Alumni Network.

Some costs are not covered: insurance, money for family members, the University Admissions application fee, and any extension of your studies. Budget for the application fee and your residence permit costs yourself.

Who can apply

You must be a woman and a citizen of one of these countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam. You do not need to live in your country of citizenship to apply.

The work requirement has an unusual limit: at least 3,000 hours of work with no more than three employers, according to the last call. Full-time, part-time, freelance and self-employed work all count. A career made of many short assignments will not qualify, even if the hours add up.

You must pay tuition fees in Sweden, which is the case for most non-EU citizens. You must not hold a Swedish degree or have had an SI study scholarship before.

You must be admitted to an eligible programme on the admissions announcement day. A place on a reserve list does not count.

Documents to prepare from Africa

You prepare two separate files: one for the university, one for SI.

For University Admissions, you usually need your degree certificate, your transcripts, proof of English and a valid passport.

Nigeria has country-specific rules for academic documents on University Admissions, and it is the only eligible African country concerned. Check those requirements before you upload anything.

For SI, you need proof of your work and leadership experience. Your employers must certify it on SI's own template forms, which are published during the application period. Contact your current and former employers early, because each one must fill in and sign the form.

You also write a motivation. It must explain how your programme connects to sustainability goals for your home country and region.

How to apply, step by step

• Step 1: choose up to four programmes from SI's list of eligible programmes.
• Step 2: apply to those programmes on universityadmissions.se before 15 January 2027, and pay the application fee by 1 February 2027.
• Step 3: collect the SI work and leadership forms from your employers.
• Step 4: submit your scholarship application in the SI portal, open from 8 to 24 February 2027.
• Step 5: wait for the university results, then the SI results.

Applying for the scholarship itself is free on the official SI website. The university application fee is separate.

See the official SI page

Selection timeline

16 October 2026 to 15 January 2027	University applications on University Admissions
13 November 2026	SI documents and eligible programme list published
1 February 2027	Deadline to pay the application fee and send documents to University Admissions
8 to 24 February 2027	SI scholarship portal open
1 April 2027	University admission results
22 April 2027	SI scholarship results
August 2027	Studies start

If you are selected, you will still need a Swedish residence permit for studies. Apply as soon as you get your results.

Mistakes to avoid

• Applying to SI without first applying to a university: the scholarship needs an admission.
• Choosing a programme that is not on SI's eligible list.
• Missing the 1 February fee and document deadline: your university application can be rejected.
• Waiting until February to contact employers for the signed forms.
• Counting hours from more than three employers towards the work requirement.

If your country is not eligible, see our guide to other Swedish Institute scholarships. You can also try the Lester B. Pearson scholarship in Canada or the Clarendon scholarship at Oxford. If you would rather study online from home, look at the programmes offered by Unicaf.

Read also

• Lester B. Pearson scholarship in Canada
• Clarendon scholarship at the University of Oxford

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