Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals 2027 in Sweden: Fully Funded Master's Scholarship for Citizens of 34 Countries

What Is the Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals 2027?

The Swedish Institute (SI) Scholarship for Global Professionals 2027 is a competitive, fully funded scholarship for full-time one- or two-year master's studies in Sweden, awarded once a year for studies beginning in the autumn semester. It covers full tuition fees, a monthly living allowance of SEK 12,000, and a one-time travel grant, and it is open only to citizens of 34 named countries. It is a two-step application: first apply to Swedish master's programmes through University Admissions by 15 January 2027, then apply for the scholarship itself through the SI portal between 8 and 24 February 2027.

Status, verified 27 October 2026: the official Swedish Institute page for the 2027/28 cycle is live, with the full timeline published. The university-application window runs from 16 October 2026 to 15 January 2027. The scholarship application documents and the list of eligible master's programmes are published on the official page on 13 November 2026 — that date has not yet arrived, so prepare your work and leadership evidence now and check the official page on 13 November for the exact templates and programme list. The scholarship portal itself is not open yet; it opens on 8 February 2027. Do not pay anyone who claims to submit an SI application on your behalf before then.

Who Can Apply? The 34-Country Rule Comes First

Citizenship is the first and hardest filter for this scholarship, and the honest statement matters more than an encouraging one: if your country of citizenship is not on the list, this scholarship is not for you. The 34 eligible countries, as published by the Swedish Institute, are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. Pakistan is not on the list, and neither is India — citizens of those countries should not spend the University Admissions application fee chasing this particular scholarship, and should look instead at university scholarships and other government schemes. You do not need to reside in your country of citizenship at the time of application, but you must apply using one citizenship only: applicants who use dual citizenship to submit more than one application will have all applications disqualified.

Beyond citizenship, the Swedish Institute requires all of the following, verified from the official page:

• Eligible programme: you must apply for a master's programme that is eligible for the SI scholarship — English-taught master's programmes within Governance, Public Health, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The eligible programme list is published on 13 November 2026.
• Tuition-fee liability: you must be liable to pay tuition fees at University Admissions, and you must have paid the University Admissions application fee on time. If you are awarded the scholarship, SI pays the tuition fees directly to your university each semester. The application fee is SEK 900 for one semester's applications — one payment covers every programme you apply to that semester. It applies to applicants from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, it is paid through University Admissions, and it cannot be refunded.
• Work experience: you must have demonstrated work experience. Applicants from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia must have at least 3,000 hours of work experience prior to February 2027, from a maximum of three employers. Applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine must be able to provide proof of work experience, with no hour requirement, although applicants with more experience are prioritised.
• Leadership experience: you must demonstrate leadership experience from a current or previous employer, entrepreneurial experience, or civil society engagement. There is no minimum hour requirement, but priority is given to applicants with demonstrated strong and relevant leadership experience from employment.
• Admission: you must be admitted (or conditionally admitted) to one of the eligible master's programmes on the day of the admissions announcement, 1 April 2027. Programmes where you are listed as a reserve cannot be considered, and there are no scholarships for late admissions.

You are not eligible if you are currently enrolled in or hold a degree from a Swedish university or university college, have resided in Sweden for cumulatively two years or more before the scholarship period, have previously been awarded a Swedish Institute scholarship for studies in Sweden, or hold Swedish or EU/EEA citizenship, a Swedish permanent residence permit, or a temporary work- and residence permit based on work or family ties with a citizen of Sweden or an EU/EEA country. Two exceptions apply: Ukrainian applicants residing in Sweden under the Temporary Protection Directive remain eligible, and Moldovan applicants with dual Romanian citizenship may apply using their eligible citizenship.

What Does the Scholarship Cover?

The Swedish Institute describes the scholarship as competitive and fully funded. The package, verified from the official page, is:

• Full tuition fee coverage, paid directly by SI to the Swedish university each semester.
• A monthly allowance of SEK 12,000 to cover living expenses throughout the study period.
• A travel grant of SEK 15,000 — SEK 10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine — as a one-time payment. It does not apply to scholars already living in Sweden.
• Membership of the SI Network for Global Professionals during the scholarship period, and membership of the Sweden Alumni Network after the scholarship period ends.

What it does not cover is equally specific: it does not include insurance (check what coverage your university provides), does not provide additional grants for family members, does not cover the application fee to University Admissions, does not allow changes to the study programme, and does not allow extensions or changes to the awarded scholarship period. The scholarship supports the awarded master's programme only, and the applicant's task is to show, in the scholarship application, how the chosen programme relates to relevant sustainability goals and will contribute to the sustainable development of the home country and region.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Choose up to four eligible master's programmes in Governance, Public Health, Entrepreneurship and Innovation or STEM, and check the eligible programme list when it is published on 13 November 2026.
2. Apply through University Admissions between 16 October 2026 and 15 January 2027. Pay the application fee on time. This deadline is the urgent one: missing it makes you ineligible for the scholarship, however strong your profile is.
3. Prepare your SI documents using the official templates published on 13 November 2026: a CV of no more than three pages on the SI template, proof of work and leadership experience on the SI template (completed, signed by the referee and stamped by the organisation or a notary, uploaded as one PDF), and two letters of reference from two different referees, one based on work experience.
4. Submit the SI Scholarship application between 8 and 24 February 2027. The portal closes at 14:59 CET on 24 February. Late applications are not accepted.
5. Admissions announcement 1 April 2027; SI Scholarship announcement 22 April 2027. Only applicants admitted to an eligible programme on 1 April can be awarded the scholarship.

SI Scholarship vs Other Fully Funded Government Scholarships

Feature	SI Scholarship (Sweden)	Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)
Eligible nationalities	34 named countries only	Students from partner countries worldwide, via nominating partners
Coverage	Full tuition + SEK 12,000/month + travel grant	Tuition + monthly stipend + accommodation contribution + medical insurance (amounts set in the call)
Work experience required?	Yes — 3,000 hours for most countries	No — academic merit based
Application structure	Two steps: university first, scholarship second	Single application via Tempus Public Foundation / nominating partner
Key deadline	15 January 2027 (university) / 24 February 2027 (scholarship)	Expected 15 January 2027 (2027/28 call — confirm on the official site)

For the Hungary comparison, see our Türkiye Burslari and other government-scholarship guides on this blog — and confirm the Stipendium Hungaricum 2027/28 call dates on the official Tempus Public Foundation site, as the call had not yet been announced at the time of writing.

Important Dates for the SI Scholarship 2027

• 16 October 2026 – 15 January 2027: apply to Swedish master's programmes through University Admissions.
• 13 November 2026: SI Scholarship application documents and eligible master's programmes published on the official SI page.
• 8–24 February 2027: SI Scholarship application portal open; closes at 14:59 CET on 24 February 2027.
• 1 April 2027: university admissions announcement.
• 22 April 2027: SI Scholarship announcement.
• Autumn 2027: studies begin in Sweden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pakistani students apply for the SI Scholarship? No. Pakistan is not among the 34 eligible countries published by the Swedish Institute. Citizens of the 34 listed countries may apply; everyone else should look for other scholarships.

Do I apply for the scholarship before or after the university application? After. Apply to master's programmes through University Admissions by 15 January 2027 first, then submit the SI Scholarship application between 8 and 24 February 2027.

How much work experience do I need? At least 3,000 hours before February 2027 if you are from one of the 28 countries listed for that rule, from no more than three employers. Applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine must provide proof of work experience with no hour requirement.

Does the scholarship cover my family? No. It provides no additional grants for family members and does not include insurance.

Can I change my programme after being awarded the scholarship? No. SI only supports the awarded master's programme; changes and extensions are not allowed.

Related Opportunities on Opportunity Wave

• Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship 2027-28
• Clarendon Scholarship 2027-28 at the University of Oxford
• EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship 2027

Official Links

• Swedish Institute — Scholarship for Global Professionals (official)
• University Admissions Sweden — official application portal for Swedish master's programmes

Conclusion

The Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals 2027 is one of the most generous fully funded master's scholarships in Europe — full tuition, SEK 12,000 a month, and a travel grant — but it is also one of the most strictly filtered: 34 countries, 3,000 hours of work experience for most applicants, and a two-step calendar in which the university deadline comes first. If your citizenship is on the list, the next step is not the scholarship form; it is the University Admissions application before 15 January 2027, with the SI templates collected on 13 November. For a scholarship with no work-experience requirement, see our Türkiye Burslari Scholarship 2027 guide.

By Opportunity Wave — 27 October 2026. Facts checked against the official Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals page on 27 October 2026, including the 34-country list, the SEK 12,000 monthly allowance, the 3,000-hour rule and the 8–24 February 2027 portal window. Programme and document details are published on the official page on 13 November 2026 — confirm them there before applying.