The Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) fund a full master’s degree in Sweden for people who already have work experience and a record of leadership. It is the Swedish government’s main scholarship for students from outside Europe, and around 350 awards are made each year.
Unlike many scholarships, this one is not aimed at fresh graduates with top grades. It is built for working professionals. If you have two or more years of experience and can show you have led people or projects, you may be a stronger candidate here than for more famous awards. This guide covers the rules and the timeline for studies starting in autumn 2027.
Read also: The Complete Guide to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
What the scholarship covers
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Paid in full, directly to the university |
| Living allowance | SEK 12,000 per month for the whole programme |
| Travel grant | SEK 15,000, paid once |
| Membership | SI Network for Global Professionals during your studies and the alumni network afterwards |
The scholarship does not cover family members, and it does not pay the university application fee. Most Swedish master’s programmes last two years, although some are one year. The scholarship covers the standard length of the programme and cannot be extended.
Which countries are eligible
The Swedish Institute publishes a list of eligible countries every autumn, and the list changes from year to year. In the most recent round it covered 33 countries. The African countries on it were:
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia
The remaining countries were in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Because countries are added and removed, check the current list on the Swedish Institute website before you invest time in an application. You must hold citizenship of an eligible country, but you do not have to be living there when you apply.
Eligibility requirements
- Work experience: at least 3,000 hours of paid work before the scholarship deadline. That is roughly a year and a half of full-time employment. The hours may come from up to three employers, and part-time work, freelancing and self-employment can count if properly documented
- Leadership experience: demonstrated through your job or through civil society work, such as leading a team, running a project, managing volunteers or holding a position in an association
- Admission: you must apply for, and later be admitted to, a master’s programme that the Swedish Institute has approved for the scholarship
- Fee status: you must be required to pay tuition fees in Sweden. Citizens of EU and EEA countries are generally not eligible
- No prior Swedish degree or long residence: people who already hold a Swedish degree, or who have lived in Sweden for two years or more, are excluded
Unpaid internships and work that was part of your degree do not count towards the 3,000 hours. Compulsory national service schemes are assessed case by case, so read the current guidance carefully if you intend to rely on that period.
Two separate applications
This is where many applicants go wrong. You must complete two different applications, to two different organisations, on two different schedules. Missing either one ends your chances for the year.
Application 1: the master’s programme
All Swedish universities share one admissions portal, University Admissions. You can apply for up to four programmes in order of preference, and you pay a single application fee of SEK 900. Only programmes on the Swedish Institute’s approved list are eligible for the scholarship, so compare the two lists before you choose.
Application 2: the scholarship
The scholarship application is made on the Swedish Institute’s own portal during a short window in February. You will need your University Admissions application number, so the first application must already be complete.
Timeline for 2027/28
The exact dates are announced in late 2026. The pattern below is based on the previous round, in which the scholarship window ran from 9 to 25 February.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mid-October to mid-January | Apply for master’s programmes at University Admissions and pay the fee |
| Around November | Swedish Institute publishes the eligible programmes and country list |
| About 1 February | Deadline to upload supporting documents for the university application |
| February (about two weeks) | Scholarship application window on the Swedish Institute portal |
| Late March or early April | University admission results |
| Late April | Scholarship results announced |
| August | Arrival in Sweden and start of studies |
Documents for the scholarship application
- CV on the Swedish Institute template. Other formats are rejected
- Motivation letter answering the set questions within the word limits
- Proof of work experience on the official form, signed and stamped by each employer
- Proof of leadership experience on the official form, verified by the organisation
- Reference letters on the required form
- Copy of your passport
The employer forms cause more disqualifications than any other part. Each form must show your working hours, be signed by someone authorised to confirm them and carry the organisation’s stamp or letterhead. Ask your employers in December or January, not in the week of the deadline.
How applications are assessed
The Swedish Institute is looking for future leaders who will contribute to sustainable development in their home countries. Assessors score your work experience, your leadership experience and your motivation, and they consider how your chosen programme relates to your career and to your country’s needs.
- Show leadership with facts. Say how many people you led, what the budget or scope was, and what changed as a result
- Link the programme to your work. A public health officer applying for a master’s in global health tells a coherent story. A sudden change of field needs a convincing explanation
- Refer to sustainable development honestly. Explain which problem in your country your work addresses. Do not simply list the United Nations goals
- Describe your plan after graduation. Assessors favour applicants who intend to apply their skills at home
- Choose programmes you are qualified for. You can only receive the scholarship for a programme you are actually admitted to, so check each programme’s specific entry requirements
Admission requirements for Swedish master’s programmes
To be admitted you need a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Swedish three-year degree and proof of English, usually IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 5.5, or an equivalent TOEFL or other accepted test. Individual programmes add their own subject requirements. Applicants from some countries can use previous university study taught in English instead of a test, so check the country-specific instructions on University Admissions.
Cost of living and the allowance
SEK 12,000 a month is enough for a student budget in most Swedish cities, covering a room in student housing, food, local transport and study materials. Stockholm and Gothenburg are more expensive, and housing can be hard to find, so apply for student accommodation as soon as you are admitted. Scholarship holders are allowed to work alongside their studies, but the workload of a Swedish master’s programme leaves limited time.
After you are selected
Successful candidates accept the offer, and apply for a residence permit for studies. Read the award conditions to see which insurance is provided and what you need to arrange yourself. The Swedish Migration Agency normally asks students to prove they can support themselves, and the scholarship award letter serves as that proof.
Related guides
- The Complete Guide to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
- The Complete Guide to the DAAD Scholarship
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027: Partner Universities, Eligibility and How to Apply
Official sources
- Swedish Institute: Scholarships for Global Professionals
- University Admissions in Sweden
- Study in Sweden
Details were checked in October 2026 and reflect the most recent completed round. The Swedish Institute confirms eligible countries, amounts and dates for each new round in the autumn, so check its website before you apply. This article is general information and is not affiliated with the Swedish Institute.
