Study in Sweden for free: SI Scholarship overview

Funding your studies is often a stumbling block for people who want to get a degree abroad, and I was not the exception. This year I received an SI scholarship, and in this post, I will give you an overview of this fantastic opportunity, so you can decide whether you want to give it a try.

Spoiler alert: you probably do 🙂

What is it all about?

Swedish Institute is a public agency that promotes interest and trust in Sweden around the world. They work in various fields, including culture, education, science and business, and their mission is to strengthen international relations and development.

SI has many opportunities to benefit from, including leadership programs, scholarships, funding and grants for your projects. One of their most well-known opportunities among international students is fully-funded scholarships for master’s studies in Sweden, called Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP). This is the scholarship that I got, and in my blog series, I’m going to share helpful info and tips about it.

But first things first, let’s start from the basics: the scholarship overview and eligibility.

SISGP is aimed at ambitious people who have leadership potential and are willing to contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. So if you’re not familiar with the Sustainable Development Goals yet, the first piece of advice is to check them out here, so you’ll have a more detailed understanding of the purpose of the scholarship.

This basically means that if you’re willing to lead and want to bring positive changes to your country or region and globally, SI can fund your studies in Sweden that will give you valuable knowledge and skills to implement them after you graduate.

The scholarship is awarded to citizens of 42 countries; you can find the full list here. You should also be applying for eligible programmes starting in the autumn semester that will be published on the website at the beginning of November. To be eligible, you should also have work experience, although an important thing to remember is that it doesn’t have to be a full-time job; it might be your engagement in the student union, for example. Also, leadership experience is crucial, however, do not confuse it with managerial, as it is not the same. You should also be admitted to one of the eligible master’s programmes to get the scholarship. There are some other conditions, and you can find all of them here.

SISGP is highly competitive, as each year, only around 4% of the applicants are being awarded it. However, the most important advice is: do not let the fear of rejection stop you from trying! It might sound trivial, but it is a crucial thought to stick to, especially when it comes to your future.

Throughout the year, I’ll be sharing more tips on the scholarship, so if reading this, you are now thinking even for a moment that this might be the right path for you, stay tuned for my next posts on the scholarship, and who knows — maybe next year you’ll be the one living your best life studying in Sweden 🙂

// Valerie