SI Scholarship for Global Professionals 2027: Requirements, Dates and Funding

Quick answer

The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals pays tuition, a monthly allowance of SEK 12,000 and a travel grant for a master’s in Sweden. It is open to citizens of 34 countries who have at least 3,000 hours of work experience (no hour minimum for six Eastern European countries) and demonstrated leadership experience.

For autumn 2027, apply to an eligible master’s at University Admissions by 15 January 2027, then to SI between 8 and 24 February 2027. SI announces recipients on 22 April 2027. In the last cycle, 189 scholarships went to 12,922 applications (about 1.5%).

SI Scholarship at a glance

Source: Swedish Institute. SI sets and reviews these terms every year.

Eligibility requirements

To apply you must be a citizen of one of the 34 eligible countries, apply for a master’s programme on SI’s eligible list, have demonstrated work experience, and have demonstrated leadership experience from a current or previous employer or from civil society engagement (SI). You must also be fee-paying and be admitted, or conditionally admitted, to the programme.

The 34 eligible countries

Eligibility depends on citizenship, not where you live. If your passport is not on this list, you are not eligible. India, Pakistan, the United States, Russia and Tajikistan, for example, are not listed. SI reviews the list each year, so check it before you apply.

Work experience

Applicants from the 28 countries other than the six Eastern European ones need at least 3,000 hours of work experience before February 2027. The hours do not have to come from a single period of employment. Applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine must provide proof of work experience but have no hour minimum, and applicants with more experience are prioritised (SI).

How long is 3,000 hours? At 40 hours a week it is 3,000 ÷ 40 = 75 weeks, about 17 months. At 20 hours a week it is 150 weeks, nearly three years. Count only hours you can document.

SI says the work experience must be certified on its template forms, which it publishes on 13 November 2026. Earlier SI calls limited the hours to a maximum of three organisations and required a signature and an official stamp (SI call, 2023), so read the 2027 instructions. We did not find an official statement on whether internships or volunteering count toward the hours, so check the 2027 form before relying on them.

You are not eligible if you

• are enrolled in, or hold a degree from, a Swedish university or university college;
• have lived in Sweden for two years or more in total before the scholarship period, which starts in August 2027;
• have previously been awarded an SI scholarship for studies in Sweden;
• hold dual citizenship in a country that is not on the latest DAC list of ODA recipients (SI).

SI notes that certain conditions apply to dual citizenship and to Ukrainian applicants, so read its footnote. If both of your citizenships are on the eligible list, apply under only one.

What the scholarship covers

• Tuition fees, paid directly by SI to your university each semester.
• A monthly allowance of SEK 12,000 for living costs throughout the study period.
• A one-time travel grant of SEK 15,000, or SEK 10,000 for scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
• Membership in the SI Network for Global Professionals during the scholarship and in the SI Alumni Network afterwards.

Source: SI. The university application fee of SEK 900 for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland is separate, and there are no fee waivers (KTH).

How to apply: two applications

1. Apply to a Swedish master’s at universityadmissions.se between 16 October 2026 and 15 January 2027. Pay the fee and upload your documents by 1 February 2027.
2. Check the eligible list. SI publishes its application documents and the list of eligible programmes on 13 November 2026.
3. Apply to SI through its portal between 8 and 24 February 2027. SI’s earlier calls warned that a wrong University Admissions application number disqualifies you, so copy it exactly.
4. Wait for admission results, published on 1 April 2027.
5. Watch si.se on 22 April 2027. SI evaluates the applications that are still eligible after admissions. Because of the number of applicants, only those offered a scholarship are notified.

Missing either application removes you from the round. Applicants who also qualify for the Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship are considered under both programmes. Our SI Scholarship deadlines guide lays out every date.

Dates for the 2027/28 round

Sources: SI, Karolinska Institutet, KTH. Some joint programmes have later deadlines.

Acceptance rate

The counts are SI’s (2026/27, 2025/26, 2024/25). The two rate columns are our own arithmetic. SI says applications rose 50% in 2026/27 and describes the interest as record-high. Its press release counts individuals who applied for SI scholarships, while the recipient list describes the same number as applications, so the first rate is approximate. SI publishes no further breakdown of its selection. The Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship, for women from ten countries, made 43 further awards in 2026/27 (University of Gothenburg).

The “admitted” column matters because you must be admitted to an eligible programme to be considered. In the two earlier cycles about 6% of admitted applicants received an award, and in 2026/27 it was 2.8%. SI’s budget for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 cycles was about SEK 172 million each, and we found no 2026/27 figure.

How SI selects recipients

SI says recipients are selected on academic achievements, professional and leadership experience, and their potential to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries and regions (SI). It does not publish how the three are weighted.

Frequently asked questions

How we researched this

Last checked: 20 October 2026. We compared each statement with SI’s scholarship page for the 2027/28 round, SI’s recipient announcements and lists for 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27, the University Admissions dates published on the Karolinska Institutet and KTH pages, and the University of Gothenburg’s Pioneering Women in STEM page. SI’s site blocks automated page loads, so we read its page text through search excerpts and will recheck it when SI publishes its application documents on 13 November 2026. The rate columns are our own arithmetic. We removed claims we could not verify, including comparisons with other scholarships.

This page is for general information and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. LearnViaHub is not affiliated with the Swedish Institute, any university or any government agency mentioned. Check official sources before acting.