The Swedish Institute (SI) has recently announced the recipients of its prestigious SI Scholarships for Global Professionals and the newly launched SI Scholarship for Pioneering Women in STEM for the upcoming academic year 2025/2026. A total of 402 exceptional international students have been granted fully funded scholarships to pursue master’s studies at top Swedish universities.
The scholarship program, overseen by the Swedish Institute, aims to empower global changemakers and further Sweden’s commitment to sustainability, gender equality, and democratic values worldwide.
Empowering Global Leaders for Sustainable Development
This year, 351 students were chosen from a pool of over 8,500 applicants for the SI Scholarship for Global Professionals. Candidates were assessed based on academic excellence, leadership potential, and a demonstrated dedication to contributing to sustainable development in their home countries.
These scholars will be enrolling in 208 master’s programs offered by 28 Swedish higher education institutions, with popular fields including social sciences, engineering, technology, and natural sciences. The selected students hail from 33 countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. The Swedish government has allocated approximately SEK 172 million to fund this program for the academic year 2025/2026.
New Initiative: Pioneering Women in STEM
In a significant initiative to promote gender equity in STEM, the Swedish Institute introduced the SI Scholarship for Pioneering Women in STEM. This scholarship is designed to support women from ten selected countries in Africa and Asia who have been admitted to specialized master’s programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
A total of 51 women have been selected and nominated by Swedish universities. They will be attending 26 institutions and pursuing studies in 45 STEM-related programs. The budget for this targeted scholarship initiative amounts to SEK 29 million.
Sweden Strengthens Global Educational Ties
Madeleine Sjöstedt, Director-General of the Swedish Institute, highlighted the strategic importance of these scholarship programs:
“Sweden is an export-dependent country that relies on international cooperation and exchange. Our scholarship programs play a crucial role in strengthening ties between Sweden and the world. These scholars will acquire knowledge and experience that not only promote personal growth but also enhance sustainable and democratic progress in their home regions. We are proud to support this year’s scholars—especially the pioneering women in STEM—and eagerly anticipate the impact they will make on a global scale.”
Next Steps for Recipients
Successful candidates will receive official scholarship offers between April 25–27, 2025, and must confirm their acceptance by the specified deadline. The offers are valid only for the specific master’s programs indicated. Students placed on the reserve list will be notified if selected during May or June 2025.
Applicants who were not selected are encouraged to explore additional funding options through universities and third-party organizations via studyinsweden.se/scholarships.
View Official Recipient Lists:
- SI Scholarship for Global Professionals – 2025 Recipients
- SI Scholarship for Pioneering Women in STEM – 2025 Recipients
Reference: https://si.se/en/si-scholarship-2025-2026/