Swedish Institute offers master´s scholarships to young South Africans.

The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals aims to develop future global leaders that will contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The scholarship is provided for full-time, one- or two-year master’s programme, and is funded by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The goal is to enable the scholarship holders to play an active role in the positive development of the societies in which they live. Ideal candidates are young professionals with academic qualifications, demonstrated leadership experience and ambition to make a difference.

SI opens the calls for applications once every year for master´s studies beginning in the Swedish autumn semester. Scholarships will be awarded to candidates who can demonstrate clear understanding of how their education will contribute to sustainable development of South Africa and the region. Additionally, candidates must have applied and admitted to one of the eligible master’s programmes in Sweden.

Please note that the application period for the scholarship is only open in February. University applications for international students opens in October and closes in January. For more information on applications and deadlines, please visit University Admissions.

What´s included in the scholarship?
The scholarship offers a full ride that includes:

• Full tuition fee coverage
• A monthly stipend to cover living expenses throughout the study period
• Insurance against illness and accidents
• One-time travel grant of SEK 15 000
• Membership in the SI Network for Future Global Professionals- a platform to help you grow professionally and build a network while in Sweden.
• After the scholarship period has ended, you will be given membership of the SI Alumni Network.

Eligibility and requirements.
To be eligible, applicants should meet the following criteria:

• South African citizenship.
• Liable to pay tuition fees to Swedish universities, followed the steps on University Admissions and gained admittance to a master’s programmes.
• The master´s programme you apply for must be eligible for the SI scholarship. Priority is given to master´s studies with an emphasis on the contribution to the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. For a list of eligible programs, please visit the Swedish Institute.
• Possess a minimum of 3 000 hours of work experience. In addition, you must have leadership experience from your current or previous employer, or from civil society engagement. Applicants do not have to meet the work experience requirement in one period of employment, nor do they have to be employed at the time of application. Valid work experience includes both full and part-time employment.

Required documents.
Only required documents will be considered. Applicants are advised to use SI provided forms with applications completed in English. A complete application consists of the following:

• CV
• Letters of reference
• Valid and complete proof of work and leadership experience
• Copy of valid passport/national ID card
• Motivation letter.

To access the SI required forms and further details, applicants are invited to visit the Swedish Institute. To keep updated on this and other opportunities for South Africans, please consult Study in Sweden.