SI Scholarship Benefits & Funding
Everything the SI Scholarship for Global Professionals covers — tuition, SEK 12,000 a month, the travel grant and the network — and the parts that catch people off guard, including the lack of insurance.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
7 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
When SI says "fully funded," here's exactly what that means — and what it doesn't.
The scholarship is genuinely comprehensive for the recipient. But it does not extend to family members, it no longer includes insurance, and a few costs that people assume are covered are actually yours. Read the full breakdown before you make any plans.
The Full Package
Tuition fees — 100% covered
Paid directly by SI to your university each semester. You never see this money — it goes straight from SI to your institution. There is nothing to manage on your end.
Study in Sweden puts tuition for non-EU students at about SEK 80,000–320,000 per academic year, around SEK 160,000 on average (Study in Sweden). This is the most financially significant part of the scholarship.
Monthly allowance — SEK 12,000
Paid to you each month throughout the study period. This is your living money — rent, food, transport, everything. It's enough for a modest student life in most Swedish cities, and it sits just above the Swedish Migration Agency's maintenance requirement of SEK 10,656 a month for 2026 applications.
Stockholm requires careful budgeting. Gothenburg and Malmö are more comfortable. Uppsala and Lund can work well if you get university housing early. See the Life in Sweden guide for a detailed cost breakdown by city.
Travel grant — SEK 15,000 or SEK 10,000
A one-time payment intended to cover your flights to Sweden. If your country is Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine, the travel grant is SEK 10,000 instead of SEK 15,000. It is not paid to students who already live in Sweden.
The grant is a fixed amount regardless of where you're flying from. A flight from Lagos will eat more of it than one from Kyiv. Factor that into your arrival budget.
Residence permit fee — exempt
The Swedish Migration Agency normally charges adults SEK 1,500 to apply for a student residence permit. Holders of a Swedish Institute scholarship intended for living costs are exempt from that fee (Migrationsverket). It's a small saving, but it's one less thing to think about.
Kick-off and diploma ceremonies — included
All new SI scholars are invited to a kick-off event in early autumn at the start of the academic year. This is where you meet your cohort in person and connect with SI staff and returning scholars.
The diploma ceremony in late spring marks the end of your studies and the start of your lifelong alumni membership. SI does not publish a fixed venue, so check the invitation. If you're going to attend one event, make it this one.
Insurance: No Longer Part of the Package
Earlier versions of this guide said the scholarship included Kammarkollegiet insurance covering emergency medical care, emergency dental treatment and property. SI's current call and FAQ say plainly that the scholarship does not include insurance and recommend checking what your university provides for international students (SI FAQ).
In practice, many Swedish universities insure their fee-paying international students through the state insurer Kammarkollegiet, typically for emergencies rather than routine care. Do not assume that cover exists or covers everything — ask your university's international office as soon as you are admitted, and check the student health services when you arrive. Family members always need their own cover.
The SI Network for Global Professionals (NFGP)
The NFGP is the active professional community you become part of during your studies. It is not a mailing list — SI describes it as a competence-enhancing programme focused on career planning and career development.
Funded — you do not pay to attend. SI runs a Self-Leadership Programme two to three times per semester, focused on leading yourself and others. Not optional extras: these are core to what the scholarship delivers beyond money.
Several times each semester, on themes connected to career planning and career development, open to all network members.
Networking opportunities with fellow scholars and alumni. SI’s NFGP page does not list a formal mentorship scheme or study visits, so treat any such activity as a bonus, not a promise.
Access to alumni and Swedish professionals. The 2026/27 awards went to scholars from 33 countries. If you use the network actively, it stays useful long after graduation.
Alumni Network (Lifetime)
When you finish your studies, your scholarship ends but your network access does not. The diploma ceremony marks the beginning of a lifelong membership — today run as the Sweden Alumni Network, with local alumni chapters around the world and the Sweden Alumni Academy for webinars, workshops and professional development.
The network gets used for professional connections, job referrals, collaborative projects, and support when you're returning to your home country and building something there. Many SI scholars who graduated five or ten years ago still count the network as one of the most useful professional resources they have.
Some scholarship alumni say the network outlasted the degree in practical value. That is not universally true — it depends how actively you use it. But the infrastructure is there, and it is more substantive than most scholarship alumni networks.
What the Scholarship Does NOT Cover
This is where people get surprised. The scholarship is comprehensive for you personally. It does not extend to anyone who comes with you, and a few costs that seem like they should be covered are not.
Family members are not covered
If you bring a spouse or children to Sweden, all their costs are entirely yours — SI gives no additional grants for family members. For 2026 applications the Swedish Migration Agency requires you to show an extra SEK 4,440 per month for a spouse or partner and SEK 2,664 per month per child, on top of your own living costs.
With a SEK 12,000 allowance and a spouse, you need to cover both of you on an amount that many scholars describe as tight even for one person. Plan this carefully before you apply.
- Insurance. Not included for you, and family members need their own health coverage.
- University Admissions application fee. SEK 900, paid by you when applying for master's programmes through universityadmissions.se. It is separate from the SI scholarship application, which is free.
- Routine health care and ongoing prescriptions. Check your university's student health services when you arrive.
- Housing deposits and advance rent. Your first allowance payment arrives after you've already moved in, and most Swedish landlords require a deposit of 1–3 months' rent upfront. You'll need savings to cover this gap.
- Moving costs for belongings. If you want to bring significant belongings to Sweden, that's on you. Most scholars advise travelling light and buying what you need in Sweden.
- Swedish language courses. Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) is free for registered residents, but you arrange it yourself.
- Programme changes or extensions. The scholarship supports only the awarded master's programme and period.
Is SEK 12,000/Month Enough?
Honestly, it depends on where you study and how you live. Here's what the numbers actually look like across different Swedish cities. These are realistic estimates for a single student with no dependants.
Stockholm — tight budget
| Item | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Student room rent | SEK 5,000–7,000 |
| Food | SEK 2,700 |
| Public transport | SEK 875 |
| Phone & internet | SEK 300 |
| Miscellaneous | SEK 1,500 |
| Estimated total | SEK 10,375–12,375 |
You are at the edge of your allowance — or over it — depending on rent. Stockholm is doable but it leaves little margin. Many Stockholm scholars supplement through part-time work.
Other cities
Rent for a student room typically runs SEK 3,500–5,500. Daily costs are similar to Stockholm, but lower housing costs give you an extra SEK 1,000–1,500 of breathing room each month. More comfortable, though not easy.
Student housing here is among the most affordable in Sweden — if you can get a spot. Waitlists in both cities are long, sometimes over a year. Apply for student housing the moment you have your admission offer.
Cheaper housing and lower overall costs make SEK 12,000 more comfortable. The trade-off: some programmes are only available in Stockholm or larger university cities.
The allowance works, but you won't be saving money or travelling much during your studies. Plan for that reality before you arrive. Many SI scholars describe their year financially as tight but manageable — not comfortable, but not a crisis.
How SI Compares to Other Major Scholarships
This is a rough comparison to give you perspective. Conditions change, and your own eligibility varies by programme. Check each scholarship's current official terms before drawing conclusions.
| Scholarship | Monthly stipend | Tuition | Countries | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SI (Sweden) | SEK 12,000 (~EUR 1,100) | Full | 34 eligible countries | Master's only |
| DAAD (Germany) | EUR 992 (master’s) | Varies | Varies by programme | Multiple levels |
| Chevening (UK) | ~GBP 1,400 (~EUR 1,660) | Full | Selected countries | Master's only |
| Erasmus Mundus | EUR 1,400 | Full | Worldwide | Master's |
SI is competitive on tuition coverage — Sweden's master's fees for non-EU students run about SEK 80,000–320,000 per year, so the tuition element is substantial. But the monthly allowance is modest compared to Chevening or some DAAD awards. The network component is arguably where SI differentiates itself most clearly from the others.