SI Scholarship Documents 2027/28

Why Documents Matter So Much

SI reviews thousands of applications and has no capacity to follow up on individual errors. An application with wrong-year templates, missing stamps, or extra pages is simply disqualified. There are no warnings, no second chances, no extensions.

This isn't bureaucratic harshness — it's the only way to process that volume fairly. Your job is to get it right the first time. This page covers every required document in detail so you know exactly what to prepare. All documents must be completed in English.

The 5 Required Documents

1. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

• Must use SI's mandatory CV template — Europass and all other formats are disqualified
• Maximum 3 pages — additional pages are not considered, and annexes are disregarded
• Delete the instruction pages before submitting — do not include them in your final PDF
• Delete sections of the template you don't use — blank sections look incomplete
• List everything in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Do not change the template's core structure — only remove sections, never reorder or rename them

If you applied in a previous year, your old template is no longer valid.

2. Proof of work and leadership experience

• Uses SI's template for proof of work and leadership experience
• Maximum 3 work experience forms and 2 leadership forms
• Combine all forms into ONE single PDF: work forms first, then leadership forms, each in reverse chronological order
• Each form at most one page; maximum 5 pages total (not counting instruction pages — delete those)
• Typed, then printed, signed by someone who can speak for the organisation (HR manager, supervisor, head of organisation), and stamped by the organisation or a notary office
• Internship experience does NOT count toward the 3,000 work-hour requirement

3. Reference letters (2 required)

• Must use SI's reference letter template — letters in other formats are rejected
• You need exactly 2 reference letters, from 2 different referees
• At least ONE must be based on work experience
• The second can be based on work or on engagements outside work — it's a merit if it covers entrepreneurship, networks or civil society involvement
• Typed, printed, signed and officially stamped (organisation or notary office), then scanned and uploaded together as one PDF
• Choose referees who know your work well, such as a supervisor, line manager or organisational leader
• Avoid family members as referees; SI’s rules for family businesses suggest it will not trust family sign-off
• SI may contact your referees directly without notifying you first — make sure contact details are accurate
• Ask referees to keep their email active until results day in late April, and to check spam folders regularly

4. Passport or national ID copy

• Must clearly show your personal data, including your name, citizenship and photograph
• Must be valid at the time of applying — and ideally throughout your intended study period
• If your document is expired, you cannot submit the application

5. Motivation statement

• Completed directly in the online portal — it is NOT uploaded as a file
• In past rounds there were two questions: the first with a 1,000-character limit, the second with 800 characters (both including spaces). These limits are not in SI’s published call, so treat them as unconfirmed and check the 2027 portal
• Assume the limits are enforced and stay inside them
• Assume plain text — formatting such as bold or bullet points may not paste correctly
• Draft both answers in a plain text editor first, count characters, then copy-paste into the portal
• SI may also randomly select applicants to record a short video presentation

See the full Motivation Statement guide for detailed writing advice and example approaches.

Template Rules — What Gets Applications Disqualified

Most of these come straight from SI’s call and FAQ; the family-member and instruction-page points are this guide’s caution. None of them is worth the risk.

• Using templates from a previous year
• Submitting a Europass CV or any custom CV format instead of SI's template
• Reference letters not on SI's current reference letter template
• Reference letters signed by family members (a risk, not a stated SI rule)
• Adding unsolicited supporting documents (certificates, transcripts, recommendation letters not on SI template) — SI considers only the requested documents
• Submitting more than 3 work experience forms or more than 2 leadership forms
• Including instruction pages in your submitted PDFs
• Missing any required document

The Stamp Requirement

Every work experience form, leadership form, and reference letter must be officially stamped. This is a firm requirement, not optional.

Plan ahead. Getting documents stamped takes time, especially if your supervisor is travelling or your organisation's HR is slow. Build at least 2–3 weeks of buffer before the deadline.

PDF Formatting Rules

• Submit everything as PDF — convert from Word or Google Docs before uploading
• Keep file sizes reasonable — aim for under 25 MB per file
• Combine all work experience and leadership forms into a single PDF, and both reference letters into a single PDF
• Do not password-protect any PDF — password-protected files cannot be reviewed
• Blurry, crooked, or illegible scans are treated as non-compliant — scan clearly in good light

Language Requirements

All documents must be in English. If you have original documents in another language, you need a certified translation — not a self-translation.

• The original document AND the translation must be combined into one PDF
• The translation must be done by a notarised translator with the notary office's official stamp
• Self-translations are not accepted regardless of your language proficiency

Reference Letter Tips

Most reference letter problems are caused by referees who weren't properly briefed. Give them enough time and clear guidance.

Document Checklist Before Submitting

Go through this before you hit submit. Print it out if it helps.

CV

• CV uses the current SI template downloaded from si.se this cycle
• CV is 3 pages or fewer
• CV does not include instruction pages
• Empty template sections have been deleted

Work experience & leadership forms

• No more than 3 work experience forms and 2 leadership forms
• All forms combined into a single PDF, work forms first, each group in reverse chronological order
• Combined PDF is 5 pages or fewer (instruction pages removed)
• All forms are signed by an authorised representative
• All forms carry the official organisational or notary stamp

Reference letters

• Both letters use the current SI reference letter template
• Both letters are signed AND stamped
• At least one letter is based on work experience
• Neither letter is from a family member
• Referee contact details are valid until at least late April 2027

Passport / national ID

• Scan shows your name, citizenship and photo
• Document is valid at the time of applying and ideally covers your study period

Motivation statement

• Answers drafted in plain text with character counts verified against the portal's limits

Final checks

• All PDFs can be opened and are not password-protected
• No unsolicited documents added to the application
• All scanned pages are legible and clearly visible

Next Steps