Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals: Eligibility for ASEAN Applicants
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Scholarships & Funding, Study in Southeast Asia
The Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (SISGP) pay for a full master's degree in Sweden for experienced professionals from 34 countries. Only five ASEAN countries make that list: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
🎓 Full tuition, a SEK 12,000 monthly allowance and a travel grant
You need at least 3,000 hours of work experience logged before the deadline
Leadership experience counts as much as technical skill
📩 The 2026 intake opened 9-25 February 2026, results out 23 April 2026
Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Timor-Leste are not on the eligible list
Who SISGP is for
The Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals fund one or two year master's programmes taught in English at Swedish universities. The Swedish Institute gives out around 300 awards a year to applicants from 34 eligible countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
Only five ASEAN countries sit on that list: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Timor-Leste are excluded, so check your passport country against the current list before you start an application.
Work experience you need
Applicants from the five eligible ASEAN countries fall into the standard applicant group. You need at least 3,000 hours of full time work experience, gathered from no more than three employers, completed before the application window closes. That works out to roughly two years of full time work.
A lighter rule applies to applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, who face no fixed hour minimum. ASEAN applicants do not get that exception, so track your hours from your first day of full time employment.
Leadership experience matters as much as your job title
SI wants applicants who have led colleagues or shaped strategy inside an organisation, not just held a senior title. This experience comes from paid employment, a management role in a company, or leadership inside civil society, a student union or a community group. There is no fixed hour requirement for leadership experience, but SI states that applicants with demonstrated, relevant leadership are prioritised over those without it.
In your application, describe a specific instance where you influenced a team's direction or an organisation's strategy, not a general job description.
What the scholarship pays for
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee | Full coverage |
| Monthly living allowance | SEK 12,000 |
| Travel grant | SEK 15,000 (SEK 10,000 for the Eastern Europe group) |
| Network access | SI Network membership, leadership training and alumni events |
SISGP does not require you to return home after the degree, unlike scholarships tied to a bond, though SI does ask applicants to explain how their studies will support their home country's development.
How to apply
Get admitted to an eligible master's programme through universityadmissions.se before the scholarship window opens.
Open your SI scholarship account and submit your application, motivation letter, CV and referee details during the window.
Wait for the outcome. For the 2026 intake, the application window ran 9-25 February 2026, with results announced 23 April 2026.
Set your university application and SI scholarship account up early. The scholarship window is short, usually about two weeks in February, and a missed university admission deadline removes you from the pool before SI reviews your file.
Documents to prepare
CV showing work history mapped to the 3,000 hour minimum
Motivation letter connecting your study choice to your home country's development needs
Proof of admission or conditional admission to an eligible master's programme
Reference details from a supervisor who confirms your leadership role
Eligible vs excluded ASEAN countries
| Eligible | Not eligible |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | Brunei |
| Malaysia | Cambodia |
| Philippines | Laos |
| Thailand | Myanmar |
| Vietnam | Singapore |
| Timor-Leste |
SI reviews and republishes this list before each application round, so a country's status shifts between years. Confirm your country is still listed for the year you plan to apply, not from a previous year's article or forum post.
Building a strong motivation letter
SI asks applicants to connect their intended master's degree to a development outcome back home, not to a personal career goal alone. Name a specific problem in your country or region, such as a gap in renewable energy policy or public health delivery, and explain how the Swedish programme you have chosen builds the skills to address it.
Avoid a generic account of your job duties. Reviewers read hundreds of similar CVs each round, and a letter that names a specific project, decision or result you drove stands out more than a list of responsibilities.
After you receive the scholarship
SI Network membership continues after your degree ends. Scholars join an alumni community with access to leadership training modules and regional meetups, positioned by SI as a bridge back into professional life at home. Because SISGP carries no bond, you decide independently whether to return home immediately after graduation or gain short-term work experience in Sweden first, subject to Sweden's own post-study visa rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a job offer in Sweden to apply?
No. SISGP funds full-time study, not a job placement. Your existing work experience back home satisfies the hour requirement, and you do not need employment inside Sweden to qualify.
Do previous master's degree holders qualify?
SI does not exclude applicants who already hold one master's degree, as long as the new programme is a genuine step forward in your field and you meet the standard work experience and leadership bar.