Pioneering Women in STEM
Are you passionate about shaping the future? This is your chance to gain valuable expertise, cultivate innovative ideas, and make a positive impact.
We welcome women from 10 countries in Africa and Asia to apply for our fully funded scholarship, aimed at those ready to lead change, tackle global challenges, and develop lasting solutions.
The application period for scholarships for the academic year 2025/2026 is closed. The application period for 2026/2027 will be open November 2025 to January 2026.
What's included
The SI scholarship Pioneering women in STEM is a competitive fully-funded scholarship that includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage. The fee is paid directly by SI to your Swedish university in the beginning of each semester.
- A monthly stipend of SEK 12,000 to cover your living expenses throughout the study period.
- A travel grant of SEK 15,000. This is a one-time payment and does not apply for students already living in Sweden.
- Membership in the SI Network for Future Global Professionals (NFGP) – a platform to help you grow professionally and build a network while in Sweden.
- After your scholarship period has ended, you become a member of the SI Alumni Network. As a member, you get a unique opportunity for continued networking and professional development.
The scholarship does not…
- Provide additional grants for family members.
- Cover the application fee to University Admissions.
- Allow changes to the study programme. We are only able to support you through the awarded master’s programme.
- Allow extensions or changes to the awarded scholarship period.
Criteria
Country of citizenship
To apply for the scholarship you must be a female citizen of one of the 10 eligible countries.
Designated master's programmes
You must have applied to one of the designated master's programmes at Södertörn University:
- Environment, Sustainability and Global Development, Master Programme (2 years)
- Infectious Disease Control (1 year)
- User Experience and Interactive Media Design, Master's Programme (2 years)
University Admissions
You must follow the steps of University Admissions and be admitted to one of the eligible master's programmes on the day of admissions announcements.
Previous degrees or residence in Sweden
If you have already been awarded an SI Scholarship or a university degree in Sweden, you are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Country of citizenship
Female citizens of the following countries are eligible to apply to the SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam.
You must be a citizen of one of the eligible countries, however, you do not need to reside in the country at the time of the application.
If you have dual citizenship and both are eligible for SI scholarship, you should choose only one citizenship when applying for the scholarship. Applicants who use their dual citizenship to submit more than one application will have all applications disqualified.
If your country of citizenship is not listed above, we suggest that you apply for SI Scholarship for Global Professionals or look for other scholarships on Study in Sweden’s scholarship database: Swedish Institute Scholarships | Swedish Institute External link, opens in new window.
You are not eligible if you have a Swedish or EU/EEA citizenship*, a Swedish permanent residence permit or a temporary work- and residence permit based on work or on family ties with a citizen of Sweden/EU/EEA country who has a temporary or permanent right of residence in Sweden or have dual citizenship in countries not listed on the DAC list of ODA recipients 2025-2026.