Swedish Institute Study Scholarships for South Africa

Application Deadline:  14:59 CET on 18 February 2021

The Swedish Institute Scholarships for South Africa (SISSA) Programme is part of the Swedish government’s international awards scheme aimed at developing global leaders who will contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden and administered by the Swedish Institute (SI). The programme offers a unique opportunity for future leaders to develop professionally and academically, to experience Swedish society and culture, and to build a long-lasting relationship with Sweden and with each other. SISSA is a special initiative in connection with the Binational Commission agreement between Sweden and South Africa.

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 ambitious young professionals with academic qualifications, demonstrated leadership experience, ambition to make a difference by working with issues which contribute to a just and sustainable development in their country in a long term perspective, and a clear idea of how a study programme in Sweden would benefit their country.

The scholarship is intended for full-time one-year or two-year master’s programmes and is only awarded for programmes starting in the autumn semester. The tuition fee will be paid directly to the Swedish universities in the beginning of each semester. The stipend for living expenses is paid monthly during the scholarship period.

The scholarship period cannot be changed or extended beyond the awarded scholarship period, nor can the scholarship be transferred to a study programme other than the awarded master’s programme.

Are you a talented and ambitious citizen of South Africa and want to study for a master’s degree in Sweden on a fully-funded scholarship?

Priority will be given to applicants who

1. have completed bachelor’s with honours or equivalent from a South African university,
2. have demonstrated work and leadership experience, and
3. choosing study programmes with an emphasis on one of the following subject areas (listed in alphabetical order, no priority or ranking is implied):

• Computer science and IT
• Design (industrial design, architecture, urban/regional planning)
• Engineering
• Environmental technology/Sustainable development
• Gender studies
• Nanotechnology

Requirements

Criteria

Country of citizenship

Only citizens of South Africa are eligible for SISSA.

Read more about country of citizenshipMaster’s programmes

The master’s studies must be eligible for SI scholarships. We give greatest priority to certain subject areas.

Read more about the eligible master’s programmesUniversity admissions

You must be liable to pay tuition fees to Swedish universities, followed the steps of University Admissions, and be admitted to one of the eligible master’s programmes by 9 April 2021.

Read more about our criteria regarding University AdmissionsOther eligibility criteria

There are also conditions regarding dual citizenships, previous residence and studies in Sweden, and more.

Benefits

The scholarship covers

• Tuition fees: pay directly to the Swedish university by SI
• Living expenses of SEK 10,000/month
• Travel grant of SEK 15,000 *
• Insurance against illness and accident
• Membership of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders (NFGL) – a platform to help you grow professionally and build your network and experience, while in Sweden
• Membership of the SI Alumni Network after your scholarship period – a platform for continued networking and further professional development

*The travel grant is a one-time payment for the entire scholarship period. The grant is not applicable to students already living in Sweden.

The scholarship does not cover

• Additional grants for family members.
• Application fee to University Admissions.

Required documents

Application documents/forms for 2021/2022:

Motivation Letter Form SISGP_SISSA 2021-2022

CV form SISGP_SISSA 2021-2022

Proof of Work and Leadership Experience Form Global Professionals 2021-2022 (not obligatory)

Letter of Reference Form Global Professionals 2021-2022 (not obligatory)

The compulsory documents required are:

• A motivation letter: you must use the SISSA form for motivation letter 2021/2022. You need to fill in and upload the motivation letter as a PDF-file on the application portal during the application period.
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV): you must use the SISSA template for CV 2021/2022 and the CV should not exceed three pages. It’s up to you to decide which parts are relevant for your application. Additional pages will not be considered.
• A copy of your passport: your personal data including name, citizenship and photograph must be shown clearly. Copy of passport should be included together with the CV as a last fourth page. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a copy of your valid passport showing that your citizenship is South Africa, to include in your application.

Make sure you have a complete application

A complete application must consist of:

1. a completed motivation letter
2. a CV
3. a copy of your valid passport

If your application is missing one of the required documents above, it will be disqualified.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (SISS) 2021/2022