Sweden is one of Europe’s most beautiful and politically and
economically stable countries. Sweden is part of the European Union but
has its own currency the ‘krona’ and has managed to fight against the
recent economic recession quite admirably. Sweden has been traditionally
known for its high-quality courses in technology, engineering and
medicine.
In the latest QS World University Rankings four Swedish institutions
feature in the top 200 institutions of the world; they are as follows:
| Institution Name | QS World Ranking |
| Lund University | 67 |
| Uppsala University | 79 |
| KTH, Royal Institute of Technology | 118 |
| Stockholm University | 170 |
Most Swedish institutions
offer some scholarships to international students. Most of the
scholarships are offered to students from the surrounding European
countries. There are a few limited scholarships that are offered to
non-European students. Some of the popular scholarships that are
available for international students are list below with a brief
description.
The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships
The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships are one of the most
prestigious scholarships offered to meritorious international students
who plan to study a postgraduate course starting
in the autumn semester in a Swedish institution. The scholarship covers
the tuition fee and living costs up to a maximum of SEK 9000 per month.
The scholarship is granted for one academic year, i.e. for two
semesters at a time. It will be extended for programmes longer than two
semesters provided that the student's study results are satisfactory.
Scholarship holders will receive a travel grant in connection with the
scholarship. The travel grant is a one-time payment of SEK 15,000.
Rotary International Grants
The Rotary Club offers limited scholarships to a select few students.
The scholarship applications are forwarded by the local Rotary chapter
of the applicant’s country of citizenship.
The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is offered solely to women who are studying Computer
Science in a recognised institution in Europe, Africa or the Middle
East. Multiple scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of
candidates’ academic performance, leadership experience and demonstrated
passion for computer science. A group of female bachelor’s, master’s,
and PhD student finalists will be chosen from the applicant pool. The
scholarship recipients will each receive a €7,000 (or equivalent)
scholarship. Scholarship recipients and finalists will be invited to
visit a Google office in Europe for a networking retreat including
workshops, guest speakers, panel and breakout sessions and a host of
social activities. The scholarship is dedicated to the memory of
scientist and visionary Dr Anita Borg.
Swedish Cancer Society Research Grants
The Swedish Cancer Society’s core activity is financing research. In
2011 the Research Commission awarded 392 million Swedish kronor to
research projects, care development projects in cancer research
positions, grants and other areas. Students who are involved in cancer
research through their doctoral level or postgraduate studies are
eligible to apply for a research grant from the Swedish Cancer Society.
Students are advised to browse through the websites of the
institutions where they aspire to study and check for any relevant
scholarship awarded by the institution. Institutions like the University
of Gothenburg, Karlstad University, Linköping University and
Kristianstad University offer a select few scholarships to international
students.
The Way Ahead:
The Swedish education system is designed to offer students the best of
classroom learning and on-the-job training with a course curriculum
that is designed in close consultation with industry-experts. The
state-of-the-art research facilities and forward-thinking Swedish
culture makes Sweden a great place to study.
