October 8, 2025 
Sweden, as an international study destination in 2025 is drawing major attraction due to its research excellence, English-language programmes, and a social model, driven by innovation and sustainability. But for many students, the real calculus is financial. This blog charts the current landscape of research scholars in Sweden; what is actually fully funded, where Indian aspirants should look, how the without IELTS route works, and which master’s and bachelor’s funding routes are possible in 2025. We will treat each option with practical clarity so you can choose the route that fits your profile and ambitions.
What scholarships in Sweden actually cover in 2025
The scholarships available in Sweden cover the full cost of tuition plus living expenses, or offer partial and merit-based waivers, which may only reduce your costs. The only fully funded, national development scholarship programme for master’s students from outside the EU/EEA is offered by the Swedish Institute, and many individual universities offer competitive scholarships or tuition waivers, application fee waivers in exchange for submitting an outstanding research proposal with your application. For students from India, there are country-based scholarships (e.g., KTH India Scholarship) as well as university-specific scholarships that are awarded to top non-European Union applicants.
Fully funded scholarships in Sweden
The Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals (SI) is explicitly a fully funded scholarship for selected master’s students. It covers tuition, provides a monthly stipend to help with living costs, and includes a travel grant and membership benefits that support professional networking. Since SI is a core government-funded program and it has fixed annual cycles of operation, it is also the absolute most unambiguous example of a genuinely fully funded Swedish option for qualified students. At the university or higher education institute level, a lot of scholarships are rare, and they’re often restricted in number one or just a few or targeted at specific countries or research areas. Many high-profile university scholarships are tuition waivers rather than full living-cost grants, so treat the advertised scholarship carefully and check whether it covers both tuition and living costs.
Masters scholarships in Sweden
If you want a master’s degree, then there are generally three options:
(1) scholarships from the nation or region that are fully funded but very competitive, and also condition upon being from a certain country to compete.
(2) scholarships at universities including tuition waiver that may still not cover living costs – i.e KTH, Chalmers, Lund, Gothenburg, etc., or
(3) programs which are international/external with grantees hosted by the Swedish Institute, and sometimes even fully covered programs. The timing of the application is crucial. Some university scholarships are awarded to students who apply and are admitted through University admissions by the date on which the scholarship application period closes; other scholarships have distinct application periods. In reality, many successful applicants have a partial university tuition waiver in combination with an external stipend or personal savings.
Undergraduate scholarships in Sweden
There is less undergraduate funding available in comparison to master’s degrees. A few undergraduate admission scholarships are available, such as fee-waiver or merit-based scholarships through some universities, but fully funded undergraduate programmes are rare. Prospective undergraduates can find stipend linked to particular programmes or partners on the university scholarships pages and the Study in Sweden website. If the cost is too high, look for short-term mobility scholarships, opportunities as part of an exchange agreement at your home institution, or external foundations that offer partial support.
Scholarships in Sweden for Indian students
Indian candidates have a few viable ways. A few Swedish Universities offer scholarships targeted at students from India (e.g, KTH has had a dedicated India Scholarship in the past). Second, there are many university scholarship contests available to all non-EU/EEA applicants, so Indian students who have a good academic record and meet the English requirements can apply. Third, there are so-called external joint programmes that have elements of active recruitment in India and binding funding pots.
That being said, the main global scholarship listing for 2025 by the Swedish Institute doesn’t have India listed in eligible citizenships; hence, Indian applicants cannot bank on SI as a default route but rather favour University Scholarships, Bilateral Partnerships, and External Programmes.
Scholarships in Sweden without IELTS
The rumors of scholarships in Sweden without IELTS are many, and they circulate mainly throughout the internet, but with nuance. A lot of Swedish universities accept any kind of evidence for English proficiency: previous instruction in English (e.g., university matriculation or a degree taught exclusively in English), an accepted alternative test, or an institutional language waiver. Some universities are thus open to students who can establish their ability in English via other means than IELTS. A second pathway is that universities sometimes provide provisional admission with a requirement to fulfil a university-taught or sponsored partner English course, after which scholarship eligibility can be determined.
As always, check the specific terms and conditions for that scholarship and programme: some scholarships indicate that English level is a strict requirement to be able to apply, while others refer to general university admission regulations.
How to prioritise applications
- Map eligibility first. Refer to the Study in Sweden scholarship database and the target university’s scholarship pages. List scholarships you are a fit for in terms of country, academic level, and language.
- Time your admissions. A lot of the scholarships for Swedes need a University Admissions application, and an admission decision needs to be made before the scholarship is finally assessed. Set some kind of reminder in your phone or similar that you have from October-January to apply, and then hopefully get a scholarship from another later window.
- Write evidence-based motivation. Show in your CV and essays that you are a leader, that you have clear, sustainable development plans and objectives, plus measurable results for society.
- Stack cautiously. It is not unusual to be able to stack tuition waivers with small awards from outside the department or faculty, but check with the university or college offering any bursary you receive as to their stacking policy.
- Be rigorous with documentation. Swedish scholarship systems are document-driven reference layouts, stamped forms for SI, etc.. Omission or improper documentation are frequent causes of elimination.
Avoid these common traps
- Relying on unofficial aggregator claims of “900 fully funded scholarships” without checking official pages.
- Assuming “scholarship” always means living costs included, often it does not.
- Late or non-standard documentation for SI or university applications. The SI process is unforgiving of form templates and stamped references.
Five-step checklist
- Find out if the scholarship is for tuition only or also includes living expenses.
- Confirm your country is on the eligibility list, and also consider whether you are perceived as a fee-paying applicant.
- Cross-reference the deadline with university admissions and the scholarship portal.
- Make sure referees fill out SI-style forms if applying to SI and that they are stamped correctly.
- Be ready with an impact story that connects your study proposal to sustainable development or sectoral change.
Conclusion
In 2025, Sweden will still be a great place to study for international students. Scholarships are available, and the Swedish Institute is the predominant fully funded master’s option for eligible countries. Universities have various levels of tuition waivers and merit awards, often with support for living costs. For Indian candidates, these university and programme-level scholarships, schemes for different targeted countries, and consortium programmes such as Erasmus Mundus should be the primary focus, rather than a mindset of having direct access to SI funds. Get ready and document well, build an application that shows not just academic worth but a clear plan for action post-study.
FAQs
Ques. 1. Are there fully funded scholarships in Sweden for international students in 2025?
Ans: Yes, the Swedish Institute scholarships for Global Professionals: an excellent example of a fully funded master’s scholarship. Erasmus Mundus joint degrees and some university-linked consortia scholarships can be fully funded for specific candidates.
Ques. 2. Can I get a scholarship in Sweden without IELTS?
Ans: Several universities admit other types of proof of English, like a former degree in English, other exams, or school exemptions. Some scholarships do take these substitutes, but you need to check the scholarship’s individual language requirements.
Ques. 3. Do Swedish universities offer scholarships specifically for Indian students?
Ans: Some do. KTH is, for instance, not new to scholarship history in India as a target group. Otherwise, Indian students have to participate in the general non-EU/EEA pool for university scholarships and tuition waivers.
Ques. 4. Are undergraduate scholarships in Sweden widely available?
Ans: There are undergraduate scholarships, but they are not as prevalent as master’s scholarships. The majority of bachelor’s scholarships are partial or full-ride merit college university scholarships for undergraduate students.
Ques. 5. How competitive are masters scholarships in Sweden, and how should I prepare my application?
Ans: They are not as much competitive as perceived, but you can still prepare yourself by checking national and institutional scholarships, including a brief, evidence-based CV and strong references, successful motivation connecting study to impact, all documents in the required format.
