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SI publishes its list of Pioneering Women in STEM Eligible Universities and programmes in mid-November 2026. University applications close on 15 January 2027. That leaves you about eight weeks to choose a programme, meet its entry requirements, gather your documents and pay the fee.
Last year, 25 of 26 universities stayed on the list. The 2027 list below has 27 universities and 288 programmes.
Overview of 2027 List
| Quick Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Universities on the 2026/2027 list | 27 |
| Eligible programmes | 288 |
| Most programmes | Lund University, 47 |
| 2027/28 list published | Mid-November 2026 |
| University application deadline | 15 January 2027 |
| SI scholarship window | 9–25 February 2027 (expected) |
| Monthly allowance | SEK 12,000 (USD ~1,208) |
| Who can apply | Women from 10 countries |
| Carried over last year | 25 of 26 universities |
What does this list covers?
It is a list that names every master’s programme that qualifies for the Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship.
The list matters because SI only funds programmes on it. If the programme is missing from the list, then your application cannot be considered, however strong you are.
The list changes a little each year. The 2026/2027 version has 27 universities and 288 programmes.
Eligible Universities for Master’s programs (Pioneering women in STEM)
| University | Eligible Programmes |
|---|---|
| Lund University | 47 |
| KTH Royal Institute of Technology | 46 |
| Chalmers University of Technology | 30 |
| Uppsala University | 28 |
| Stockholm University | 19 |
| Umeå University | 14 |
| University of Gothenburg | 14 |
| Linköping University | 12 |
| University West | 11 |
| Halmstad University | 10 |
| Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | 9 |
| Malmö University | 8 |
| Linnaeus University | 6 |
| Jönköping University | 5 |
| Karolinska Institutet | 5 |
| Dalarna University | 4 |
| Mälardalen University | 3 |
| University of Borås | 3 |
| University of Skövde | 3 |
| Blekinge Institute of Technology | 2 |
| Karlstad University | 2 |
| Örebro University | 2 |
| Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design | 1 |
| Kristianstad University | 1 |
| Luleå University of Technology | 1 |
| Mid Sweden University | 1 |
| The Swedish Defence University | 1 |
| Total | 288 |
You still have to check the single programme page for its own entry requirements. Being on this list makes a programme eligible for the scholarship. It does not mean the university will admit you.
Programs Covered in List
Four universities hold more than half the list. Lund, KTH, Chalmers and Uppsala have 151 of the 288 programmes between them.
Start at those four, and you are choosing from 151 options.
Five universities have a single eligible programme each: Konstfack, Kristianstad, Luleå, Mid Sweden and the Swedish Defence University.
If that one programme is your exact field, apply. If it is not, there is nothing else there for you.
Subject areas
These groupings are mine, so treat them as approximate.
- Computing, data and AI is the largest group, at roughly 75 to 80 programmes. Computer science, software engineering, data science, machine learning, cybersecurity and human-computer interaction.
- Life sciences is close behind, at roughly 70. Biology, molecular biology, biomedicine, ecology, bioinformatics and pharmaceutical subjects.
- Engineering and the physical sciences follow, covering mechanical, energy, materials, mechatronics, physics and chemistry.
If you work in software or data, this list is wide open to you. If your field is narrower, go straight to the PDF and search it for your subject before you plan anything else.
What Changed From Last Year
| Change | University |
|---|---|
| Added | Kristianstad University |
| Added | The Swedish Defence University |
| Removed | Södertörn University |
How to Shortlist and Apply
- Open SI’s 2026/2027 PDF and search it for your subject. Use Ctrl+F on words like “data”, “energy”, “biomedical”.
- Write down every programme that matches, with its university name.
- Open each programme’s own page on the university website. Check the entry requirements: your degree subject, your grades, the English proof it accepts.
- Cut anything you clearly do not qualify for.
- Keep five to eight programmes. Include at least two where admission looks comfortable, not only your top choices.
- Note each programme’s English requirement. If any accepts a medium of instruction letter, order that letter now; it is free and takes days.
- Start your University Admissions account at universityadmissions.se. Applications open on 16 October 2026.
- In mid-November, check your shortlist against the new list. Drop anything that fell off, then submit.
If your shortlist is empty after step four, this scholarship is not your route this year.
Universities that publish their own SI pages
Some universities explain the scholarship on their own site, with their own dates and contacts. Karlstad University, the University of Gothenburg, and Örebro University all do. These pages are worth reading because they sometimes carry internal dates that SI does not publish.
If your target university has such a page, read it alongside SI’s. If it does not, email its international office and ask.
Application Timeline for 2027/28
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 16 October 2026 | University Admissions opens |
| Now to mid-November | Shortlist from the 2026/2027 list |
| Mid-November 2026 | SI publishes the 2027/28 eligible programme list |
| 15 January 2027 | University application deadline |
| 1 February 2027 | Deadline for the SEK 900 (USD ~91) fee and your documents |
| 9–25 February 2027 | SI scholarship portal open (expected) |
| 1 April 2027 | Admission results published |
| 23 April 2027 | SI scholarship results (expected) |
| August 2027 | Studies begin |
Five Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting for the new list before doing anything. The list lands in mid-November, and the deadline is 15 January, with Christmas in between.
Fix: shortlist from the 2026/2027 list now. 25 of 26 universities carried over from last year. - Picking a Swedish STEM master’s that is not on the list. SI funds only the programmes in its PDF, however good the programme is.
Fix: search the PDF for your subject before you read any university page. - Applying to one programme only. You must be admitted before SI will consider you, and a reserve place does not count.
Fix: rank five to eight programmes, including two where admission looks comfortable. - Assuming the list means you will be admitted. Each programme still sets its own grades, subject, and English requirements.
Fix: check the entry requirements on the programme’s own page while you shortlist. - Searching only the big four universities. Lund, KTH, Chalmers, and Uppsala hold 151 programmes, so they are the obvious start. But 136 programmes sit at the other 23 universities.
Fix: search the whole PDF by subject, not by university name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Swedish universities are eligible for SI Pioneering Women in STEM?
Twenty-seven on the 2026/2027 list, including Lund, KTH, Chalmers, Uppsala, Stockholm, Umeå, Gothenburg, Linköping and Karolinska Institutet. The full list is in the table above.
How many programmes are eligible?
288 on the 2026/2027 list. Lund has the most at 47, followed by KTH at 46.
When does SI publish the 2027/28 eligible programme list?
Mid-November 2026. University applications close on 15 January 2027, so you have about eight weeks after it appears.
Can I apply to a Swedish STEM master's that is not on the list?
You can apply to the programme, but SI will not fund it. The scholarship covers only programmes on its own list.
Will the 2027/28 list be the same?
Probably close. Last year, 25 of 26 universities carried over, with Kristianstad University and the Swedish Defence University added and Södertörn University removed. Individual programmes change more than universities do.
Which university should I choose?
Choose by programme, not by university name. Search SI’s PDF for your subject, then check each programme’s entry requirements. More than half the programmes are at Lund, KTH, Chalmers, and Uppsala, so start there if your field is broad.
Do I apply to the university or to SI first?
The university, always. You cannot apply for the scholarship until you’re admitted. Admission results come on 1 April 2027.
Can men apply to these programmes with SI funding?
Not through Pioneering Women in STEM, which is for women from only ten countries. Instead, look at the Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals, which has no gender restriction and covers 34 countries.
Sources
SI’s PDF lists programmes without totals. The per-university numbers and the 288 total come from counting that file. The subject groupings are approximate.
SI’s 2027/28 eligible programme list is due in mid-November 2026. The February window and the 23 April results date follow the published pattern and Karlstad University’s page, and are labelled expected.
- Eligible master’s programmes for Pioneering Women in STEM 2026/2027, Swedish Institute.
- Pioneering Women in STEM, Swedish Institute
Last verified: 25 October 2026
