Uppsala University International Scholarship Fund
Open the doors to more international students!
Uppsala University has partnerships with some of the world’s top universities. The flows of students, teachers and researchers between international universities and Uppsala University play a crucial role in spreading knowledge, ideas and skills, not just within the University but in society in general. Uppsala University aspires to attract the very best talents, no matter where they come from. This means offering students from every part of the globe the opportunity to study here.
Uppsala University has an ambition to increase the number of scholarships for non-European students who have to pay for their studies in Sweden. The University has a lot to teach, but also a lot to learn from others. For this reason, Uppsala University has now set up a long-term fund for scholarships for international students.
In 2011 tuition fees were introduced for Bachelor’s and Master’s students from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The objective was for Sweden to compete on the strength of educational quality, not by offering free education. However, one unintended consequence was a sharp decrease in the number of international Master’s students from non-EU countries. Without a scholarship, it is virtually impossible for academically talented but financially disadvantaged non-European students to come to Uppsala.
The number of international students has now rebounded. Every year approximately 1,700 fee-paying students are admitted to Uppsala University. However, the University can only offer funding to a few of them. This limits the University’s potential for continued internationalisation.
International students admitted at the Master’s level are highly qualified and achieve good results, which has a favourable impact on the level of both education and research. These students are often very well-motivated and have a good theoretical background. They are positive role models for our Swedish students, who are inspired by and learn a lot from their international coursemates.
Moreover, if these students have the opportunity to take extra, in-depth courses that further improve their academic qualifications, some of the most talented students are more likely to stay on at Uppsala University as doctoral students. After graduating, they become valuable ambassadors for Sweden and Uppsala University around the world.
Facts about the University’s educational internationalisation
Internationalisation in education: Uppsala University has international partner universities and exchange agreements with some 150 universities all over the world. The University offers about 130 international Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and 650 freestanding courses in English.
What is it like being an international Master’s student in Uppsala?
In 2020 Uppsala universitet admitted 2 550 fee-paying master students. Read about two students admitted in 2017, their studies and plans for the future.
José from Mexico: “Fantastic to be in the lab”
José Ramón Bárcenas Walls, a scholarship holder from Monterrey, Mexico, is in the second semester of the Master’s Programme in Molecular Medicine. What did it feel like coming to Uppsala?
Nguyen from Vietnam: “I’m glad I chose Uppsala”
Nguyen Ha, a scholarship holder from Vietnam, is in the second semester of the Master’s Programme in Peace and Conflict Studies. Why did you choose Uppsala University specifically?