Uppsala University International Scholarship Fund
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.
Although the number of international students has now rebounded, the University can only offer funding to a few of them. This limits the University’s potential for continued internationalisation. For this reason, Uppsala University has now set up a long-term fund for scholarships for international students.
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 level, 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.
Meetings between people with perspectives from different parts of the world broaden our horizons and stimulate discussion – the very lifeblood of academic dialogue. We belong to the world and the world is with us in Uppsala. We hope many people recognise the value of this and welcome contributions from more donors.
Facts about the University’s educational internationalisation
- International student exchange with nearly 500 universities in some 50 countries.
- Over 100 International Master’s programmes in English.
- Four Bachelor’s programmes in English.
- Around 750 freestanding courses in English.
- More than 2500 tuition fee-paying international students admitted per year.
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?