Scholarships established by KI

Scholarships are an established form of funding in the context of education, and for other purposes. There are different types of scholarships: KI-established scholarships, scholarships provided through KI's foundations and funds, and external scholarships (which are paid directly to the scholarship recipient). On this page the KI-established scholarships are described.

Undergraduate and graduate level education

Purpose and target group

These scholarships aim to provide students at the undergraduate or graduate level with early practical experience of research work, in order to strengthen the link between education and research and encourage future studies at the doctoral level.

The scholarships can be granted either for studies in an existing course or for a shorter period of practical research experience (documented in an individual study plan/research plan) for admitted students at the undergraduate or graduate level. The scholarships may be awarded for up to 12 months (divided into a maximum of four courses/periods) during the study period. Decisions on scholarships may be made for a maximum of six months at a time.

The scholarships may be granted only to:

persons who have been admitted (and registered in Ladok) to KI to study at the undergraduate or graduate level,
persons who are admitted (and registered) to undergraduate or graduate level programs at a university with which KI collaborates.

In addition to these student scholarships, there are also scholarships for master’s students from countries outside the EU, intended to cover tuition fees at KI. These are governed by different regulations.

Provisions on disbursement

The scholarship amount is recommended to correspond to the student financial aid amount for full-time study (according to CSN, Centrala studiestödsnämnden). The amount for the 2026 income year is 13 592 SEK per month. The scholarship is intended for the recipient's education and is tax-exempt. The scholarship amount is disbursed on a monthly basis.

Scholarships shall be announced and potential recipients shall compete for them. Scholarship recipients shall complete their education and shall attend university in accordance with their syllabus or study plan. In the instance that the recipient neglects to fulfill his/her obligations, KI may revoke granted (but not disbursed) scholarship funds. Decisions on scholarships are made by the heads of department and may not be delegated.

Government funds may not be used to finance scholarships. Scholarships may only be set up using funds from external funders which have approved the use of said funds for the disbursement of scholarships.

In case of any changes in the income situation of the scholarship recipient, the supervisor and the chief administrator (or equivalent persons) shall be contacted. The same applies if the scholarship recipient intends to seek additional funding or receive a salary from an employer. Any changes shall be documented in the individual financing plan/curriculum.

The scholarships may not be disbursed to any person who received a salary or remuneration from KI during the two-year period immediately preceding the potential disbursement. This provision may be waived if the income received during the preceding two-year period relates to:

Income of less than 1,000 SEK per year
Compensation paid to research subjects
Compensation paid to student representatives on KI boards/committees
Compensation for work performed that was of an entirely different nature than education and research

Doctoral education

Scholarship founding for doctoral students

In general, there are few situations in which doctoral students may be funded by scholarships.

Internal scholarships, i.e. scholarships paid out by KI, are only permitted as a supplement to external scholarships (see more under “Income level and supplementary funding” below).

External scholarships, i.e. scholarships where KI is not the payer and the doctoral student is funded through scholarships from their home country, home university, or the like.

The main rule is that a doctoral student should be employed.

Exceptions to the main rule may be made for doctoral students who begin their studies with scholarship funding. However, they must be employed when, according to the individual study plan, a period equivalent to three years of full-time study remains until completion of the doctoral degree.

A doctoral student whose funding consists of a scholarship does not need to be employed under Chapter 5, Section 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance, in addition to the above, in the following cases:

if the scholarship is provided within the framework of an aid and capacity-building programme, provided that scholarships are an established form of funding within the programme, that the scholarship terms are reasonable (see below), and that the department has full insight into the scholarship conditions and how the scholarship is paid out.
Aid and capacity-building programmes include programmes from countries listed on the OECD DAC-list applicable at the time of admission to doctoral education.
Note: For doctoral students admitted from 1 October 2026, countries classified as Upper Middle-Income Countries on the OECD DAC-list are no longer included.
if the scholarship is provided within the framework of a programme funded by the European Union, provided that scholarships are an established form of funding within the programme, that the scholarship terms are reasonable (see below), and that a requirement for employment-based funding would hinder the participation of the admitting higher education institution.
Note: From 1 October 2026, the category “other collaborations” may only be used for university-wide collaborations in third-cycle education following a decision by the Vice-Chancellor.

Reasonable scholarship terms

Even where exceptions apply allowing doctoral students to be funded by scholarships, there is a requirement that the scholarship terms be reasonable. This presupposes that the department has full insight into all terms before the scholarship funding can be approved.

Note: From 1 October 2026, what constitutes unreasonable scholarship terms has been clarified.

Examples of what is considered unreasonable terms:

Requirements for repayment if the doctoral student fails to meet degree objectives.
Requirements to return to the home country after graduation if this is linked to repayment obligations or other sanctions if not fulfilled.
Requirements for the higher education institution to ensure that the doctoral student returns to their home country.
Requirements that interfere with the institution’s right to assess how the education is conducted or examined.

Income level and supplementary funding for doctoral students

When KI admits doctoral students with scholarships as study funding, the funding is considered secured if the scholarship level corresponds to the salary level for employed doctoral students (see Chapter 7, Section 36 of the Higher Education Ordinance). External scholarships that do not reach the established minimum income level must be supplemented with KI-established complementary doctoral scholarships or employment. This requirement applies only during the time the individual stays in Sweden.

Scholarship holders must complete their studies and maintain attendance in accordance with the individual study plan. In cases of misconduct, KI may withdraw awarded but not yet paid scholarship funds.

External scholarships or so-called Sida allowances that do not reach the minimum income level must be supplemented with a KI-established complementary doctoral scholarship or employment. If doctoral students alternate their stay between Sweden and another country, the minimum income requirement applies only during the time spent in Sweden.

Decisions on supplementary scholarships are made by the Head of Department and may not be delegated.

The scholarship amounts are stated in the quick guide for doctoral students.

The main rule is that complementary KI-established doctoral scholarships may be awarded to persons admitted to doctoral education at KI. Such scholarships may also be awarded to persons conducting part of their doctoral education at KI but who are formally admitted to doctoral education at another university.

Provisions on payment of internal scholarships

Government funds may not be used to finance scholarships. Scholarships may only be established using funds from external funders who have provided written approval for their use for scholarship payments.

In the event of any changes in the scholarship holder’s income conditions, both the supervisor and the administrative manager (or equivalent) must be contacted. The same applies if the scholarship holder intends to apply for additional funding or receives a salary from an employer. Any changes must be documented in the individual study plan.

Scholarships may not be paid to anyone who, during the preceding two-year period, has received a salary or remuneration from KI. Exceptions may be made if the income received during the preceding two-year period relates to:

Income below SEK 1,000 per year
Compensation as a research subject
Compensation to student representatives in boards/committees
Compensation for work of a completely different nature than education and research

Postdoctoral studies

Postdoctoral researchers may be funded wholly or partially by both external and internal scholarships.

KI may establish internal scholarships for postdoctoral merit development for persons living in other countries who come to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships from KI.

Postdoctoral studies financed with a scholarship do not count as employment time as a postdoc (maximum four years).

Provisions on disbursement for internal scholarships

Scholarships for the pursuit of postdoctoral studies be awarded for a maximum period of two years, within a period of four years, after the disputation or equivalent. As a rule, the postdoctoral studies are carried out on a full-time basis. Both internal and external scholarships shall be announced and awarded following a process of competition. Scholarship recipients shall complete their education and shall attend university in accordance with their syllabus or study plan. The scholarship recipient shall adhere to applicable aspects of KI’s rules and regulations, e.g., the Code of Conduct.

Scholarships intended for other purposes are tax-exempt, provided that they do not constitute compensation for work performed (or that will be performed) for the disburser, and are not disbursed periodically.

The tax-exempt status of scholarships granted to postdoctoral researchers may be assessed according to the rules for scholarships for other purposes. Extra vigilance shall be exercised when establishing scholarships for postdoctoral studies, because it may be difficult to distinguish postdoctoral studies from work performed. The Swedish Tax Agency’s assessment of scholarships is always carried out after the fact, and if that authority believes that the scholarship is a salary for work performed, both the scholarship recipient and KI will be required to pay taxes.

Because postdoctoral scholarships may not be disbursed periodically, advance disbursements are made on a semi-annual basis.

Ex: Anna commences her postdoctoral studies on July 1, 2018. She receives compensation according to the doctoral student scale * 6 months, disbursed on July 25, 2018 and on January 25, 2019.

Conditions

To be eligible for an internal post-doctoral scholarship, the person shall hold a doctoral degree or foreign qualification deemed to be equivalent to a PhD. This assessment is made by head of department and shall be outlined in the scholarship decision. When a postdoctoral scholarship is awarded, the recipient is registered as an affiliated postdoctoral fellow.

Provisions on disbursement

Postdoctoral scholarships disbursed by may be comprehensive, or they may supplement other external income. It is recommended that the postdoctoral income level be at least the highest level of income after tax in the local collective agreements for doctoral students.

The reason for the larger disbursement shall be documented in the scholarship decision. The scholarship decision is valid for 12 months at a time. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may apply. Decisions on scholarships are made by the heads of department and may not be delegated.

In the instance that the recipient neglects to fulfill his/her obligations, KI may revoke granted (but not disbursed) scholarship funds.

Income of less than 1,000 SEK per year
Compensation paid to research subjects
Compensation paid to student representatives on KI boards/committees
Compensation for work performed that was of an entirely different nature than education and research

Insurance cover and conditions

Scholarship recipients who stay in Sweden for more than 1 year, regardless of citizenship, must register themselves with the Swedish Population register and apply for a Swedish social security number (personnummer) at the Swedish Tax Agency. Once you are assigned a Swedish social security number, you are covered by Swedish health care benefits. With access to fully subsidized healthcare, and you are entitled any medical treatment at the same rates as Swedish residents.

The compensation amount that you receive based on that you are living in Sweden such as housing allowance, state dental support, parental allowance at the lowest and basic level, child allowance, etc. is being tried by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. You are entitled to these benefits if you are insured in Sweden, you live here and do not work in another country. To determine if you are eligible for benefits, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency take into consideration among other things, how you live, from which country you receive your income, how long is your stay in Sweden and how often you visit other countries. It also matters where your family members live. You cannot be insured at the same time in Sweden and a country within the EU / EEA or in Switzerland.

Doctoral students with a scholarship are not considered to be resident in Sweden and thus not entitled to residence-based benefits. Doctoral students are entitled to health and parental leave insurances by The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet).

Before a social security number is assigned to the scholarship recipient, and if the scholarship recipient is staying for less than 1-year, other types of insurance are available, depending from which country the scholarship recipient comes.

- Scholarship recipients from EU / EEA or Switzerland must have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to be covered by subsidized emergency and other types of necessary health care in Sweden.

- Scholarship recipients from outside of EU / EEA or Switzerland are covered by a national insurance policy for foreign nationals (FUB). FUB is valid for a maximum of 364 days and is only valid for injuries related to their work.

- For other scholarship recipients such as degree workers and trainees, the insurance “Individual Student (IN)” applies. This insurance includes liability insurance and applies in case of accident and work injury. The insurance is valid 24 hours a day and reimburses costs for emergency medical and dental care.

Scholarship holders at undergraduate and graduate level

Scholarship holders at undergraduate and graduate level that are admitted to higher education at KI or another Swedish educational institution are covered by a personal injury insurance for students (collective insurance), also called "Student In", by The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet). It covers personal injury only during study time and during direct travel to and from campus.

Scholarship holders for doctoral education

Scholarship holders for doctoral education admitted at KI are covered by an injury insurance; ”Särskilt personskadeskydd”, SPS, by The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet). The insurance applies when the doctoral student is submitted to the Swedish population register and has received a social security number. Before the submission, the EHIC and FUB-insurances are applicable.

The insurance SPS applies during the time the scholarship holder participates in activities / assignments, when the scholarship holder is on the way to or from work place, if travel directly, without stopping along the way. Compensation is paid if the scholarship holder suffers from the following:

- Pain and suffering if the scholarship holder suffers from acute problems in connection to injury.

- Disability and damage compensation if the scholarship holder suffers from scars or permanent problems, for example, loses a tooth.

- Necessary costs for medical care and medicines that falls within in high-cost protection (högkostnadsskydd) of medicine that is not covered by other insurance.

- Loss of income if the scholarship holder is on sick leave due to. injury.

In addition to the above mentioned personal injury insurance, there is also a coverage by a health and parental leave insurance. This insurance is administered by The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet). This insurance is an annual, compulsory group insurance for all the doctoral students regardless of time of residency spent in Sweden.

The insurance pays compensation when the doctoral student's scholarships are stopped due to absence from the studies for:

- Medical reasons

- Parental leave

- Temporary parental leave

KI pays supplementary scholarships during the absence, The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency’s (Kammarkollegiet) covers the period which is extended due to the absence. External scholarships are included in compensation eligible income.

Post-doctoral scholarships

Post-doctoral students who have been resident in Sweden for shorter period of time and not received a social security number are covered by the insurances EHIC and FUB.

Post-doctoral students who have been resident in Sweden for longer than 1 year and obtained a Swedish social security number are covered by the injury insurance,”Särskilt personskadeskydd” SPS, by The Swedish Legal, Financial, and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet). The insurance applies during the time the scholarship holder participates in activities / assignments, when the scholarship holder is on the way to or from the business, if travel directly, without stopping along the way.

Compensation is paid if the scholarship holder suffers from the same injuries as abovementioned.

Other conditions

KI has work environment responsibility for everyone who works permanently in KI's premises. For KI to maintain a work environment responsibility, it is important that all scholarship holders who are not registered in Ladok are registered in IDAC.

Scholarship holders are expected to comply with KI's regulations for employees when applicable (such as code of conduct).

General information about external scholarships

External scholarships disbursed by a principal other than KI. KI should ensure that the scholarships for the recipient's education are disbursed and that the scholarships are announced and awarded following a process of competition.

KI shall ensure that the scholarship recipient completes his/her education and attends university in accordance with his/her individual study plan. The scholarship recipient shall adhere to applicable aspects of KI’s rules and regulations, e.g., the Code of Conduct.

KI shall ensure that the scholarships are equivalent to the salary level for staff in a corresponding position. This requirement applies only to the time during which the person is staying in Sweden. If the scholarships are not sufficient to meet KI’s income level, supplementary funding shall be offered in the form of a KI-created scholarship or additional employment.

Scholarship recipients shall notify the relevant authorities in the event of any changes to their income situation.

Questions

Scholarship recipients and supervisors are asked to direct any questions they have about scholarships to their departmental human resources director.

Scholarship recipients who have questions about their education are to contact their supervisors or their departmental director of studies and/or doctoral education administrator.