Scholarships

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 (supplementary funding), scholarships provided through KI's foundations and funds, and external scholarships (which are paid directly to the scholarship recipient).

Undergraduate and graduate level education

Eligibility requirements

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.

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 2023 income year amounts to 12 052 SEK per month, and for 2024 it is 13 156 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

Eligibility requirements

KI has doctoral students who are wholly or partially financed through external scholarships (e.g., within the framework of international collaboration agreements). KI-created scholarships may only be disbursed in the form of supplementary scholarships for doctoral students. KI does not act as the disburser of external scholarships; rather, the doctoral student receives funding in the form of scholarships from his/her home country, home university, or the like. 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. The scholarship recipient shall adhere to applicable aspects of KI’s rules and regulations, e.g., the Code of Conduct.

All doctoral students at KI shall have a reasonable level of financing, regardless of the type of funding. External scholarships that fall short of the minimum income level may be supplemented with a KI-created “top-up” doctoral scholarship or position (see below). This requirement applies only to the time during which the person is staying in Sweden.

A doctoral student who commences his/her education with scholarship funding shall be employed when, according to his/her individual study plan, a period of study equivalent to three years of full-time doctoral education remains. Please note that this provision applies only to doctoral students admitted after July 1, 2018.

A doctoral student whose funding consists of a scholarship need not be employed in accordance with Chapter 5, § 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance, in the following cases:

• If the scholarship is provided within the framework of an aid and capacity-building program

Aid and capacity-building programs are considered to include programs from countries included in the list from DAC/OECD that applied at the time of the student's admission to his/her doctoral program, and those which constitute capacity-building cooperation, as defined by the Board of International Development Cooperation (Sida): “Capacity development is a process in which individuals, groups and organizations develops their ability to identify and manage the challenges they encounter during the development process.” or

• if the scholarship is provided within the framework of a European Union-funded program or equivalent.

Programs that are considered “equivalent” include:

• formalized doctoral education collaborations (based on a general cooperation agreement with KI) in which scholarships are a customary form of financing (often leading to a double or joint degree) and in which doctoral students from a non-Swedish home university participate.

KI has formalized doctoral education collaborations (based on a general cooperation agreement with KI) with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, National Institutes of Health (NIH) in US and Makerere University in Uganda.

• financing from international scholarship organizations approved by the Board of Doctoral Education.

Approved international scholarship organizations are those with which KI has a formal collaborative agreements.

Income level and supplementary funding for doctoral students

When KI accepts doctoral students whose studies are funded through scholarships, the financing is considered to be secured if the level of scholarship is equivalent to the salary level for employees; see Chapter 7. § 36 of the Higher Education Ordinance.

Scholarship recipients shall complete their education and shall attend university in accordance with their individual study plan. In the instance that the recipient neglects to fulfill his/her obligations, KI may revoke KI-granted (but not disbursed) scholarship funds.

External scholarships or so-called “Sida allowances” that fall short of the minimum level of income may be supplemented with a KI-created “top-up” doctoral scholarship or position. If students divide their time between Sweden and another country, the minimum income level requirement applies only when they are in Sweden.

Decisions regarding supplementary scholarships are made by the heads of department and may not be delegated.

The minimum income levels are to be found in the Doctoral reference guide.

As a general rule, supplementary KI-established doctoral scholarships may be awarded to persons who are admitted to a doctoral program at KI. Supplementary KI-established doctoral scholarships may also be awarded to persons who are located at KI as part of their doctoral education, but who have been admitted to a doctoral program at a Swedish university other than KI.

Provisions on disbursement

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

Postdoctoral studies

Scholarships for carrying out postdoctoral research may be granted to 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

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.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a 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 a postdoctoral fellow in the new authorization and identity management system, IDAC.

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 equivalent to the highest level of income after tax in the local collective agreements for doctoral students.

A higher amount may be disbursed in exceptional cases. 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.