Uppsala University gives a small number of tuition scholarships every year to international students who have to pay fees for its Bachelor's and Master's programmes. The awards are merit-based, not need-based, and they are hard to win: roughly 2% of applicants receive one. For a Pakistani student with strong grades who already wants to study in Sweden, it is worth applying. For anyone who needs a scholarship that also pays rent and food, it will not be enough on its own. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing page.
The single most important thing to understand is that this is a tuition award. None of the Uppsala scholarships cover living expenses, and you still have to show the Swedish Migration Agency that you can pay your own living costs. If you plan around that fact from day one, the rest of the process is fairly simple.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Uppsala University |
| Country | Sweden |
| Levels | Bachelor's and Master's |
| Funding | Full or partial tuition fee waiver, depending on the scholarship. Living costs are not covered. |
| Selection basis | Academic merit |
| Admissions deadline | Mid-January (University Admissions) |
| Scholarship application | Late January to early February (confirm the exact dates each cycle) |
| Official site | Uppsala University scholarships page |
Four scholarships, and which one a Pakistani applicant can target
"Uppsala University International Scholarships" is an umbrella name. Underneath it sit several separate programmes, each with its own nationality rule:
- The Uppsala University Global Scholarship, funded by the Swedish Council for Higher Education, is for citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. It covers full tuition. Pakistan is outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, so this is the one Pakistani students can apply for.
- Anders Wall's Scholarship is for citizens of African countries and covers full tuition.
- The King Carl Gustaf Scholarship is for citizens of a specific list of countries affected by conflict or unrest: Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Palestine, Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It covers full tuition. Pakistan is not on that list.
- The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Scholarship is for holders of a Hong Kong SAR passport and gives a partial tuition waiver for one academic year.
So, in practice, a Pakistani passport holder is competing for the Global Scholarship. If you hold a second nationality, check whether it opens up one of the other awards, and say so clearly in your motivational letter, because the letter is expected to reflect the criteria of the scholarship you are aiming for.
What a full tuition waiver does and does not solve
The Global Scholarship removes the tuition bill for the length of your programme. That is a large saving, and it is the main reason to apply. What it leaves behind is everything else: accommodation, food, transport, books, insurance and the cost of getting to Sweden.
Sweden's residence permit process needs you to prove you can support yourself. The scholarship does not count toward that, so you need your own funds or a family sponsor ready before you even get an award. Students who win the tuition waiver but cannot show living funds end up stuck. Read our guide to bank statements and proof of funds early, not after the result arrives.
One more point on the "fully funded" label you may see attached to this award in listings. It is fully funded only in the sense of full tuition. Treat it as a tuition scholarship when you budget.
The first-priority rule that disqualifies people
Uppsala does not run its own admissions portal for these programmes. You apply through Sweden's national system, universityadmissions.se, where you can rank several programmes at different universities. To be considered for an Uppsala scholarship, an Uppsala University programme has to be your first priority. If it is your second choice, you are not eligible. There is no appeal around this.
This catches a lot of students who rank a different Swedish university first "just to be safe." If Uppsala is where you want the scholarship, put it at the top.
Eligibility in plain terms
You have to meet all of the following:
- You are liable to pay tuition fees in Sweden.
- You meet the nationality rule of the specific scholarship (for Pakistanis, citizenship of a country outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, which means the Global Scholarship).
- An Uppsala University programme is your first priority on University Admissions.
- You meet the entry requirements for that programme, which includes paying the application fee and submitting your supporting documents on time.
Note the last point. Scholarship eligibility depends on a complete admissions application. A late fee payment or a missing transcript hurts your admission chances, and it also removes you from scholarship consideration entirely.
Programmes that are excluded
Some joint and specific programmes are not covered by these scholarships at all. These include the Joint Nordic Master's Programme in Environmental Law, the Master's Programme in Biology NABiS, the Master's Programme in Evolutionary Biology, the Master's Programme in Implementation, Transformative Learning and Sustainability, the Master's Programme in Religion in Peace and Conflict, the Master's Programme in Transformative Game Design, and the Master's Programme in Turkic Studies. If your first choice is one of these, an Uppsala scholarship is off the table, so check the current exclusion list on the official page before you rank.
Paperwork: less than you might expect
The scholarship form itself is light. You will need:
- Your personal details.
- The eight-digit application number you receive from University Admissions.
- A motivational letter of no more than 350 words, written directly in the online form.
- Your general and programme-specific supporting documents, submitted through University Admissions (not through the scholarship form).
No extra uploads are needed for the scholarship step. All the heavy document work happens in the admissions application: transcripts, degree certificates, English proficiency proof and whatever your programme asks for. Pakistani applicants should get transcripts and degrees ready well before the deadline. Our documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful starting point.
The order of steps, from admissions to scholarship form
- Apply for an international Bachelor's or Master's programme on universityadmissions.se and rank the Uppsala programme first.
- Note the eight-digit application number University Admissions gives you, and keep it somewhere safe.
- Pay the application fee and submit all required supporting documents before the admissions deadline.
- When the scholarship application period opens, complete Uppsala's online scholarship form using your eight-digit number.
- Write your motivational letter (maximum 350 words) inside that form and submit.
How the calendar works
The cycle is built for autumn intake and runs in two stages. University Admissions typically opens in mid-October for the next autumn semester. The admissions deadline is in mid-January, and that is the last day to apply, pay the fee and send supporting documents. The scholarship form usually opens after that, in late January to early February, for applicants who have applied correctly.
These are typical windows, not fixed dates. Confirm the exact opening and closing dates on the Uppsala University scholarships page for the cycle you are applying in. A realistic plan for a Pakistani student is to choose programmes and prepare documents in September and October, submit the admissions application well before mid-January, and have the motivational letter drafted before the scholarship form opens.
Writing a 350-word letter that actually competes
With around 2% of applicants winning, the letter matters. Since it is capped at 350 words, every sentence has to earn its place. A few things that help:
- Lead with academic merit, because that is what the awards are based on. Grades, research work, academic prizes and relevant projects count more than general ambition.
- Explain why this specific Uppsala programme, not Sweden in general.
- Connect your background to the criteria of the scholarship you are targeting. For the Global Scholarship, that means writing as a strong non-EU applicant with a clear academic plan.
- Skip long life stories and financial hardship arguments. These are merit awards, not need-based grants.
Write it offline, count the words, then paste it into the form. Going over the limit or rushing it on the last day is an easy way to waste a strong profile.
Mistakes Pakistani applicants should avoid
The most common error is ranking Uppsala second. The next is treating the scholarship as a full package and having no plan for living costs. Others are smaller but just as fatal: applying to an excluded programme, paying the application fee late, losing the eight-digit number, or assuming a King Carl Gustaf or Anders Wall award might be open to Pakistani citizens when it is not.
Be realistic about odds too. Apply to the scholarship, but also make sure your study plan still works if you get admission without the award. If funding is the deciding factor, compare this with other options in all Sweden scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Are Pakistani students eligible for Uppsala University scholarships?
Yes, for the Uppsala University Global Scholarship, which is open to citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. Anders Wall's Scholarship, the King Carl Gustaf Scholarship and the Hong Kong scholarship have nationality rules that do not include Pakistan.
Do the scholarships cover living expenses?
No. They cover full or partial tuition fees only. You must show the Swedish Migration Agency that you can pay your own living costs.
Can I apply for the scholarship if Uppsala is my second choice?
No. An Uppsala University programme must be your first priority on University Admissions, or you are not eligible.
Do I upload extra documents for the scholarship?
No additional uploads are needed for the scholarship form. Your supporting documents go through University Admissions, and the scholarship form asks for your application number, personal details and a motivational letter of up to 350 words.
How competitive is it?
Very. Approximately 2% of applicants receive a scholarship, and selection is based on academic merit.
Is it available for Bachelor's programmes too?
Yes. The scholarships are for international fee-paying students admitted to Bachelor's and Master's programmes, apart from the excluded programmes listed above.
Check the current cycle on the Uppsala University scholarships page, and keep the Uppsala University scholarship page handy for the key facts as you prepare.