Mälardalen University Scholarships 2026 | How to Apply

Mälardalen University’s scholarship works through Sweden’s centralised national admissions system rather than a standalone university application, which shapes almost everything about how and when you need to act. If you’re checking this now, the 2026-2027 cycle has fully run its course: the master’s programme deadline was 15 January 2026, the scholarship application deadline followed on 2 February 2026, and outcomes were emailed to successful and unsuccessful applicants alike between 27 and 31 March 2026.

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This post explains exactly how the scholarship works, an important exclusion list worth knowing before you invest time in an application, and when the next cycle is confirmed to open.

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About the Mälardalen University Scholarship

Mälardalen University sits in one of Sweden’s most industrially active regions, close to Stockholm, and has built its academic identity around strong links to industry and applied research rather than a purely theoretical approach to higher education.

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Its scholarship programme reflects a specific strategic goal: rather than offering broad funding to any qualified applicant, MDU limits this scholarship to a defined pool of non-EU/EEA/Switzerland applicants, while deliberately excluding twelve specific countries — Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia — because Sweden already maintains long-term development cooperation agreements with those countries, meaning applicants from them are directed toward the separate Swedish Institute Study Scholarship instead.

This isn’t an oversight or a gap in coverage; it reflects how Sweden structures its broader international scholarship landscape, splitting support across different mechanisms depending on a country’s existing relationship with Sweden. Because the entire process runs through University Admissions (universityadmissions.se), Sweden’s national portal for higher education applications, your Mälardalen scholarship application is genuinely inseparable from your degree application — there’s no separate scholarship-only pathway that bypasses the national system.

Mälardalen University Scholarships Summary

What the Mälardalen University Scholarship Covers

• 100% of tuition fees, for the full standard duration of your master’s programme
• Coverage contingent on maintaining the normal study pace — a minimum of 22.5 credits per semester and 45 credits per academic year — falling behind this pace isn’t just an academic concern; it directly affects whether your tuition waiver continues
• No living expense coverage — this scholarship addresses tuition only, so accommodation, food, and general living costs in Sweden remain entirely your own responsibility to plan and fund separately

One condition worth understanding clearly before relying on this scholarship for your full degree: if your fee-paying status changes to non-fee-paying at any point during your studies — for instance, through a change in citizenship or residency status — the scholarship is withdrawn. This isn’t a scholarship you can hold onto regardless of a change in your personal circumstances; it’s specifically tied to your continued status as a fee-paying international student throughout your programme.

Eligibility Requirements

• You must apply for a master’s programme at Mälardalen University
• You must select Mälardalen University as your first choice on University Admissions — a second or lower preference doesn’t qualify you for consideration
• You must be from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland
• You must be required to pay tuition fees for your studies in Sweden — students who qualify for fee exemption under other arrangements aren’t the intended recipients of this scholarship
• You must submit all required documents on time, through the national University Admissions system
• You must pay the application fee on time, as a separate step from the scholarship application itself
• You must meet the standard academic admission requirements for your intended master’s programme
• You must follow the normal study plan, maintaining the required credit pace throughout your studies
• You must not be a national of one of the twelve excluded countries with existing Swedish development cooperation agreements: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or Zambia

The exclusion list is worth checking first, before you invest time in the rest of your application — if you’re a national of one of those twelve countries, this specific Mälardalen scholarship isn’t available to you regardless of your academic strength, and the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship is the correct funding route for your situation instead.

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Required Documents

• Your completed application on University Admissions, covering your master’s programme application itself
• Academic transcripts and certificates
• Proof of previous qualifications, supporting your eligibility for your intended master’s level
• A passport copy
• The separate scholarship application form, distinct from your programme application, though submitted alongside it
• Any other documents University Admissions requests, which can vary depending on your specific programme and country of prior study

Since both your programme application and scholarship application run through the same national portal but require separate, correctly timed submissions, keeping close track of which deadline applies to which part of the process matters more here than in a scholarship with a single unified application form.

How to Apply

1. Apply for a master’s programme through universityadmissions.se, Sweden’s national higher education admissions portal.
2. Select Mälardalen University as your first choice — this is a hard requirement, not a preference that can be adjusted later.
3. Pay the application fee by its stated deadline.
4. Upload all required supporting documents to University Admissions.
5. Complete the separate scholarship application form.
6. Submit both your programme application and scholarship application before their respective deadlines.
7. Wait for results, which are emailed to the same address used on your University Admissions account.

How to Prepare for the Next Application Cycle

With this cycle’s results already delivered, the coming months are for preparing ahead of the confirmed next cycle:

• Mark the confirmed next-cycle timeline now: the application process is expected to begin around mid-October 2026, with a supporting-documents deadline falling in February 2027. Treat mid-October as your real starting point for preparation, not a date to react to once it arrives.
• Confirm your country’s eligibility status well in advance. If you’re a national of one of the twelve excluded countries, redirect your preparation toward the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship instead, rather than discovering the exclusion late in your process.
• Gather your academic transcripts, certificates, and proof of qualifications early, particularly if any documents need translation or certification, since these steps often take longer than expected.
• Plan your application fee payment as a distinct, separate step from your document submission, since both are required on their own timelines within the national portal.
• Research your target master’s programme at Mälardalen thoroughly before the window opens, since selecting it as your genuine first choice — not just a strategic scholarship move — strengthens the coherence of your overall application.

Deadline

For the 2026-2027 cycle, the master’s programme application deadline was 15 January 2026, and the scholarship application deadline was 2 February 2026. Results were sent by email between 27 and 31 March 2026. The next application cycle is confirmed to begin around mid-October 2026, with a supporting-documents deadline expected in February 2027. Check the official Mälardalen University scholarships page and universityadmissions.se directly closer to that window for exact dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mälardalen University Scholarship fully funded?

No — it covers tuition only. Living expenses, accommodation, and travel are not included, so budget for these separately regardless of receiving the tuition waiver.

Can Nigerian students apply?

Yes. Nigeria isn’t among the twelve excluded countries, so Nigerian applicants are eligible provided they meet the academic and application requirements, including selecting Mälardalen as their first choice.

What happens if I already missed the 2026-2027 deadline?

Both deadlines for this cycle have passed, and results are already out. The next cycle is confirmed to open around mid-October 2026, so use the coming months to prepare your documents and confirm your target programme.

Can I still get this scholarship if I’m from Kenya, Rwanda, or another excluded country?

No, not through this specific scholarship. Applicants from the twelve excluded countries should apply for the Swedish Institute Study Scholarship instead, which is the funding route Sweden has designated for those specific countries.

Can I lose the scholarship after I’ve been awarded it?

Yes. If you fall behind the required study pace, or if your fee-paying status changes to non-fee-paying during your studies, the scholarship is withdrawn.

Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Mälardalen University scholarships page and universityadmissions.se before submitting an application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with Mälardalen University.

Official Application Portal