Northern Europe is recognized for its fashion, luxurious lifestyle, and top-notch higher education. It should come as no surprise that the Nordic nations—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—are popular choices for students looking to study abroad.
Tuition fees are progressively being implemented in the majority of the Nordic nations, where higher education was formerly free for everybody until a few years ago. Only Norway and Iceland still provide free tuition to all students, as things stand. Because of this, there is an increasing need for foreign scholarships in this region of the globe. As a consequence, even students who want to study in Iceland or Norway may be able to get financing to help with living expenses and other tuition charges.
Each of the five Nordic countries has a variety of scholarships for students from other countries. This is done to attract smart students from all over the world. Continue reading to see a list of the foreign fellowships that can be used to study in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Please note that this page is updated yearly, and because the sponsors or institutions that open these scholarships may often change the period in which they accept applications, we may not keep up with these updates due to the volume of scholarships we publish here. Therefore, this page is basically intended to show you the endless opportunities you have to get a scholarship to study anywhere in the world. Simply click on the link to the scholarship you want to check the deadline for on the official website. Or click here to access our list of current scholarships.
Denmark
Universities in Denmark offer free tuition for Danish students, EU/EEA citizens, and exchange students. International students from outside the EU/EEA have to pay tuition fees and show proof of money before they can get a visa or a spot in a Danish university program. Some popular scholarship opportunities for studying in Denmark are listed below.
Government scholarships
- Danish Government Scholarships for Foreign Nationals – These scholarships are available to international exchange students interested in studying the Danish language and culture. For current students on exchange programs from institutions in Brazil, China, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.
- Denmark Government Scholarships for non-EU Students – Offering exceptional non-EU international students the chance to study in Denmark backed by government funding.
- Fulbright Commission Scholarships to Study in Denmark – Scholarships to study abroad in Denmark for US citizens wishing to undertake study in Denmark for a year.
University-specific scholarships
- Roskilde University Tuition Fee Waivers and Scholarships – Various scholarships for graduate students from outside the EU/EEA to study in Denmark at Roskilde University.
- The University of Copenhagen – There are a variety of scholarships for graduate students outside the EU/EEA to study at the University of Copenhagen – see this page for more details.
Iceland
Tuition fees in Iceland vary depending on whether the university you want to attend is public or private. While state universities charge just a nominal registration fee for all students, private institutions charge tuition fees, which will be higher for non-EU students. As an example, graduate tuition fees for EU students at Reykjavik University start at €2,800 (approximately US$3,066) per term, while non-EU fees start at €5,500 (approximately US$6,023) per term.
Government scholarships
Icelandic Government Scholarships – International scholarships for students pursuing studies in the Icelandic language at the University of Iceland.
University-specific scholarships
- Reykjavik University Scholarships – Merit-based scholarships awarded to full-time students at the university, with options to study at the graduate level in the Iceland School of Energy.
- The University of Iceland Scholarships for Existing Students – Various scholarships and research grants for existing students who work, research, or study in Iceland at the University of Iceland.
Finland
Previously free for all students regardless of nationality, Finland has now introduced tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students studying English-taught courses of at least €1,500 per year (approximately US$1,642). However, most students will pay between €4,000 and €20,000 (approximately US$4,380 and US$21,905) depending on their course.
Non-EU/EEA students can still study for free if they’re Ph.D. students or their course is in Finnish or Swedish, and more scholarships are becoming available to help them fund their studies.
Government scholarships
- Finnish Government Scholarship Pool – Government-funded scholarships for graduate students pursuing doctoral-level study in Finland. Open to international students and researchers from selected countries.
University-specific scholarships
- The University of Helsinki – The University of Helsinki offers scholarships for non-EU/EEA students studying for master’s degrees at the university.
- University of Oulu Tuition Fee Waivers for International Students – Scholarships for international master’s degree students undertaking study in Finland at the University of Oulu.
- University of Turku – Up to 30 percent of students can receive a scholarship to study for a master’s degree at the University of Turku.
For more university-specific scholarships to study in Finland, visit StudyinFinland.fi.
Norway
Although all state universities in Norway offer free tuition to both domestic and international students, many students who choose to study in Norway will need to gain some sort of funding to cover the high living costs. Here are a few examples of what’s available:
Government scholarships
- EEA and Norway Grants – International scholarships for students from selected countries within the EEA, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
- High North Scholarship – Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this program offers scholarships to students from Canada, the US, Japan, South Korea, and Russia to study in Norway at selected institutions in Northern Norway.
Sweden
Similar to the rest of the Nordic nations, tuition fees to study in Sweden only apply to students from outside of the EU and EEA. International students should expect to pay SEK80,000-190,000 (~US$8,800-20,940) per year of study for bachelor’s and master’s programs, and even more for medical and fine art subjects. Ph.D. candidates may be happy to note that Ph.D. programs in Sweden are free of charge. To cover any costs for study in Sweden, you may be interested in the following:
Government scholarships
- Swedish Institute Scholarships – The Swedish Institute (SI) is a government agency that offers scholarship opportunities to international students and researchers looking to study in Sweden. Eligibility criteria vary.
University-specific scholarships
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology – KTH offers tuition-fee waivers as well as academic scholarships to master’s students. The website also lists several useful external scholarship programs.
- Linköping University International Scholarships – Merit-based scholarships and tuition waivers are on offer to international students studying at Linköping University at the master’s level.
- Lund University Global Scholarship – In 2015, Lund University gave out over SEK17 million (US$2 million) in merit-based scholarships for international students from outside the EU/EEA. For bachelor’s or master’s students.
- Malmö University Scholarships – International scholarships for master’s students, as well as excellence scholarships for bachelor’s students, from outside the EU/EEA to study in Sweden at Malmö University.
- Stockholm University Scholarships – International scholarships offered to non-EU/EEA students, covering tuition fees only.
- Umeå University Scholarships for International Students – Various scholarships for graduate students undertaking a master’s degree at Umeå University. Some funds are subject-specific.
- Uppsala University Scholarships – Various opportunities for international students to gain funding to study in Sweden at Uppsala University.
For more university-specific scholarships to study in Sweden, visit StudyinSweden.se.
Other scholarships to study in the Nordic countries:
- The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) Fellowships and Grants – US citizens can also seek funding to study in the Nordic Countries via the ASF.
- Erasmus Mundus – These scholarships are funded by the European Commission and are on offer to students from around the world who are looking to study abroad in a European country.
- The Nordic Africa Institute – Scholarships are available for African students with a Ph.D. to take part in Africa-oriented social sciences research at the institute, which is based in Uppsala, Sweden.
