Thesis abroad
Writing your
thesis abroad
Eligibility and qualifications
To be eligible, you must:
- study a bachelor’s or master’s level and use your MFS to gather data for your bachelor’s or master’s thesis during a of minimum of eight weeks;
- be a Swedish Citizen or hold a permanent residence permit. Please note! EU citizens permanent right of residence does not make you eligible. Citizens of another Nordic country may be eligible if they have been registered residents in Sweden during at least the past 12 months at the time of application deadline;
- be a registered as a student at Malmö University
- never have commenced PhD studies
- conduct your field study in an approved country. List of approved countries
- be able to stay in your host country for a minimum of eight consecutive weeks
Application
The application is open to all students at Malmö University who wishes to conduct their field study during the spring or autumn semester 2022. The last day to apply is 10 November.
Important information regarding MFS and COVID-19
As long as the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against travels, Malmö University is not allowed to formally grant any MFS scholarships. We still welcome applications and the decision group will give a preliminary result to applicants. A formal decision will be made when the travel restrictions are lifted.
Good to know before submitting your application
It is your own responsibility to come up with and develop a project idea (with support from your academic supervisor or other relevant contact people). Your supervisor at Malmö University is the one you should turn to with questions regarding academic content. Various organisations can also offer project ideas. The MFS administrator may assist you with contacts.
When assessing your application, the decision group will consider how likely a successful field study is based on your application, so it is important that you clearly explain:
- what you want to do
- where you want to do it
- how it will be done (methods, theory)
- who will help you (your contact/s in the host country)
How to apply
Follow these three steps to submit your application.
Log in to the application portal, and choose ‘Application for Minor Field Studies – MFS’. Use your computer ID to log in.
You need to submit several documents to make an application. Here you will find a list of the required documents and what they need to contain.
Project description
This is the main part of your application. This is also the main document on which the decision group bases your assessment. It should be a maximum of five pages, written in English, and contain the following:
- background, theory, purpose, method
- reflections regarding the subject chosen and its relevance connected to the Sustainable Development Goals. Read more about the Sustainable Development Goals (un.org
- time plan, including preparatory work
- description of the planned fieldwork
- short description of the security situation in the area and how you plan to consider it during your field study
- a short description of an alternative plan (what happens if the original plan needs to be changed?)
- ethical considerations regarding your proposed fieldwork
- a description of how you plan to share your experiences with other students at Malmö University after the field study
- list of sources (for example, books, articles, and websites). Does not need to be counted as part of the five pages.
A simple budget
The budget must include travel costs, daily expenses (based on the living costs of the host country), as well as any vaccinations, visas and permits.
Statement from the supervisor at Malmö University
The statement must certify that the project description is suitable in relation to the field of study and that the person agrees to be your supervisor during the field study. In case your department is unable to appoint a supervisor by the time of the application deadline we will instead accept a document in which a teacher at your department certifies that the proposed study is suitable in relation to the field of study, and that you will get a supervisor when it is time for the actual field study.
Document form the contact person in the field
The document must prove that the person agrees to be your contact person in the host country to help you with practical matters as well as help you to get in contact with people relevant for your study, for example. This document will be accepted in most forms, such as email conversations, text messages or a formal invitation. Don’t forget to explain who your contact person is and how and why they’ll be able to assist you.
Transcript of Records from Ladok
A document that proves that you are a registered student at Malmö University as well as your study results. If you have grades from other higher education institutions, you submit these as well.
CV
A CV where you list previous studies, relevant experiences, and contact information.
Copy of passport or other relevant documents that states citizenship
If you are not a Swedish citizen you shall upload a copy of your permanent residence permit or, if you are a citizen of a Nordic country other than Sweden, a document from the Swedish Tax Office stating that you have been registered in Sweden for the past 12 months.
Make sure everything is included and submit your application online. The selection result will be announced via email approximately 3-4 weeks after the application deadline.
How your application is assessed
Malmö University has an assessment group that decides which applicants will receive the MFS scholarships. All faculties are represented in the group. Read more about how the assessment is made and who is part of the assessment group.
The assessments are based on the Swedish Council of Higher Education’s guidelines for assessments.
All general requirements must be met. Thereafter, the overall feasibility of the application is assessed. Here, all variables in the application are considered, such as choice of subject and method, question statement, contacts in the host country, the student awareness and maturity, reasonable budget, background research, security situation in the country and any risks to the student's personal safety.
It is an advantage if the applicant has previous experience of development issues through, for example, travels or studies.
The decision cannot be appealed.
Assessment group
The Assessment Group consists of the following people:
- Faculty of Health and Society: Karin Enskär
- Faculty of Education and Society: Bodil Liljefors Persson
- The Faculty of Culture and Society: Sara Bodelson
- The Faculty of Odontology: Helena Fransson
- The Faculty of Technology and Society: Zahra Ghaffari
- Malmö Student Union: Lisa Hofmann
- International Office: Kajsa Khanye
- Coordinator and legal decision-maker in the capacity as manager: Karin Frydenlund
Possible projects for collaboration
Malmö University collaborates with the Bridge Forum and can provide established project contacts for possible collaborations that you are suitable for MFS.
- Waste management in Bangalore. The city and local NGOs work to increase household waste streams to neighbourhood transfer stations by 50 per cent.
- Shared mobility in Bangalore, India. A local NGO and local employers want to double the number of employees bicycling to work using Swedish technology.
- Water security in Lusaka, Zambia. Lusaka city and local authorities need to slow down a potential cholera outbreak through distributed filter solutions.
- Waste management in Lusaka, Zambia. The city and local NGOs work to increase household waste streams to neighbourhood transfer stations by 50 per cent.
- Sustainable mining communities in Zambia. Rural villages and authorities look for additional growth independent of current mining opportunities.
- Off the grid energy solutions in Rwanda. US-Italian technology suppliers work with villages to secure electricity, clean water and wi-fi locally.
- The carbon footprint for concrete and construction. European cement OEM pilot test algae production from CO2 in Morocco, to half the carbon footprint of concrete.
- Pollution reduction in open burning in India. Local stakeholders and global companies look for new business models to eliminate the open burning of rice.
- Healthcare solutions in Lima. A local healthcare provider looks for collaboration with Swedish health tech startups to double the capacity of primary care.
Please note that these projects may have specific requirements for MFS students, such as subject area or study level. For more information on the respective projects and contact details to the Bridge Forum, please contact MFS coordinator Kajsa Khanye.
The Minor Field Studies blog
All MFS students document their experiences in our blog. Here you can read posts directly from students in the field.
