Apply for a SIDA-funded grant of SEK 35,000 to collect data for your thesis in a low or middle-income country. You must be away for at least eight consecutive weeks.

Application periods

  • 15 September – 15 October, for students writing their thesis during the spring term
  • 1 March – 1 April, for students writing their thesis during the autumn term

Information Meeting

Event, 18 September

How to apply for a scholarship and do your thesis work abroad

Eligibility and conditions

Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for an MFS scholarship, you must:

  • Carry out the field study as part of a degree project at bachelor's or master's level at Malmö University.
  • Be a Swedish citizen or have been registered in the Swedish population register for at least one year at the time of application.
  • Be a registered student at Malmö University at the time of application and also be enrolled in a thesis course at Malmö University during the fieldwork period.
  • Be able to conduct the field study in an approved host country for a minimum of eight consecutive weeks, i.e. at least 56 days from the date of entry into the host country to the date of departure. An MFS may last up to 20 weeks. Check with your programme coordinator to ensure that you can be away for that long without missing any compulsory components.

You must not:

  • Have commenced doctoral-level studies.
  • Have previously received an MFS scholarship for the same level of education or another SIDA scholarship for the same field study period.

Terms and conditions for the thesis and trip

The project idea must:

  • Maintain high academic quality and be relevant to your programme and subject area.
  • Be carried out in a country where Sweden engages development cooperation.
    List of eligible countries (Openaid – Open government data on Swedish aid)
  • Not be conducted in a country or region where the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD) advises against travel, regardless of the level of advisory. If the advisory applies only to part of a country, you may carry out an MFS in other parts of that country, provided you can travel there and back without passing through a restricted area.
    List of countries/regions with travel advisories (Regeringskansliet, in Swedish)
  • Align with one or more of Sweden’s strategies for development cooperation in the relevant host country.
    Information on strategies guiding Sida’s work (Openaid – Open government data on Swedish aid)
  • Be supported by a contact person in the host country who is involved in the study and can assist with its implementation.
  • Be supervised by an academic advisor at Malmö University.
  • Result in a thesis or degree project written in English, submitted no later than one year after returning from the field study.
  • Preferably be linked to ongoing research or international work at your department.
  • Be completed no later than 25 May 2026 (for MFS grants awarded during Autumn Term 2025).

Applying

First, outline your idea and then - in consultation with your supervisor or other contacts - develop a feasible project. Your supervisor at Malmö University will help you with the academic aspects. The MFS coordinator can sometimes assist with contacts, but in general it is up to you to find and contact relevant organisations or individuals.

Advice

Since the assessment places great emphasis on the feasibility of the project, you should clearly explain in your application

  1. what you will do
  2. where you will do it
  3. how it will be carried out. i.e. which method you will use.
  4. who will help you, i.e. what contacts you have in the host country.

Also keep in mind

  1. to limit the scope of your study – as two months go by quickly
  2. to choose a topic related to development issues
  3. that it is a field study. Therefore, choose a topic that requires you to be on site to carry out your study, rather a project that can be done from your desk.

How to apply

Fill in the application form

Log in to the application portal and select ‘Application for Minor Field Studies - MFS’. You log in with your computer ID from Malmö University.

Upload all the required documents

To complete your application, you need to attach a number of documents. On the page, you will see which documents are required and what information they should contain.

Submit your application

Check that everything is included and then submit your application online. You will receive a decision by email after approximately 3–4 weeks.

Log in to the Move On portal

Required documents

Project Description

This is the most important attachment and the core of your application, forming the basis for assessment. It must be written in English and be no more than four pages, single-spaced, font size 12. The project description should include:

  • A description of the proposed project: background, purpose, and methodology.
  • A clear link to one or more relevant strategies within Swedish development cooperation in the chosen host country.
    Information on linking to development strategies (Minor Field Studies Programme Office)
  • A timeline, including preparatory work.
  • A brief analysis of the security situation in the area.
  • Reflections on ethical considerations. Please note that applications involving interviews or observations of children and/or individuals in vulnerable positions are generally not approved.
  • References (not included in the four-page limit).

Simple Budget

The budget should include travel costs, estimated daily expenses, any vaccinations, visa fees, and research permits. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check which permits are required.

Statement from Supervisor/Teacher/Programme Coordinator

This statement must confirm that the project idea maintains good academic quality and is suitable within the scope of the student’s subject and programme. It should also confirm that the student will have an assigned supervisor during the field study.

Document from Contact Person in host country

The contact person in the host country may represent or be employed by a local authority, university, organisation, company, or development project, but this is not a requirement.

Your contact person should work within your research area and be able to help you identify and connect with relevant individuals or organisations for interviews or data collection. They should also be able to assist with practical matters both before and during the fieldwork, such as advice on accommodation, transport, and safety.

The attached document from the contact person may be a formal invitation, certificate, contract, or even a copy of an email conversation confirming that there is a contact person who will assist with practical arrangements, resource contacts, support, and more. Be sure to clearly state who the person is and what role they have in the host country.

Transcript from Ladok

A document showing that you are a registered student at Malmö University and your academic results. If you have results from other institutions, include those as well.

CV

A list of previous education and relevant experience, along with contact details.

Copy of Passport or Certificate of Citizenship

If you are not a Swedish citizen, you must include a certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency confirming that you have been registered in Sweden for at least 12 months.

 

How your application is assessed

Applications will be assessed by the Malmö University scholarship committee, in which all faculties are represented. 

More about assessment

The assessment group bases its assessment on the programme office’s ‘General Conditions’.

All basic requirements must be met. The overall feasibility of the application is then assessed. All variables in the application are taken into account, such as choice of subject and method, research question, contacts in the host country, the student’s awareness and maturity, reasonable budget, background research, the security situation in the country and any risks to the student’s personal safety.

The decision cannot be appealed.

Contact