2026 DUO-Sweden Fellowship Programme

Definitions of students are as below:

● Students: undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled in universities

1.1 Eligibility

Due to this unique nature of this program, in order to be eligible, the following are required:

Your exchange fulfills all three requirements below:

● An educational institution in Sweden (home institution) and an educational institution in Asia (host institution) have established an academic cooperative arrangement/inter-institutional agreement; and

● The Swedish home institution has selected an EU national student enrolled at the home institution to send to the Asian host institution, and such selection has been accepted by the Asian host institution; and

● The same Asian host institution has selected an Asian student enrolled at the host institution to send to the Swedish home institution, and such selection had been accepted by the same Swedish home institution.

1.2 The Duration and the Amount of the DUO-Sweden Fellowships

DUO-Sweden 2026/27 is for exchange projects, which will start from August 2026 and end before September 2027 to avoid duplication of implementation period of exchange projects selected by DUO-Sweden in the ensuing years. The selection of DUO-Sweden 2026/27 is made ONLY once a year. In this respect, those who are planning to exchange in Spring Semester of 2027 (January-August 2027) shall apply for DUO-Sweden 2026/27.

The duration of fellowship is limited to one semester (or 4 months/120 days, whichever comes earlier).

The amount of the fellowships is standardized as follows:

● 3,500 Euros for Asian student and 3,500 Euros for Swedish students in a pair, in high income country. For Middle and Low income countries, the Asian student get 4,000 Euros and the Swedish student get 3,000 Euros.

The duration of exchange should be at least one semester and the scholarship is only available for those studying full-time (minimum 24 ECTS/16 weeks). Exchange of less than one semester is NOT allowed. If a semester is longer than 4 months (120 days) in the visiting institution, fellowship will be given for 4 months.

(A definition of fulltime study in Sweden is 30 ECTS credits per semester, which is in general 20 weeks.)

In the event that a student exchange lasts for a fewer number of weeks than granted, then the scholarship will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis and repayment of the funds provided will be required.

2. Application and Selection Procedure

2.1 Who Applies?

The educational institution in Sweden applies on behalf of both institutions and people who are to participate in the exchange. Asian institutions in partnership with Swedish institutions shall cooperate fully with Swedish institutions in supplying precise information of Asian applicants. Individuals wishing to take part in exchanges are advised to contact the relevant offices (e.g. International Relations Offices) of the educational institutions to file an application for this program.

2.2 Application Period

Applications will be accepted from April 06 through May 18, 2026 local Swedish time.

Applications sent after May 18, 2026 GMT+1 will not be accepted.

2.3 Application Material for Submission

1. Filling out an Online Application Form ONLY

2. A Copy of Cooperation Agreement (or Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation) between paired institutions OR declaration of intention to set up new cooperation agreement, signed by Head of Swedish Higher Education Institution

3. A copy of passport of paired applicants

4. A copy of transcript of paired applicants (should include the grades up to the most recent semester)

2.4 Application Submission

An Online application form for DUO-Sweden can be found on the following link.

1. Enter your ID and password on the LOGIN page to fill out an online application.

2. Swedish home institution should fill out the whole application including the information of Asian host Institution. Application Form in PDF format can be downloaded here.

3. The rest of the documents (cooperation agreement, passport copy, and transcript) can be uploaded in the last step of the application process.

4. Once completed, please make it sure to submit your application by clicking “submit” button. Swedish home Institution should get a confirmation email from the Secretariat within 3 days after completion of submission. If you don’t get a confirmation email, please contact admin2@asemduo.org promptly.

2.5 How and When is Selection Made

A Swedish Selection Committee, organized by the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR), will make the selection after the application deadline. The decision will be announced in June 2026. Selection criteria are at the discretion of the Swedish Selection Committee.

The notification will be displayed on website, www.asemduo.org and the Secretariat will directly notify Contact Persons/Awardees in writing. Hard copies of notification and Letter of Acceptance (forms are also available at www.asemduo.org) will be forwarded to both home and host institutions. Contact Persons/Awardees may download forms of Letter of Acceptance, if they so wish.

2.6 Fellowship Grants

The DUO-Sweden Fellowship will be paid directly by the Secretariat to the bank accounts of selected students who participate in the exchange program. There are no restrictions in using the fellowship. It can finance the tuition, and living or travel expenses.

3. Instruction for Application Form

3.1 Language of Application

You should write your application in English.

3.2 How to write the Application Form

STEP 1 - Home Institution

The first box of ID number and Date of submission will be given after submission. The home institution shall be resided in Sweden.

● Address means a full detailed one which is not only for domestic post but also for overseas post. Do not write the post-office box number and City Name must be written.

● CONTACT PERSON means a regular staff of Swedish institution which arranges exchange project and is willing to communicate with the Secretariat in such events as verifying application details, monitoring exchanges and providing further information on the status of the exchange.

● PERSON OF EXCHANGE shall be any Swedish (or EU national) student who will participate in the exchange.

●ECTS means a whole ECTS that a Swedish student has earned up to the most recent semester since he/she entered the Swedish institution. Please write the total earned ECTS as shown on the transcript.

● Grade means currently enrolled academic year as of the spring semester of 2026. Master course student much click Graduate under numbers.

STEP 2 - Host Institution

In this step, provide information about the host institution involved in the exchange project. The host institution shall be resided in 20 Asian countries.

● Type of exchange: Please check appropriate boxes to specify whether students for exchange are in undergraduate or in graduate study.

● Duration of Exchange: As stipulated on the DUO-Sweden General Description, duration of DUO-Sweden Fellowship is standardized on a semester-basis. For students, 1 semester means 4 months (120 days).

● Purpose of Exchange: Please specify the purpose of the exchange and fill in how many credits (ECTS) that will be recognized by home or host institution.

STEP 4 - Exchange Details

● Under this heading, Swedish and Asian students' class schedules should be listed during their exchange periods. Details shall be elaborated as they will determine selection of application. Also, intensive language courses are not honored in this program.

● Confirmation and recognition of the study period abroad TO BE SIGNED BY CONTACT PERSON at the Swedish Home Institution (see information 3.2.2).

STEP 5 - Certification of Authenticity

After completing all relevant items in appropriate manner on the entire field of application, please write the date and the names of contact person, and the President or Director of Swedish home institution in the section of Certification of Authenticity.

A Copy of Cooperation Agreement (valid one), the copies of passport and transcript of paired applicants should be attached. The preferred file formats for attachments are .jpg or .pdf.

Submit the online application to the Secretariat by clicking “submit” button. The original printed version with the signatures/official stamps will be requested if your project has been selected.

3.3 After the submission: acknowledgement

The acknowledgement on the receipt of submission will be sent to the contact person in Swedish home institution by e-mail within 3 days after submission. If there is any application with incomplete or improper information, further information will be individually requested by the Secretariat.