This post contains affiliate links.
By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
The Axel Adler Scholarship is a tuition-fee waiver from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, for talented fee-paying international students (i.e. non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens) admitted to its campus-based international master’s programmes (and a few eligible bachelor’s programmes). It’s funded by the Adlerbertska foundations and the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR).
What the Axel Adler Scholarship covers
- A full tuition-fee waiver for the normal duration of your programme (up to 120 credits / 2 years for master’s; up to 180 credits / 3 years for the eligible bachelor’s programmes)
- FAS+ insurance during your stay (via Kammarkollegiet)
There’s also an Axel Adler Scholarship for Sustainability (2–12 awards) for students admitted to sustainability-focused master’s programmes — applied for in the same form.
Who is eligible?
- Be required to pay tuition in Sweden (citizens from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland).
- Apply for an international, campus-based programme at the University of Gothenburg as your first priority via universityadmissions.se.
- All full-time master’s programmes qualify; only select bachelor’s programmes do (recently e.g. Software Engineering, International Relations, Business & Economics).
- Online/distance programmes are not eligible.
- You can’t combine it with another tuition-fee scholarship.
Documents you’ll need
- Your programme application via universityadmissions.se (with GU ranked first)
- Application fee paid and study eligibility documented by the deadline
- A CV and a Letter of Motivation written directly in the scholarship system (no attachments allowed) — these drive the selection
How to apply: step by step
- Apply for your programme at the University of Gothenburg as your first choice via universityadmissions.se by the 15 January deadline.
- Pay the application fee and document eligibility by the early-February deadline.
- Wait for the invitation. Eligible applicants receive an email (around 10 February) with scholarship application instructions — check spam. If you’re eligible but don’t get one, email [email protected].
- Submit your CV and motivation letter in the scholarship portal by its deadline (late February).
- Results: announced in April (master’s and bachelor’s applicants on separate dates).
How competitive is it?
Competitive — generally one scholarship per programme (with a small pool extra for the artistic faculty, and potentially up to ten additional awards if funds allow). Because awards are spread across programmes rather than one big pool, your odds depend heavily on the strength of your CV and motivation letter relative to others applying to the same programme. A focused, programme-specific motivation letter is the key lever.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Axel Adler Scholarship cover living costs?
No. It’s a tuition-fee waiver only — you must fund your own living expenses, accommodation and travel in Sweden.
Can I apply for the scholarship directly?
No. You first apply to a University of Gothenburg programme (ranked first); eligible applicants are then invited by email to apply for the scholarship.
Do PhD students qualify?
No. Axel Adler is for master’s and certain bachelor’s programmes; it doesn’t cover doctoral study (Swedish PhD positions are usually salaried roles instead).
Apply / verify on the official site: Axel Adler Scholarship (gu.se). Deadlines and eligible programmes change yearly — always confirm on the official page.
Free tools for this
- Scholarship Odds Estimator — real award-to-applicant ratios where funders publish them
- Scholarship Eligibility Checker — which of our tracked scholarships you can actually apply for
- Scholarship Deadlines Calendar — never shows a deadline that already passed
- How to Verify a Scholarship Is Real — the red flags that separate real funders from scams
Explore more on our Scholarships hub.
Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.
