Latest developments in the MFS programme

On 19 December 2025, the Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade presented extensive changes to Swedish development assistance. The government emphasised that support to Ukraine is Sweden’s foremost development policy priority in the coming years, which entails reallocations and reductions within other parts of the aid budget. At the same time, the government underlined that Sweden’s commitment to humanitarian assistance and global health programmes remains firm.

These changes in the aid budget also affect the Minor Field Studies (MFS) programme, as it is financed through a strategy that has been affected by the reduced budget. The programme has received a 37% budget cut, which affects both the number of available scholarships and the scholarship amount.

According to the original plan, the number of scholarships would gradually increase in the coming years. However, for the programme periods 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, Sida has decided that the programme will comprise 300 scholarships per year nationwide, which is the same level as in 2025/2026. In connection with this, the scholarship amount has also been adjusted to 25,000 SEK.

Despite these adjustments, Sida and the Programme Office remain committed to ensuring that the MFS programme continues to fulfil its core purpose: contributing to the use and development of Swedish expertise in international cooperation and promoting the dissemination of knowledge within academia and civil society.