All students that have been accepted by the MFS scholarship programme will receive a confirmation (scholarship offer) via email. Accept the scholarship offer by:

1. Signing the MFS contract and uploading it to the MFS portal.
2. Registering your bank account at Danske Bank.

The scholarship will be disbursed once you have completed the steps above. Also, remember to notify your supervisor and contact about your scholarship decision.
 

Once you have accepted the scholarship, you have to attend an obligatory pre-departure briefing at the Student Services. At the briefing, you will receive information about the scholarship, insurance, health and safety.

There will also be practical information on your preparations before, during and after your MFS field study. You will also get the chance to meet other students who are participating in MFS and ask questions to MFS alumni.

If you have provided preliminary information about your contact person in the field in your application, upload a new document in the MFS portal complete with name, title, organisation, email address and phone number.

It is your own responsibility to investigate whether you need a research permit to conduct your studies in the host country. Remember to state that you are going to do a minor field study, not a research or work.

You are responsible to apply for a visa (if relevant) through the host country’s Embassy/Consulate, or through your travel operator. It may be easier to apply for a tourist visa than a student visa, however, you are responsible to have the correct visa during your field study. It is important that your visa is valid for at least 56 days (your entire field study period), as according to the MFS scholarship you are not allowed to leave the host country during your field study period.

Book a return ticket from your home town to your MFS region as soon as possible (cancellation insurance is recommended). Select a flight that arrives in the host country during the day, if possible.

When the flight is booked, upload a copy of the ticket to the MFS portal. Your insurance certificate will be issued and emailed to you (see further details below under “Insurance”). Your field study should be at least eight consecutive weeks (56 days) and no more than 20 weeks. This includes date of departure from Sweden until date of departure from your MFS host country.

Note, save your boarding pass as you need to upload them to the MFS portal.

All MFS students receive a student insurance from Stockholm University through Kammarkollegiet called Student OUT. You will not be able to conduct your MFS through Stockholm University if the university cannot ensure that you have a valid student insurance via Kammarkollegiet. It applies to students who are registered in Ladok during their MFS field study. The insurance includes personal injury protection and travel insurance and is free of charge for students. It is up to you to decide whether you need/wish to have an additional insurance. 

The insurance is valid two weeks prior and two weeks after your field study. It covers the time spent in the host country and travel to/from country to Sweden.

Insurance certificate

Before departure you will receive an insurance certificate from the MFS Coordinator at the Student Services. For you to receive an insurance certificate, you need to: 

1. Uploaded a copy of your flight ticket (return tickets) to the MFS portal ), at least four weeks before departure.
2. B registered in Ladok during the MFS period. Your department will assist you with registration in Ladok.

It is recommended to leave a copy of the insurance certificate to someone at home before departure. 

Terms that apply when the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against travel 

Term 1.5 in the Student OUT insurance

Kammarkollegiet’s Student OUT insurance does not apply in countries where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all travel. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all travel to a specific area in a country, the insurance does not apply in that part of the country.

The above applies when such advice from the Ministry has been issued before or on the day of travel. If the insured has started his or her outward journey before the advice has been issued, the insurance will continue to apply during a transitional period (max. 30 days), allowing the insured to leave the country and return to Sweden. The same applies if this part of the insurance has come into effect during an ongoing visit abroad. If the insured’s residence is not in Sweden, the insurance may cover the travel to the home country. On exception, Kammarkollegiet may issue an exemption from the 30-day rule. Kammarkollegiet must be notified as soon as the insured is aware that he or she is not able to travel back to Sweden or the country where the insured is domiciled within the transitional period of 30 days. 

It is not possible for the student to sign an alternative insurance.

More information about the insurance Student OUT can be found on Kammarkollegiet's website. We recommend that you get acquainted with the insurance terms before your trip.

Kammarkollegiet’s insurance Student OUT

You are still a student at Stockholm University during your MFS field study. Therefore, you should make sure you are registered in Ladok throughout your field study period.

Make sure you are registered in Ladok on your degree project, contact the programme coordinator or international coordinator at your department. Please do this as soon as possible after you have received your scholarship.

Note that CSN has access to Ladok, as they make sure you are registered as a student. The Kammarkollegiet’s insurance is also linked to the Ladok registration.

The MFS scholarship is not granted to a country or a region if the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Utrikesdepartementet) advise against travel. The level of safety can quickly change in different countries and regions and it is the duty of the Foreign Ministry to make sure citizens are informed about of the risks of travelling to dangerous areas. Prepare for the journey by looking at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (Utrikesdepartementet) website and read about the current advice for and status of your MFS country. Stockholm University must ensure that project participants are informed about the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel information before and during the trip and, if necessary, consult with any relevant authority.

An MFS-study cannot be undertaken when the Foreign Ministry advise against the below travel: 

• “dissuasion from non-necessary travels to the country”
• “all travels to the country”
• “all Swedes to leave a country / part of the country”

Note: If the dissuasion from “non-necessary travels” and “all travels” is only applicable to one specific part of the country (a region), students may still carry out his/her field study in a secure area of the country as long as the dangerous areas are avoided also when travelling to or from the main destination. 

Note: If the advice against travel is introduced, or changed, after departure and includes a dissuasion from “non-necessary travels”, the University shall, in consultation with the relevant foreign authorities and students, decide whether it is appropriate to stay in the country or return to Sweden.

Note: If the advice against travel is introduced, or changed, after departure and includes a dissuasion from “all travels”, the students need to leave the country and return to Sweden within 30 days.

Note: If the advice against travel is introduced, or changed, after departure and “urges to leave the country / part of the country”, the University must ensure that the student immediately follows the dissuasion and leaves the country / part of the country.
Should the Foreign Ministry dissuade from travelling when you have already arrived in the host country, you do not need to meet the MFS conditions of spending 8 weeks in the field. 

IMPORTANT: Even if a travel dissuasion has not been issued by the Foreign Ministry, Stockholm University should always secure that the personal safety and health of the student, and of persons concerned in the host country, is not at risk during the period of the Minor Field Study. 

Sweden Abroad, the official website for Sweden's embassies and consulates

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel information (in Swedish)

Register your stay abroad with the embassy (in Swedish)

Get all recommended vaccinations for the country you are travelling to. Some countries require that you bring documents proving that you are vaccinated. Contact a vaccination clinic to find out what applies to the country to which you are going to.

The 1177 Care Guide's (Vårdguiden) website contains information about vaccinations you may need. There, you will also find advice regarding your health for different regions, including risk reduction and medical examination. If you have a chronic illness or if there are other health-related reasons that can affect your stay abroad, you should do a medical examination to ensure there are no hindrance for your travel. Contact your health care centre for information about how to proceed.

1177 Care Guide

Contact Stockholm Student Health Services (Studenthälsan) if you have further questions.

When you have entered the host country, remember to upload a copy of your boarding pass(es) to the MFS portal. If you have one stop or more, upload all boarding passes (you need to show the full way from Sweden to the host country. This is mandatory for all MFS students.

Carefully read the information under "Travel and safety" above and keep an eye on if the safety situation changes.

Read more under the 'Insurance' tag above.

MFS students have an obligation to take ethical guidelines for working abroad into account, which are issued by the Government Offices (Regeringskansliet).

Ethical guidelines for working abroad (in Swedish)

The Academic Writing Service provides English-language support for writing and study skills. They offer individual consultations, give talks and seminars, and coordinate writing groups for thesis students. Their services are free of charge for all students at Stockholm University.
Link to Academic Writing Service

Boarding pass of journey home

As soon as you are back in Sweden, upload a copy of your boarding pass(es) from your return journey to the MFS portal. If you have one stop or more, upload all boarding passes (you need to show the full way from host country to Sweden). This is mandatory for all MFS students.

Confirmation of MFS

An MFS confirmation form must be signed by your contact in the field at the end of your studies to certify that you have completed your field study during the dates you stated (eight weeks or more). When returning home, a signed document must be uploaded to the MFS portal. You will receive the template via mail at the end of your field study.

Submit a participation report 

You must fill in the participant report and upload it in the MFS portal within a month from your return. You will receive the template via mail at the end of your field study.

Essay or degree project

The essay or degree project must be written in English and approved by the examiner at Stockholm University. You and your department are responsible for language checking, printing and reproduction of the paper.

Your paper must be uploaded to the MFS portal no later than 12 months after the date of receiving the scholarship. You upload the essay as a PDF file to the MFS portal. 

Sida and Stockholm University have the right to distribute your paper.

Read more under the 'Insurance' tag above.