Content updated 2019-03-13

Minor Field Studies (MFS)

The Minor Field Studies programme continues during the academic years 2025 - 2028.

Minor Field Studies (MFS) is a scholarship programme for Swedish Bachelor's and Master's students at Swedish universities who have an interest in global issues and aspire to make a difference by contributing to Swedish development cooperation. Under the MFS framework, recipients of the scholarship are required to conduct a field study in a developing country for a minimum of 8 weeks (56 days), during which they will collect data for their Bachelor's or Master's thesis.

MFS spring 2026

Jönköping University has now got an approved application and received grants for 8 MFS scholarships to be used for a Field study during spring 2026.

News in the programme AY25-28:

How to select country and subject
Eligible students, study programmes and citizenship
Requirement to share the knowledge with internal and external stakeholders
Internal process details as deadlines etc.

Requirements regarding countries and topics

The MFS project must carried out in a country where Sweden conducts development co-operation and be connected to one or more strategies of relevance to Swedish development co-operation in the host country,
The MFS project should be connected to ongoing research or international collaboration at JU (recommended).

Learn about the Swedish development cooperation:

The Swedish development cooperation

The main goal of Swedish development cooperation is to help people living in poverty and oppression improve their living conditions. This cooperation, along with humanitarian assistance, follows government strategies that outline objectives and priorities. Sida is a government agency that operates on behalf of the Swedish Parliament and Government. Sida is responsible for implementing these strategies with the help of other agencies.

Goals

In December 2023, the government introduced a new reform agenda for development assistance: "Development Assistance for a New Era – Freedom, Empowerment, and Sustainable Growth" External link, opens in new window.. The agenda set 7 thematic priorities:

Combating poverty through job creation, trade and education
Improved health for the most vulnerable
Promoting freedom and combating oppression
Expanded and more effective climate aid
Strengthening gender equality and empowering women and girls
Strengthened synergies between development assistance and migration policy
Enhanced humanitarian assistance to save lives and alleviate suffering

Different kinds of aid External link, opens in new window.

Long-term development cooperation
Humanitarian assistance

Sida's international work

Sida has development collaboration in many countries and regions in the world. The work is guided by strategies:

Geographic: Countries and Regions External link, opens in new window.
Thematic

Information on the website of Sida External link, opens in new window.

Open Aid External link, opens in new window.Data about the Swedish aid from agencies

Content checked / updated 2025-03-21

News

2025-03-14

JU has been approved 8 MFS scholarships for a field study during spring 2026. There are several changes in the programme, the information here is now updated and include the new conditions and requirements.

2024-09-23

5 scholarships available for spring 2025

Students and projects are selected for the scholarships. Field studies will be done in Brazil, Guatemala and Thailand during the spring.