Have you filled in your SI scholarship application documents correctly?

Are you ready to apply for the SI scholarship? Have you filled in your scholarship application documents correctly? Are you sure?

Getting started

Ahead of the opening of the scholarship application portal, SI publishes the templates for the CV, reference letters, and proof of work experience documents. You can prepare these documents ahead of the application opening period. In fact, it is recommendable to do so since the application portal is only open for a few weeks. Here is a quick guide on some of the things you need to look out for to make sure that you have filled in your SI scholarship application documents correctly.

1. CV

The CV is important for documenting your profile and giving a holistic picture of the person, professional, and leader that you are. Before submitting the CV, look out for these requirements.

• Fill in the CV based on the SI published templates for that year. Other CV formats are not acceptable. Templates from previous years are also not acceptable.

• Ensure that all the entries are in reverse chronological order, that is, starting with the latest entries first.

• Delete all unnecessary headings and entries.

• Make sure the CV does not exceed 3 pages. Any additional pages will not be considered.

• Convert the completed CV into PDF format.

• Do not include the instructions page in the final PDF document.

2. Reference Letters

The reference letters are important in portraying your profile from the views of the people you worked with. Only people who know you in a professional capacity should fill in the reference letters. Additionally, the letters must be written in English, and if they are not, an official translation from a notary public is required, together with the notary’s stamp. Before uploading, check that your references filled in the documents correctly. Correctly filled documents meet the specifications listed below.


• The references used the SI reference letter templates for that year to fill out the reference letters.


• You have two different references from two separate organisations.


• At least one of the references is based on work experience.


• Each reference letter does not exceed 2 pages. The SI team will not review any additional pages.

• The letters are typed, printed, dated, signed, and stamped with the official stamp of the organisation that the reference is representing. For reference letters stretching over two pages, the referee’s signature and official stamp of the referring organisation or notary office appear at the bottom of each page.

• The two letters are combined into one pdf document.

• Additionally, the pdf must not include the instructions page.

3. Proof of Experience

Proof of work and leadership experience helps verify the information you provided in the CV. SI provides two separate documents – one template for the work experience and one for the leadership experience. The proof of work experience should be from a maximum of 3 organisations and the proof of leadership experience should be from a maximum of 2 organisations. Applicants must have at least 3000 hours of work experience at the time of applying. The leadership experience does not have a minimum required number of hours. Before uploading, ensure the following:

• Use SI templates for documenting the work and leadership experience.

• Each document includes the total hours worked at each organisation. Also, double-check that the documented hours are correct before submitting.

• Make sure that the documents are typed, printed, dated, signed, and stamped with the official stamp of the organisation that the reference is representing or a notary office.

4. Identity Document

In your SI application, you must submit a copy of a government-issued identity document as well. This means submitting a copy of your National ID or passport. In addition, it’s important to make sure that you submit the correct document by checking the specifications below:

• The copy of the ID document shows the full name, citizenship, and a picture of the applicant.

• All parts of the scan of the document are not blurry and everything is clear to read.

• Lastly, the ID document is valid at the time of the application

In conclusion

So, have you filled in your SI documents correctly? If you are still unsure, you can refer to the SI scholarship’s Frequently Asked Questions page. In addition to offering helpful information about questions most applicants usually ask, the page also allows you to send a direct question to the SI team.

Overall, when completing your documents, keep your writing concise and easy to understand. Don’t forget to double-check the grammar and spelling. Lastly, remember to be honest. False or misleading information may lead to disqualification.

Till next time, hej då!