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The first time was the charm: Source ZikokoMag
Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa speaks to real people and explores the endless reasons and paths they take to japa.
Steve spent five years preparing for a fully-funded scholarship that would change his life. In 2025, he finally received the Swedish Institute Scholarship — and everything shifted. This is how he did it.
When Steve left Nigeria on August 19, 2025, he was leaving behind a good life in Lagos. He had been working as the Head of Communications and Marketing at Tera Academy for the Arts — an arm of Terra Kulture and Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions — after joining in 2023 as a Social Media Manager. Most of his social interactions came through work. “Terra Kulture is such a creative hub,” he says. “There was always something happening, always someone new to meet.”
Despite having a stable job, Steve wanted more. “I was inspired to apply for the Swedish Institute Scholarship because I wanted to further my education in communications and marketing,” he explains. “Before that, I had started a course with the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK, but I wanted a full master’s degree.”
He discovered the Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals on December 29, 2019, and immediately began preparing. “From that moment, I decided I’d give it one shot and make it count. So, I spent the next five years building my profile and gathering everything I’d need.”
By October 2024, he started his application, and between then and February 2025, he sent in his documents. It worked — he got the scholarship on his very first try.
Steve credits research as his biggest weapon. “There’s no substitute for research,” he says firmly. “Applying for the SI Scholarship is very personal — no one can write your story for you. I read every single page on their website, watched thousands of hours of YouTube videos, and studied what successful applicants did differently every year.”
It paid off. Out of over 9,000 annual applicants, only 2–3% get selected. “I didn’t want to waste a shot,” he says. “So, I studied each cycle until I felt ready.”
The process is structured but intense. It starts with applying for admission to a Swedish university. Only after gaining admission can applicants apply for the scholarship. “It begins every October,” Steve explains. “By January 15, you must have selected your courses, and in February, the scholarship application opens — you only get two weeks to submit everything. Then in March, the university admission results come out. By April, scholarship results are released, and successful applicants can start planning their move.”
For Steve, the good news came in two waves — an admission offer from Lund University and the scholarship itself shortly after.
He advises new applicants to do the work themselves. “People message me asking for help or even offering to pay me to apply for them. But I always tell them: go back and research. This is something you have to do yourself. It’s your story.”
He admits his method — focusing on just one scholarship for five years — might not work for everyone. “I wouldn’t tell anyone to put all their eggs in one basket, but if you’re going to apply, take it seriously. Read every line carefully. The Swedish Institute is very strict about details. One small mistake — a missing stamp, wrong name order, or late submission — and you’re out.”
He almost learned that the hard way. “I nearly made an error in the work experience section,” he says. “They ask for proof that you’ve worked at least 3,000 hours, and it has to be in the exact format they specify. Luckily, I caught it early.”
With support from Tera Academy for the Arts, his documents were airtight. “I didn’t just meet the requirements — I made sure everything was polished and professional. Scholarship applications are competitions; you must stand out.”
Life in Sweden has been everything he hoped for. Though Swedish is the official language, he says almost everyone speaks English. “You can live comfortably here without speaking Swedish,” he says. “But if you want to fully integrate — volunteer, work part-time, or make friends — it helps to learn. They even have free language programs for immigrants.”
He loves the honesty and structure embedded in Swedish culture. “They take accuracy so seriously. If a building photo isn’t current, they’d rather not use it. That same integrity runs through their education system. The facilities are excellent, professors are approachable, and resources are accessible to everyone. But they don’t joke with plagiarism — it’s treated like a crime.”
Steve is studying Strategic Communication at Lund University — a program that blends his love for communication, marketing, PR, crisis management, and brand strategy. “When applying, I made sure the course I chose was one of the eligible ones covered by the scholarship. Not all are, so applicants must double-check,” he says.
As for the future, Steve is open but grounded. “The goal of the Swedish Institute Scholarship is to build leaders who’ll contribute to their home countries, so I’ll definitely give back,” he says. “Whether that means returning to Nigeria or working with Nigerian organisations globally — I’ll see when the time comes.”
Two months into his new life, he rates his happiness a solid ten out of ten. “People say the honeymoon phase fades, but I’m still in awe. The system works. Things just function here. There’s structure, care, and fairness. It’s the kind of society that reminds you how life should be.”
After five years of preparing for a single opportunity, he got it on the first try — and now he’s helping others do the same. “When I started in 2019, I didn’t have a mentor,” he says. “Now, I mentor people applying for the same scholarship. I want others to know it’s possible if they’re willing to do the work.”
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