diff --git a/lib/ecto.ex b/lib/ecto.ex
index c84ed3f820..a574864a34 100644
--- a/lib/ecto.ex
+++ b/lib/ecto.ex
@@ -601,4 +601,39 @@ defmodule Ecto do
       true
     end
   end
+
+  @doc """
+  Loads previously dumped `data` in the given `format` into a schema.
+
+  The first argument can be a an embedded schema module, or a map (of types) and
+  determines the return value: a struct or a map, respectively.
+
+  The second argument `data` specifies fields and values that are to be loaded.
+  It can be a map, a keyword list, or a `{fields, values}` tuple. Fields can be
+  atoms or strings.
+
+  The third argument `format` is the format the data has been dumped as. For
+  example, databases may dump embedded to `:json`, this function allows such
+  dumped data to be put back into the schemas.
+
+  Fields that are not present in the schema (or `types` map) are ignored.
+  If any of the values has invalid type, an error is raised.
+
+  Note that if you want to load data into a non-embedded schema that was
+  directly persisted into a given repository, then use `c:Ecto.Repo.load/3`.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> result = Ecto.Adapters.SQL.query!(MyRepo, "SELECT users.settings FROM users", [])
+      iex> Enum.map(result.rows, fn [settings] -> Ecto.embedded_load(Setting, Jason.decode!(settings), :json) end)
+      [%Setting{...}, ...]
+  """
+  @spec embedded_load(
+              module_or_map :: module | map(),
+              data :: map() | Keyword.t(),
+              format :: atom()
+            ) :: Ecto.Schema.t() | map()
+  def embedded_load(schema_or_types, data, format) do
+    Ecto.Repo.Schema.embedded_load(schema_or_types, data, format)
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/ecto/repo.ex b/lib/ecto/repo.ex
index bcb02c3146..dc4e7e8669 100644
--- a/lib/ecto/repo.ex
+++ b/lib/ecto/repo.ex
@@ -450,6 +450,8 @@ defmodule Ecto.Repo do
   Fields that are not present in the schema (or `types` map) are ignored.
   If any of the values has invalid type, an error is raised.
 
+  To load data from non-database sources, use `Ecto.embedded_load/3`.
+
   ## Examples
 
       iex> MyRepo.load(User, %{name: "Alice", age: 25})
diff --git a/lib/ecto/repo/schema.ex b/lib/ecto/repo/schema.ex
index a2bb837b5b..b71a550d06 100644
--- a/lib/ecto/repo/schema.ex
+++ b/lib/ecto/repo/schema.ex
@@ -454,6 +454,10 @@ defmodule Ecto.Repo.Schema do
     do_load(schema_or_types, data, &Ecto.Type.adapter_load(adapter, &1, &2))
   end
 
+  def embedded_load(schema_or_types, data, format) do
+    do_load(schema_or_types, data, &Ecto.Type.embedded_load(&1, &2, format))
+  end
+
   defp do_load(schema, data, loader) when is_list(data),
     do: do_load(schema, Map.new(data), loader)
   defp do_load(schema, {fields, values}, loader) when is_list(fields) and is_list(values),
diff --git a/test/ecto/embedded_test.exs b/test/ecto/embedded_test.exs
index 8fd0889f0b..0007d8ef49 100644
--- a/test/ecto/embedded_test.exs
+++ b/test/ecto/embedded_test.exs
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ defmodule Ecto.EmbeddedTest do
     end
   end
 
+  defmodule MySchemaWithUuid do
+    use Ecto.Schema
+
+    schema "my_schema" do
+      field :uuid, Ecto.UUID
+    end
+  end
+
   test "__schema__" do
     assert Author.__schema__(:embeds) ==
       [:profile, :post, :posts]
@@ -25,4 +33,23 @@ defmodule Ecto.EmbeddedTest do
     assert Author.__schema__(:embed, :posts) ==
       %Embedded{field: :posts, cardinality: :many, owner: Author, on_replace: :delete, related: Post}
   end
+
+  test "embedded_load/3" do
+    uuid = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+    assert %MySchemaWithUuid{uuid: ^uuid} =
+             Ecto.embedded_load(MySchemaWithUuid, %{"uuid" => uuid}, :json)
+
+    assert %MySchemaWithUuid{uuid: ^uuid} =
+             Ecto.embedded_load(MySchemaWithUuid, %{uuid: uuid}, :json)
+
+    assert %MySchemaWithUuid{uuid: nil} =
+             Ecto.embedded_load(MySchemaWithUuid, %{"uuid" => nil}, :json)
+
+    assert_raise ArgumentError,
+                 ~s[cannot load `"ABC"` as type Ecto.UUID for field `uuid` in schema Ecto.EmbeddedTest.MySchemaWithUuid],
+                 fn ->
+                   Ecto.embedded_load(MySchemaWithUuid, %{"uuid" => "ABC"}, :json)
+                 end
+  end
 end