The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program is a non-degree, post-doctoral award run in Switzerland by the Scholarship Service of swissuniversities with the U.S. Embassy in Bern.
Swiss researchers, lecturers and experts in any field spend three to ten months at a recognised US higher-education institution to research, lecture, or both. The 2027–2028 round is closed; the next deadline falls in August 2027.
Benefits & funding
- Monthly stipend of US$3,164–4,805 by city, for the scholar’s own living costs only.
- One-time allowances: settling-in US$1,393; professional development US$840–1,285; baggage and transit US$300 each.
- Health and accident insurance up to US$100,000 per incident; dependant insurance US$240–419 a month.
- Not covered: host affiliation fees or a required university health plan.
- J-1 visa with a two-year home-country residence requirement; three to ten months, not renewable.
Eligibility
- Swiss citizens; holders of other passports apply in their own country. Dual Swiss–US citizens, US residents and Green Card holders are barred.
- Currently affiliated with a university or research institution in Switzerland; non-Swiss staff, even with permanent residence, are barred.
- A doctorate (accepted but not yet conferred is allowed with a supervisor’s letter) or equivalent training; professionals need five years’ experience, and visual and performing artists with five-plus years may be exempt from a degree. Bachelor’s or Master’s holders from universities of applied sciences and arts are encouraged.
- Not currently living, working, studying or teaching in the US, and not seeking SNSF funding for the same US project.
- English adequate for the project; no TOEFL needed.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“All candidates must currently be affiliated with one of the universities or research institutions in Switzerland. … Doctoral degree or equivalent professional training or experience at the time of application.” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Switzerland
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Andorra · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Bahamas
+ 186 more
Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belarus · Belgium · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China · Colombia · Comoros · Costa Rica · Croatia · Cuba · Cyprus · Czechia · DR Congo · Denmark · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Estonia · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Finland · France · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Germany · Ghana · Greece · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong · Hungary · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Ireland · Israel · Italy · Côte d'Ivoire · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Latvia · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macau · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Malta · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Monaco · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Netherlands · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · North Macedonia · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Palau · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Poland · Portugal · Qatar · Republic of the Congo · Romania · Russia · Rwanda · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · San Marino · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Slovakia · Slovenia · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Korea · South Sudan · Spain · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Sweden · Switzerland · Syria · Taiwan · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · UK · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vatican City · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
Bachelor · PhD
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Application process
- 1Choose research, lecturing or both, and prepare a project statement with a bibliography and/or course syllabi; lecturing needs a confirmed invitation.
- 2A US host’s letter of invitation is optional at this stage.
- 3Three recommenders, at least one academic and one professional, upload letters by the deadline.
- 4Submit through the IIE online application by 3 August 2026, midnight (next round: August 2027).
- 5Shortlisted applicants interview in person at the U.S. Embassy in Bern in early September.
Program timeline
3 August 2026
2027–28 deadline (closed)
Interviews in Bern
Early September 2026
Results
Mid-September 2026
Grant period
August 2027 – July 2028
August 2027
Next deadline (2028–29)