Heyning-Roelli Foundation Scholarship — Bachelor's Scholarship

The Heyning-Roelli Foundation was set up in Zürich on 15 February 2010 by Eduard C. Heyning, on the idea that travel educates. It supports academically able but financially stretched Bachelor’s and Master’s students enrolled at a Swiss university or university of applied sciences who leave for one or two semesters at a partner university under a recognised exchange agreement. A second route covers students at a Swiss institution who have been invited by a foreign university to write their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis there.

The foundation pays a partial grant and states plainly that it awards no full scholarships. Each dossier is examined individually by the Board of Trustees, which sets the amount against the gap left in the student’s budget. Applications are taken only through the online form; the foundation no longer accepts them by email.

Benefits & funding

Partial grant toward the cost of an exchange semester or a thesis stay abroad. The foundation does not award full scholarships.
The amount is decided case by case by the Board of Trustees, based on the applicant’s financial need, the destination and the length of the stay abroad. No fixed sum is published.
Scholarships and other income the applicant already receives are counted when the award is set.
Payment follows once the signed declaration of commitment reaches the foundation.

Eligibility

Bachelor’s or Master’s student enrolled at a Swiss university or university of applied sciences.
One of two routes: taking part in a recognised exchange programme — Erasmus / Swiss-European Mobility, or a contractual bilateral agreement between the home and host university — for one or two semesters at a partner university; or invited by a foreign university to write a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis there.
The student stays enrolled at the home university and continues studying there after the exchange.
The student is registered at the host university with the status of exchange student.
Financial need has to be documented, for example with bank documents, tax returns or letters from relatives.
Open to applicants of any nationality; the dossier includes a passport copy or a Swiss residence permit B or C.
Not supported: students on a double-degree programme, students who have already completed an exchange, and students whose exchange has already started, since applications are not accepted retroactively.

Can you apply?

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Residence required
Switzerland
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Master Enrolled

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Application process

1
Secure the nomination from the home university, or the written invitation from the foreign university for a thesis stay.
2
Assemble the dossier: motivation letter of at most one A4 page, transcript of records, GPA calculator screenshot, the university confirmation of nomination or invitation, proof of financial need, curriculum vitae, and a copy of the passport or residence permit B or C.
3
Fill in the online form with home and host university, subject, level, dates of the stay, and a full declaration in Swiss francs of income, scholarships and assets covering the whole period abroad.
4
Upload every document. The Board of Trustees does not review an incomplete dossier.
5
Submit before the deadline. Applications outside the deadlines are not accepted.
6
Wait for the board’s decision by email. Applicants have no claim to an explanation of the decision.
7
After arriving and opening a bank account, sign the declaration of commitment and return it by email so the grant can be paid out.

Program timeline

Deadline for the autumn semester, 24:00 CET
Apr 20, 2026
End of July 2026
Board of Trustees informs April-round applicants by email
Deadline for the spring semester, 24:00 CET
Oct 20, 2026
End of November 2026
Board of Trustees informs October-round applicants by email
Thesis stay abroad
no fixed deadline; the application has to reach the foundation at least one month before departure or the start of the thesis