The Master Thesis Grant comes from the Zeno Karl Schindler Foundation, a private foundation set up in Geneva in 2005. It pays a master’s student to carry out thesis research in person at a university or research institute in another country.
The home university and the host must be in two different countries, and one of them must be in Switzerland. It covers engineering (environmental engineering included), all medieval disciplines, and digital humanities joining medieval studies with computer or data science.
Benefits & funding
- CHF 2,000 a month for three to six months, toward living costs at the host.
- A flat-rate economy-class return airfare or train ticket between home and host universities.
- Host fees (tuition, visiting, bench, laboratory) are not covered; other funding above 20% of the grant is deducted, but at least 10% of the grant is kept.
- The last CHF 2,000 is paid only after your home advisor confirms the stay was completed and you send the thesis electronically.
- Unused money is refunded if the stay is shortened or cancelled.
Eligibility
- Open to any nationality.
- Master’s students with top academic credentials in engineering (environmental included), any medieval discipline, or digital humanities linking medieval studies with computer or data science.
- The home university and the host must be in two different countries, one of them situated and governed in Switzerland.
- Projects mixing engineering with a non-medieval field must pose an engineering challenge, at a host lab mainly active in engineering.
- Not open to students in an inter-university degree or exchange program for a stay between that program’s universities.
- The stay must not have begun before the round’s earliest start date.
- A rejected applicant cannot apply again for this grant.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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“The grant aims to encourage research collaboration between two universities that must be located in two different countries, namely the home university of the candidate and a hosting university or research institute, with one of the two being necessarily situated and governed in Switzerland.” Eligibility
Education required
Master Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Agree dates with a host professor, who signs a letter on institutional letterhead using the foundation’s set wording, which includes waiving any visiting-student fees.
- 2Have your home thesis advisor sign the two-page research proposal.
- 3By 1 May or 1 November (23:59 Swiss time), email the application form, the signed affidavit and one combined PDF to info@zenokarlschindler-foundation.ch.
- 4Recommendation letters are not considered, and the foundation gives no reasons for its decisions.
Program timeline
application deadline.
1 November 2026, 23:59 Swiss time
earliest start for stays in this round.
1 February 2027
1 May 2027, 23:59 Swiss time
next deadline; stays from 1 August 2027.