The Medicus Student and Scholar Exchange Program funds Swiss graduate students, doctoral candidates and academics for a stay at an accredited US university or similar institution. It comes from an endowment Dr. Heinrich Medicus left to the Swiss Benevolent Society of New York (SBS).
swissuniversities runs the Swiss side: it screens applications and passes eligible ones to the SBS committee. Routes cover a Master’s or PhD degree, non-degree coursework, and doctoral or postdoctoral research or teaching, in any field.
Benefits & funding
- A partial scholarship of US$10,000, usable for tuition and academic costs or living costs.
- For a study or research stay of 3 to 10 months; not renewable.
- The number of awards depends on how the SBS-administered fund performs and how many US and Swiss candidates apply.
Eligibility
- Swiss citizen living in Switzerland when applying; dual Swiss–US citizens accepted.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s earned at a Swiss higher education institution; undergraduate degree done by summer 2026.
- English adequate for the planned US study, research or teaching.
- Barred: US residents and green card holders; anyone now living or working in the US; those enrolled abroad rather than in Switzerland while applying; past Medicus recipients.
- Barred once your US stay has begun, except second-year funding for Master’s or PhD students who lived in Switzerland until departure.
- Visiting researchers and scholars: not for a project already holding an SNSF stipend; stays before the academic year or in semester breaks only exceptionally.
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.
“You have obtained your bachelor’s OR your master’s degree at a higher education institution in Switzerland.” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Switzerland
Residence required
Switzerland
Education required
Bachelor · PhD
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Application process
- 1Apply online through the Fulbright portal, selecting the Medicus award: student route for Master’s/PhD-level study or research, scholar route for postdoctoral research or teaching.
- 2Three reference letters, submitted online by referees before the deadline.
- 3Email a PDF of the submitted application to swissuniversities by 25 March 2026, midnight.
- 4Secure your own US admission or invitation letter and send it by end of May — no final award without it; arrange your own visa.
Program timeline
25 March 2026 (midnight)
2026–27 application deadline
US admission/invitation letter due
End of May 2026
results
End of June 2026
stay must begin
August 2026 – May 2027
March 2027
next deadline (2027–28)