Summer Exchange Grant — Research Program

The Summer Exchange Grant comes from the Zeno Karl Schindler Foundation, a foundation based in Geneva. It funds a summer study and research stay at a university in another country, in engineering, environmental sciences or medieval disciplines.

Bachelor’s students at North American or European universities come to a Swiss university; students at Swiss universities go to one in North America or Europe. The project must take place in the host university’s own country.

Benefits & funding

CHF 1,600 a month for up to three months, from June to September or during the home university’s summer break.
A return economy-class airfare or train ticket between home and host universities.
Other funding up to 20% of the grant is not deducted; any amount above that is, but at least 10% of the grant is kept.
You sign an affidavit: funds used only as stated, no salary from your home university, unused money refunded.

Eligibility

Open to any nationality; the gate is where you are enrolled.
Bachelor’s students currently enrolled at a North American or European university (to study at a Swiss university), or students currently enrolled at a Swiss university (to study at a North American or European one).
Fields: engineering (designing or building physical or virtual systems; medicine, chemistry, physics and the life sciences are excluded), environmental sciences, all medieval disciplines, and digital humanities linking medieval studies with data or computer science.
The host must waive any visiting-student fee or have its chair or lab cover it.

Can you apply?

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“Currently enrolled bachelor students of a North American or a European University or currently enrolled at a Swiss University.” Eligibility

Education required
Bachelor Enrolled

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Application process

1
Secure a letter from a host professor, on institutional letterhead, confirming supervision for the whole stay and that any visiting-student fee is waived or covered.
2
By 1 November of the year before the summer, email the application form, the signed affidavit and one combined PDF to the foundation.
3
Recommendation letters are not considered; the foundation may contact your host and gives no reasons for its decisions.

Program timeline

1 November 2026
application deadline for summer 2027.
stay of up to three months.
June–September 2027 (or your summer break)