Funding

Partial / Stipend

Program dates

Sep 1, 2027

Fellowship•Switzerland

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), Swiss Confederation

Application Deadline

Rolling admission

Official Page

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are awarded every year by the Swiss Confederation to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and more than 180 countries. Recipients are selected by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS/ESKAS). Research fellowships fund a 6–12 month research stay during doctoral studies, and PhD scholarships fund a full doctorate, at Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL and the four ETH-domain research institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag). Art scholarships fund a first Master’s degree at a Swiss arts school or conservatory and are offered to selected countries only. Postdoctoral scholarships are discontinued from the 2027/28 academic year. Every applicant must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland, and applications are submitted through the Swiss diplomatic representation in the applicant’s country, each country with its own deadline and document annex.

Benefits & funding

  • Monthly scholarship of CHF 2,450 (raised from 1 January 2026 by Federal Council decision).
  • Health insurance premiums covered by the FCS for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries.
  • One-time grant of CHF 600 towards the rental deposit.
  • Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport.
  • Return flight allowance for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries.
  • Durations: research fellowship 6–12 months (no extension); PhD scholarship 12 months, renewable twice up to 36 months subject to academic progress; arts Master’s 12 months, extendable up to 21 months.
  • Not covered: tuition fees (approx. CHF 600–2,000 per semester), conference participation and field-research costs.

Eligibility

  • Early-career researchers from more than 180 countries; the exact country list and each country’s deadline are published in regional annexes on the SERI site when applications open (August 2026 for the 2027–28 cycle). Art scholarships are offered for selected countries only.
  • A completed Master’s degree (or equivalent) is required for research fellowships and PhD scholarships; arts applicants pursue a first Master’s degree. The exact completion cut-off date for the 2027–28 cycle is published with the country annexes in August 2026.
  • Maximum age 35.
  • A letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland is mandatory; the supervisor must be a professor or laboratory leader authorized to supervise doctorates. Finding the supervisor is the applicant’s own responsibility.
  • A detailed research plan (2–3 pages) with a timeline and key milestones is required.
  • Not eligible: previous Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders; a fourth application after three unsuccessful attempts for the same scholarship type; applicants who will already have been in Switzerland for more than one year when the scholarship begins in September. Priority goes to candidates who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland.

Can you apply?

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  • Education required

    Bachelor · Master

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  • Age requirement

    ≤ 35 yrs

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Application process

  1. 1
    Identify a professor at a Swiss university, ETH Zurich, EPFL or an ETH-domain research institute willing to supervise your research, and secure a letter of support.
  2. 2
    When applications open on 20 August 2026, check your country’s annex on the SERI website for the local deadline, application package and submission channel.
  3. 3
    Prepare the application documents: short CV, letter of motivation, 2–3 letters of recommendation and a 2–3 page research plan.
  4. 4
    Submit the complete application through the Swiss diplomatic representation responsible for your country by your country-specific deadline.
  5. 5
    The FCS evaluates candidates on their profile, the quality of the research or artistic project, and the potential for future cooperation; decisions are announced by the end of May, and scholarships start on 1 September 2027.

Program timeline

  1. 20 August 2026

    Applications for the 2027–28 cycle open; country annexes with deadlines published

  2. From 20 August 2026

    Country-specific submission deadlines published in the country annexes (each country sets its own; SERI has not published the 2027–28 dates yet)

  3. FCS announces scholarship decisions

    By end of May 2027

  4. Scholarships begin

    1 September 2027