Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-2028 for Foreign Scholars & Artists

Deadline: Varies

Applications are open for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-2028. Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to encourage international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Recipients are selected by the awarding body, the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS aka ESKAS). Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are mainly intended for talented early career researchers (ECRs) from abroad who have already completed their Master’s degree. The scholarship programme is currently open to applicants from 183 countries.

Scholarship Types

Research: These scholarships are available to postgraduate researchers in any discipline wishing to pursue research at any Swiss cantonal university, university of applied sciences, either of Switzerland’s two federal institutes of technology (ETHZ or EPFL) or at one of the four research institutes within the ETH Domain (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag). Prerequisite: the scholarship application must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland who is willing to direct and guide the applicant’s proposed research.

Open to PhD Students from 183 countries

Required: Master’s Degree and Supervisor

Duration: 12 months

PhD

Open to PhD Students from 183 countries

Required: Master’s Degree and Supervisor

Duration: 36 months

Art: Art scholarships are open to students wishing to pursue an initial Master’s degree in an artistic field in Switzerland. This scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.

Open to Art Students from 26 countries

Required: Bachelor’s Degree and Admission or proof of application

Duration: 21 months

Scholarship Benefits

Scholarships: Amount and additional benefits

Research fellowships, PhD scholarships and art scholarships: CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses of one person. Please note: This scholarship is not a salary.

No funding is provided for fieldwork and participation in conferences

Additional benefits

Health insurance: FCS covers the premiums for compulsory health insurance for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries. Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries must cover these costs themselves. One-time grant of CHF 600 for rental deposit.

Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport

In addition, the coordinating body organises excursions and activities for federal scholarship holders.

Return flight allowance

Scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries receive a return flight allowance (amount determined by country of origin). This allowance may be used up to two months after expiry of the scholarship exclusively for the purpose of returning to the country of origin.

Costs to be paid by scholarship holders

Tuition fees

The Federal Excellence Scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees. In some cases, universities, universities of applied sciences or federal institutes of technology require scholarship holders to pay semester fees (approx. CHF 600 to CHF 2,000 per semester) or reduced tuition fees. In some cases, PhD fees are not waived. Scholarship holders must cover these fees themselves.

Conferences

The costs of participating in international conferences are borne by the scholarship holders.

Field research

PhD scholarship holders may request to do field research for up to six months (without additional funding). All associated costs are borne by the scholarship holders

An academic supervisor at a Swiss university is required for all scholarship applications (research fellowships, PhD scholarships).

Applications are submitted to Swiss diplomatic representations.