Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

A research fellowship funds a stay of 6 to 12 months in Switzerland during a doctorate held elsewhere. It cannot be extended.

A PhD scholarship funds a doctorate at a Swiss institution: 12 months at a time, renewable twice up to 36 months, and, from 2028, up to four years. Host institutions can be any cantonal university, university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich or EPFL, or one of the four ETH Domain research institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa and Eawag).

Art scholarships fund a first master's at a Swiss conservatory or art school, for 12 months extendable to a maximum of 21. They are offered to applicants from a limited number of countries only; the country list shows which.

Holders receive 2,450 Swiss francs a month, which is a scholarship and not a salary. Holders from outside the EU and EFTA have their health insurance paid and receive a return flight allowance that varies by country. Everyone receives a one-off grant of 600 francs towards a rental deposit and a Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport.

The scholarship does not pay tuition fees, which the official page puts at 600 to 2,000 francs a semester, nor conference costs, fieldwork or family allowances. The programme warns that the rules for bringing family members to Switzerland are restrictive.

In each country the Swiss embassy handles the applications and sets the deadline; the country list gives each embassy's opening date, deadline and contact. The FCS then assesses the candidates on three things: their academic profile and competence, the originality and quality of the research or artistic project, and the quality of supervision and the prospect of lasting collaboration between the scholar and Switzerland. Decisions are made by the end of May.

Because a Swiss academic has to agree to supervise the project, most of the real selection happens before the application: the professor decides whether to back you, and the commission advises supervisors to support no more than one or two candidates a year so that each letter carries weight.

Scholars must live in Switzerland, in the city or canton of their host institution, and research full-time. Any other funding must be reported to the commission. Research fellows may not do fieldwork outside Switzerland; PhD scholars may spend up to six months abroad for research but receive no extra money for it.

The supervisor commits to supervising the whole period, 12 months for a research stay or up to 36 for a PhD, and to integrating the scholar into the team with good working conditions.