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Deadline: vary according to country and scholarships on offer
Open to: young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or PhD and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.
Benefits: vary according to country
Description
Swiss Government, through the Federal Commission, offers excellence scholarships for foreign scholars and artists in Switzerland. The studentships are available for pursuing Ph.D., postdoctoral, research programs and fine arts at one of the public funded universities or recognized institution.
The Swiss Government Excellence The studentships are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or Ph.D. and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.
Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Recipients are selected by the awarding body, the Federal Commission for programs for Foreign Students (FCS).
Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.
Eligibility
Ph.D. Criteria
- Master’s degree or equivalent university degree recognised by the Swiss university. The applicant must have achieved this degree before the start of the program next September. As a proof the degree has to be submitted to the Federal Commission for programmes before the start of the program.
- Applicant’s date of birth after 31 December 1983.
- Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the program in September are not eligible.
- Applicants must provide a letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the PhD thesis. Without such support, the application will be rejected.
- Applicants must have a research proposal including a timeframe. This is the centrepiece of the application. The applicant must devote all required attention to it.
- Applicants must be in command of the necessary language skills required for the PhD studies/ research.
- Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.
- Scholarship holders are expected to move to Switzerland during their grant period.
Postdoctoral Criteria
- PhD degree
- No more than five years may have passed between the award of the Ph.D. and the application deadline.
- Applicants who are in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the program in September are not eligible.
- Applicants must provide a letter (or email) from a professor at the Swiss host institution stating that they are willing and entitled to supervise the postdoctoral research. Without such confirmation, the application will be rejected.
- Applicants must have a research proposal including a timeframe (this is the centrepiece of the application. The applicant must devote all required attention to it).
- Applicants must be in command of the necessary language skills required for the postdoctoral research.
- Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.
Research Criteria
- Master’s degree or equivalent university degree recognised by the Swiss university. The applicant must have achieved this degree before the start of the program next September. As a proof the degree has to be submitted to the Federal Commission for programmes before the start of the program.
- Applicants must be born after 31 December 1983
- Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the program in September are not eligible.
- Applicants must provide a letter from a professor at the Swiss host institution stating that she/he is willing to support and supervise the research. Without such support, the application will be rejected.
- Applicants must have a research proposal including a timeframe. This is the centrepiece of the application. The applicant must devote all required attention to it.
- Applicants must be in command of the necessary language skills required for the research/studies.
- Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship. Scholarship holders are expected to move to Switzerland during their grant period.
Fine Arts Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
- Applicants must be born after 31 December 1983.
- Applicants should start their scholarship no later than three years after graduating with their Bachelor’s degree.
- Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the program in September are not eligible.
- Applicants must be in command of the necessary language skills required for the Master’s programme.
- Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.
Scholarship holders are expected to move to Switzerland during their grant period.
English Language Requirements: Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.
Select your country of origin according to your passport:
Countries A – L / Countries M – Z
Check the application deadline and the different types of scholarship on offer. These vary according to country. You will also find details of what to do next and where to get more information.
Benefits
Financial aid positions will comprise of:
Ph.D. Scholarships
- The aid amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1’920 (around EUR 1726.46);
- For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS;
- There are no family allowances;
- Scholarship holders from outside continental Europe receive a flight allowance (lump sum) for a ticket back to their country of origin (provided at the end of the program);
- Special CHF 300 (around EUR 269.75) housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the program);
- One-year half-fare public transportation card;
- Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organised for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.
- PhD scholarship holders may request a supplementary allowance for fieldwork. For fieldtrips lasting longer than 2 months the program amount will be reduced to 50%.
Postdoctoral scholarships:
- The aid amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 3’500 (around 3147.19);
- For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS;
- There are no family allowances;
- Scholarship holders from outside continental Europe receive a flight allowance (lump sum) for a ticket back to their country of origin (provided at the end of the program);
- Special CHF 300 (around EUR 269.75);
- housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the program);
- One-year half-fare public transportation card;
- Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organized for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.
Research scholarships
- The aid amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1,920 (around EUR 1726.46);
- For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS;
- There are no family allowances;
- Scholarship holders from outside continental Europe receive a flight allowance (lump sum) for a ticket back to their country of origin (provided at the end of the program);
- Special CHF 300 (around EUR 269.75);
- housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the program);
- One-year half-fare public transportation card;
- Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organized for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.
Fine Arts
- The aid amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1,920 (around EUR 1726.46);
- For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS;
- There are no family allowances;
- Scholarship holders from outside continental Europe receive a flight allowance (lump sum) for a ticket back to their country of origin (provided at the end of the program);
- Special CHF 300 (around EUR 269.75);
- housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the program);
- One-year half-fare public transportation card;
- Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organized for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.
How to apply?
- Signed FCS application form (typed and printed) with photo.
- A full CV with list of academic publications.
- A motivation letter (max. 2 pages).
- A complete research proposal (max. 5 pages, signed), using exclusively the FCS research proposal form.
- A copy of the letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the PhD thesis.
- For PhD Positionsat doctoral schools*: A proof that the applicant is being considered for admission. Except: EPFL: accepted admission required.
*A support letter from a host professor is required in any case additionally. - Two confidential letters of recommendation from two different professors in the applicant’s field (use exclusively the FCS reference form – originals in sealed envelopes only for the 1st set).
- Photocopies of certificates and grade sheets from previously attended universities/colleges and diplomas with grades, starting with the most recent. If not in English, French, Italian or German with attested certified translations.
- Signed medical certificate (use only the FCS health certificate form).
- Two copies of the applicant’s passport (main page with personal data). Dual nationals add copies of both passports.
- Please do not put the documents into plastic folders or binders.
The application deadlines vary depending on the country you come from.
In order to apply for a scholarship, please contact the relevant application institution in your country of origin (institution cited in the factsheet, that you can find when you choose your country from the drop-down menu HERE ).
For further information visit the official website.