Deadline: 15 November, 2012
Open to: Graduated students not older than 35 years coming from the listed countries in the post
Scholarship: The students granted with scholarship will receive 1,920 CHF/ 3,500 CHF per month which largely covers the living expenses
Description
The Swiss Government awards a range of scholarships to foreign students through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS): university scholarships (Swiss universities and Federal Institutes of Technology), arts scholarships (schools of music and fine arts) and scholarships for universities of applied sciences (UAS). These scholarships provide graduates from all fields with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies or research in Switzerland at a public funded university or recognised institution. The Swiss Government Scholarships are for full time postgraduate studies in one of the Swiss Universities. There are Research, PhD and Post-Doctoral Scholarships available this year.
Eligibility
- If you are in Switzerland since more than 1 year you are not eligible for a Swiss Government scholarship
- Candidates have to be under the age of 35 to apply for a Swiss Government Scholarship
- Applicants must provide the relevant language certificate with their application package. At the minimum level C1, according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEF) for language is required. Applicants who fail to provide the required language certificate will not be taken into consideration.
- In order to be eligible you have to have graduated before the beginning of the scholarship in September.
- The scholarship always starts at the beginning of the academic year (from September to June). It is not possible to start the scholarship in the Spring Semester or any other time in the year.
- Swiss Government Scholarships are “excellence scholarships”. Scholarship awards are made on the basis of academic and scientific excellence. The personal statement, research proposal and originality of the application are also very important and can make the difference in the selection process.
Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine are eligible countries and candidates coming only from these countries can apply for a Swiss Government Scholarship for Universities of Applied Sciences.
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Turkey and United States of America are eligible countries and candidates coming from these countries only can apply for a Swiss Government Scholarship for Music or Fine arts school.
Scholarship
The scholarship is meant to cover a student’s living expenses. To give an idea, in a Swiss city, the food and housing costs are around CHF 1’200 per month. With a scholarship of 1’920 CHF per month it largely covers the financial needs. The scholarship always starts at the beginning of the academic year (from September to June). It is not possible to start the scholarship in the Spring Semester or any other time in the year. Postdoctoral Scholarships amounts to a monthly payment of 3500 Swiss Francs (tax free net amount).
The scholarship is awarded for 1 academic year (9 months). The extension will depend on the academic results of the first year. This will be defined once you have been awarded a scholarship. Grantees from European and East European countries pay for their own travel expenses to Switzerland as well as back to their country of origin. Grantees from non-European countries pay for their own travel expenses to Switzerland, but the FCS pays an allowance (lump sum) for the return ticket at the end of the scholarship. However, the return allowance will not be paid if scholarship holders extend their stay in Switzerland beyond six months after completion of their studies, if they take up employment pending the continuation of their studies or if they move to a third country.
Note that each student has to pay semester fees, which are the registration taxes in order to be registered at a Swiss University. These fees are around 600 CHF per semester. Swiss Government Scholarship holders are exempted from these fees in all Universities except at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL).
Application
Candidates cannot apply on line. In order to apply, all interested need to get in contact with the Swiss Diplomatic Representation in their home country and to ask the application package to the Swiss Diplomatic Representation. The deadline for applying is 15 November, 2012. However, each country can have different deadline for which candidates need to inform themselves at the Swiss Diplomatic Representation.
Applicants must apply for only 1 University. In case of multiple applications, your scholarship application will not be taken into consideration. You will find the list of documents you have to submit HERE. You can see FAQ here.
For more detailed information please visit the official website.
As a Nigerian, can you permit me to apply for Ph.D scholarship programme in Educational Management in your country. This will give Africa a chance to have access to the programme.
Dear Faremi,
Please note that Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. See if you are eligible candidate and click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.
Regards,
Mladiinfo team
Hi
I am an Indian and would like to know if it is applicable for me , though i do not see my country listed.
But I have applied to the University of Applied Sciences.
Thanks
Hello Anamika:
I'm sorry the deadline has already passed, and if your country is not listed then you are not eligible. You may contact the official organizers using the link to the official website above if you are interested in more information from them.
Kind regards,
Mladiinfo team
I am wondering whether it is possible to apply at the age of 35. Next year I will have finished my PhD thesis and will be exactly 35. Does this rule me out from the aplication procedure? Thank you in advance
Dear Marija,
The deadline for this year already passed. Anyway, according to the official rules, candidates must be born on or after 1.1.1977. But still it is better to contact directly the organizers with your question, they probably can give you some information about the process for next year.
Kind regards,
Mladiinfo team