Swiss Government Scholarships for International Students, 2017 2018

Swiss Government, through the Federal Commission offers excellence scholarships for foreign scholars and artists in Switzerland. Scholarships 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 Scholarships 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 Scholarships 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.

Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing Ph.D., postdoctoral and research programs and fine arts scholarships are for the Master program (according to the ECTS credits).

Study Subject(s): Scholarships are offered in diverse fields to help students in upgrading their education.

Scholarship Award: Scholarships will comprise of

PhD Scholarships

The scholarship amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1,920.

Tuition fees are waived.

For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS.

Non-European grantees receive a lump sum for their airfare (provided at the end of the scholarship).

Special CHF 300 housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the scholarship).

One-year half-fare public transportation card.

Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organised for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.

Postdoctoral scholarships:

The scholarship amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 3,500.

Tuition fees are waived.

For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS.

Non-European grantees receive a lump sum for their airfare (provided at the end of the scholarship).

Special CHF 300 housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the scholarship).

One-year half-fare public transportation card.

Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organised for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders

Research scholarships

The scholarship amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1,920.

Tuition fees are waived.

For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss health insurance is paid by the FCS.

Non-European grantees receive a lump sum for their airfare (provided at the end of the scholarship).

Special CHF 300 housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the scholarship).

One-year half-fare public transportation card.

Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organised for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.

Fine Arts

The scholarship amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 1,920.

For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: mandatory Swiss Health insurance is paid by the FCS.

Non-European grantees receive a lump sum for airfare (provided at the end of the scholarship).

Special CHF 300 housing allowance (paid once at the beginning of the scholarship).

One-year half-fare public transportation card.

Support services and various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours organised for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders.

Scholarship can be taken in Switzerland

Eligibility:

PhD Criteria

Master’s degree or equivalent university degree recognised by the Swiss university.

The applicant must not be over 35 years old at the time of the application.

Applicants who are in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship 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 Ph.D.

In those cases where the Ph.D. is pursued within a structured doctoral school, applicants must include in their application an admission letter or proof that they are being considered for admission. Without such a document, the application will be rejected. For EPFL doctoral school candidates, the admission letter from the EPFL doctoral school is required. As this takes time, applicants must plan accordingly and submit their application for admission to the EPFL doctoral school sufficiently in advance of the scholarship programme deadline. Without these documents, the application will be rejected.

Applicants must have a research proposal including a timeframe (this is the central piece 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 Ph.D. studies/research.

Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.

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 scholarship 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.

The applicant must not be more than 35 years old at the time of the application.

Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship in September are not eligible.

Applicants must provide a letter (or e-mail) from a professor at the Swiss host institution stating that they are willing to supervise the 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 research/studies.

Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.

Fine Arts Criteria

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

The candidate must not be over 35 years old at the time of the application. The applicant 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 scholarship 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.
Please Note:

The application for a FCS Fine Arts Scholarship and the application for admission by your chosen Swiss conservatory or art school (university of applied sciences) are two separate procedures. FCS applicants have to document that they have been accepted by an institution or that they are being considered for admission. Without such a document, the application will be rejected.

Nationality: International applicants are eligible to apply.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirement: Applicants must have their previous degree.

Test Requirement: No

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.

Government Scholarships

How to Apply: The application package can be obtained by email from the Swiss Embassy.
Applications should be submitted in triplicate, with the number of copies indicated (hard copies only). The original, signed documents and attested translations should be submitted, along with two copies. The other two sets are copies of the first set. For details see the Application Guidelines available at their contact institution. The official FCS 2017-2018 application form (typed and printed). Handwritten forms will not be accepted.

A full curriculum vitae with list of academic publications.

A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages).

A complete research proposal (max. 5 pages). Use only the official research proposal form provided with the application package.

A copy of the letter or email from a professor at the chosen Swiss university confirming that they are willing to supervise the Ph.D. studies.

Include a short CV of your academic host supervisor.

Short CV of your actual academic contact person/mentor at your home institution.

Photocopies of all certificates and grade sheets from previously attended universities/colleges and diplomas with grades. (If the originals are not in English, French, German or

Italian, the copies must be translated into one of these languages and attested. Attestations can be made by a university or government officer.)

Two letters of recommendation from professors in the applicant’s field (use only the official reference form provided with the application package).

A health certificate (use only the official health certificate provided with the application package).

Each application set should contain two copies of the applicant’s passport (main page with personal data).

Application Deadline: Varies from country to country.

Scholarship Link