Application Deadline: Varying by Country
Applications are now open for the 2025/2026 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships. 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).
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or PhD and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.
Research scholarships
The research scholarship (research fellowship, PhD, Postdoc) is available to post-graduate researchers in any discipline (who hold a master’s degree is the minimum qualification required) who are planning to come to Switzerland to pursue research or further studies at doctoral or post-doctoral level.
Research scholarships are awarded for research or study at all Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences and the two federal institutes of technology, as well as the four research institutes. Only candidates nominated by an academic supervisor at one of these higher education institutions will be considered.
Art scholarships
Art scholarships are open to art students wishing to pursue an initial arts master’s degree in Switzerland.
Art scholarships are awarded for study at any Swiss conservatory or university of the arts. This scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.
Financial Worth
Scholarship amount
(Please note: This scholarship is not a salary.)Research scholarship: 1’920.-Swiss Francs per month = 23’040.-CHF for 1 yearPhD scholarship:1’920.-Swiss Francs per month = 23’040.-CHF for 1 yearArts scholarship:1’920.-Swiss Francs per month = 23’040.-CHF for 1 yearPostdoctoral scholarship:3’500.-Swiss Francs per month = 42’000.-CHF for 1 year
No financial support for fieldwork or for conferences. Grant holders receive a one-year half-fare public transportation card in Switzerland.Support services organise various trips, dinners and sightseeing tours for Swiss Government Scholarship holders.All scholarship holders receive a one-time lump sum of CHF 300.-with the first grant payment to help them pay part of the housing deposit.
Tuition fees and Master fees for artists
The ESKAS does not pay for tuition and/or semester fees. In some cases the universities and the Federal Institute of Technology do require scholarship holders to pay semester fees (approx. CHF 600.-up to CHF 2’000.-per semester) or at least reduced tuition fees. In some cases the universities do not waive the PhD fees. In case the Universities and the Universities of Applied Sciences and Art Schools should not waive the fees, it is up to the grantee to pay for the fees.
Health insurance
According to the Swiss law, every resident in Switzerland must be covered by a Health Care Insurance (except for dental care). For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: the ESKAS pays mandatory Swiss health insurance. Please note, each ESKAS scholarship holder from an EU and EFTA Member State is responsible for his/her insurance coverage and all resulting costs.
How to apply
Select your country of origin according to your passport. Find out about the types of scholarships available, eligibility criteria and application deadlines for your country.
Selection
Applications are subject to preliminary selection by the relevant national authorities and/or the Swiss diplomatic representation. The short-listed applications are then assessed by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), which takes the final decision.
The FCS assesses scholarship applications according to three criteria:
- Candidate profile
- Quality of the research project or artistic work
- Synergies and potential for future research cooperation
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships