Check the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists for the 2022-2023 Academic Year. 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).
All You Need to Know about Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2022
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.
- Hosted Country: Scholarships in Switzerland.
- Issued: Swiss Confederation
- Scholarship Duration: 2-5 years.
- Coverage: Fully Funded.
- No. of scholarships: Not specified.
- Language of Instruction: English or French.
- Study Mode: Full-Time Study.
- Eligibility: Master’s, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral, Research Degree.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships Areas
All majors in the Participated Universities:
- University of Basel / University of Bern / University of Fribourg / University of Geneva / University of Lausanne / University of Lucerne / University of Neuchâtel / University of St. Gallen / University of Zurich / Università della Svizzera italiana
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
Research Institutes of the ETH Domain (PSI; WSL; EMPA; EAWAG) - Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)
Types of scholarship
The research scholarship is available to post-graduate researchers in any discipline (who hold a master’s degree as a minimum) 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 mentor at one of these higher education institutions will be considered.
Art scholarships are open to art students wishing to pursue an initial 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.
Swiss Confederation Scholarship BENEFITS
- The scholarship amounts to a monthly payment of CHF 3’500.
- There are no family allowances.
- No financial support for conferences.
- For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: the FCS pays mandatory
Swiss health insurance. - Scholarship holders from non-EU and non-EFTA countries receive a flight
allowance (lump sum) for a ticket back to their country of origin (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.
Eligibility
- Applicants who have been in Switzerland since more than one year at the
beginning of the scholarship in September are not eligible. Reference
document if applicable: residence permit to be added to the application
documents. - 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 research. - Not accepted as academic supervisors for scholarship
applicants are their former research mentors and their co-directors if the academic supervisor is at a Swiss university. - 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.
- Scholarship holders are expected to move to Switzerland during their
grant period. - The scholarship amount covers the living costs of one person only.
Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government
Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.
Required Documents
Select your country of origin according to your passport for receiving further information and the application documents:
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.
Application Procedures for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2022
The application package can be obtained by e-mail from the Embassy of Switzerland in your country.
Selection Process
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
The FCS is composed of professors from all Swiss public universities. Scholarship awards are decided on the basis of academic and scientific excellence.