What are Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are offered by the Swiss Confederation to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. These scholarships are available to post-graduate researchers, doctoral and postdoctoral candidates, and artists in any discipline who are eligible and have a minimum of a master’s degree. The scholarship covers a monthly allowance, tuition fees, health insurance, lodging allowance, and more. These international scholarships in Europe are open to citizens of countries that have diplomatic relations with Switzerland and are intended to promote research and the arts.
What are the eligibility requirements for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?
In order to apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be born after 31 December 1987
- Not have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship
- Possess the necessary language skills required for the program
- Not have previously secured the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- Have achieved a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree before 31 July 2023
- For the Swiss Government Excellence Research Scholarship, provide a letter from an academic host professor (including their short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why they are willing to support the research and supervise
- For the Swiss Government Excellence Arts Scholarship, be a student wishing to pursue an initial master’s degree in Switzerland
- For the Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarship, hold a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree achieved before 31 July 2023 (except: ETH Zurich: 30 June 2023) and be able to submit a research proposal including a timeframe
- For PhD students with an ongoing or planned doctoral project, be eligible for a 12-month research fellowship only.
Which universities in Switzerland offer programs eligible for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are available to post-graduate researchers in any discipline who are planning to come to Switzerland to pursue research or further studies at the doctoral or post-doctoral level. The scholarship is applicable to all Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes. For art scholarships, it is applicable to any Swiss conservatory or university of the arts.
Therefore, the following universities in Switzerland offer programs eligible for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships:
- University of Basel
- University of Bern
- University of Fribourg
- University of Geneva
- University of Lausanne
- University of Lucerne
- University of Neuchatel
- University of St. Gallen
- University of Zurich
- ETH Zurich
- EPFL
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich)
- University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
- University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)
- University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland (FHO)
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)
- Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
Who is eligible to apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship? [Expanded list]
In order to be eligible for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be born after 31 December 1987
- Not be staying in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship
- Provide a letter from an academic host professor (including their short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why they are willing to support the research and supervise
- Have a research proposal that includes a timeframe
- Have the necessary language skills required for the research/studies
- Not have previously secured the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
- Have achieved a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree before 31 July 2023
- Be a highly qualified postgraduate student in any academic field
For PhD Students:
- Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree achieved before 31 July 2023 (except: ETH Zurich: 30 June 2023)
- Be born after 31 December 1987
- Be able to submit a research proposal including a timeframe
- Have a mandatory letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV)
For Postgraduate Researchers:
- Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree achieved before 31 July 2023 (except: ETH Zurich: 30 June 2023)
- Be born after 31 December 1987
- Be able to submit a research proposal including a timeframe
- Have a mandatory letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV)
For Art students:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree
- Be born after 31 December 1987
- Be able to submit a research proposal including a timeframe
- Have a mandatory letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV).
What are the criteria for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship has specific eligibility criteria that prospective candidates must meet in order to be considered for the scholarship. These criteria include:
- Being born after 31 December 1987
- Not staying in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship
- Having a research proposal with a specified timeframe
- Having the necessary language skills for the research/studies
- Having achieved a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree before 31 July 2023
- Being nominated by an academic mentor at one of the Swiss higher education institutions
- Being able to demonstrate the potential for future research collaboration.
In terms of assessment criteria, applicants will be judged on their candidate profile, quality of the research project or artistic work, and potential for future research collaboration or synergy.
Applicants who have previously secured the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply.
What type of degree programmes are covered by the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship covers two different types of degree programmes: research and art.
Research Scholarship Program: This program 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 the doctoral or post-doctoral level. Swiss Research scholarships are awarded for research or study at all Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, and the two federal institutes of technology.
Art Scholarship Program: This program is available 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 Swiss scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.
What is the application deadline for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The deadline to submit an application for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is December 31, 2023.
How much allowance is provided to successful applicants of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship provides successful applicants with a monthly stipend of CHF 1,920, a housing allowance of CHF 300, tuition fees waiver, paid health insurance, and free airfare tickets. Additionally, sponsorships are available for research funds, and support services, excursions, meals, and sightseeing tours are also provided.
What documents are required to apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
To apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, candidates must submit the following documents: a signed FCS application form (typed and printed) with photos, a full CV with a list of academic publications, awards, etc., a motivation letter (max. 2 pages), a complete research proposal (max. 5 pages, signed), a copy of the letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the chosen Swiss university, a short CV of the academic mentor at the home institution, two confidential letters of recommendation from two different professors in the applicant’s field, photocopies of certificates and grade sheets from previously attended universities/colleges and diplomas with grades, a signed medical certificate, and two copies of the applicant’s passport (main page with personal data). Dual nationals should also provide copies of both passports, and applicants already in Switzerland during the application procedure should include a copy of the residence permit for Switzerland. Interested candidates must also download a PDF file to see specific instructions about their countries and to find the application deadline.
What is the duration of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is typically awarded for a period of one year, but may be extended up to two years in exceptional cases. The scholarship covers a monthly allowance, tuition fees, health insurance, lodging allowance, etc.
How can one find out more information about the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
One can find out more information about the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship by first visiting their official website. On the website, one should select the country and continent from which they are applying and check the scholarship categories that are available. After that, they should download and read the guide to familiarize themselves with the scholarship requirements. Then, they should select the country of origin and identify the scholarship available for their country. After that, they should contact the Swiss Embassy in their country via email and ask for the Application Package for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship. They should also check the scholarship deadline before contacting the embassy as this may vary from country to country. Finally, they should apply for the scholarship.