Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for PhD and Research stay

Research scholarships

• Research stay

  Objective

  • The scholarship enables selected applicants to carry out a one-year research project as part of their doctoral studies at a Swiss higher education institution or recognised research institute.
  • Valid only for full-time research in Switzerland.

  Target group

  • Highly qualified early-career researchers from all academic fields who are pursuing a PhD in a country other than Switzerland, including young medical doctors.
  • Priority will be given to individuals who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland (see eligibility criteria for exceptions).

  Eligibility criteria

  • Master’s degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027).
  • Date of birth after 31 December 1991.
  • Detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities.
  • Applicants must have a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland (including a short CV).
  • If the applicant already resides in Switzerland: date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026 (submit a copy of the registration confirmation or residence permit).

  Selection criteria

  • Academic profile, research competence, and motivation
  • Originality and methodological quality of the project
  • Quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration

  Duration

  • Maximum of 12 months (6 months at minimum)
  • No extensions possible
  • Start date: 1 September 2027

  Scholarship amount

  • CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses for one person
  • This scholarship is not a salary and must therefore not be treated as equivalent to regular remuneration, either financially or legally.

  Academic supervision required

  An academic supervisor at a Swiss university is required for all scholarship applications (research fellowships, PhD scholarships). Each applicant must find a supervisor in Switzerland to endorse the proposed research project and write a letter of support. Scholarship applications without an academic supervisor will not be considered. This also applies to graduate schools (doctoral programmes).

  It is the responsibility of each individual scholarship applicant to find a suitable academic supervisor.

  Suitable supervisors: professors and laboratory group leaders. For PhD scholarships, supervisors must be authorised to supervise doctoral theses.

  At universities of applied sciences, a doctorate requires two academic supervisors. One of them must be authorised to confer doctorates at a traditional university.

  Before contacting a potential supervisor

  • Academic relevance: Check whether the academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution is conducting research in your desired field.
  • Self-assessment: Make sure that your skills and credentials meet all the requirements for the desired scientific collaboration.
  • Thorough research: Be precise. For example, verify the degree requirements relevant to your intended scholarship before reaching out.
  • Keep in mind: The search for an academic supervisor can take weeks or even months, as professors receive many enquiries.
  • Please note: The application for a PhD scholarship, including the letter of support from a host supervisor, and the application for admission to a doctoral programme at a Swiss higher education institution are two separate procedures.

   

Key elements of the scholarship application

• Complete CV including educational background, degrees, awards, positions, publications, teaching and practical experience.
• Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages): reasons for stay in Switzerland, significance for future career and professional plans after the scholarship.
• Research proposal : detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities. To be submitted on FCS/ESKAS form (max. 5 pages including a summary for non-specialists). The form can be downloaded in the online application.
• Letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution.
• Short CV (max. 2 pages) from this academic supervisor.
• For research fellowships: short CV of the academic supervisor at the home university.
• For PhD scholarships at graduate schools only: confirmation of admission to graduate school (see FAQ for more details).
• E-mail addresses of two different professors in the relevant academic field must be provided during the online application. Those professors will be contacted through the application system and asked to upload a recommendation letter (FCS/ESKAS form).
• Copies of certificates and transcripts from previous universities (if not in English, French, Italian or German, with certified translations).
• For India: self-certification accepted.
• Copy of passport (dual citizen submit copies of both passports).
• Copy of residence permit or of registration confirmation if already residing in Switzerland.

Exclusion criteria for research scholarships

• The application is incomplete or contains formal errors.
• Multiple applications are submitted simultaneously by the same person for several host universities and/or scholarship types.
• The applicant has been living, studying, or working in Switzerland since a date more than 13 months before the start of the scholarship
• The applicant has already received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
• This is the fourth application after three unsuccessful attempts.
• No academic supervisor in Switzerland has been indicated.
• No letter of support from the academic supervisor in Switzerland has been provided.
• Applications are submitted with more than one research project proposal.

PhD scholarships

Objective

• This scholarship is intended to support selected applicants in pursuing a PhD at a Swiss university or recognised research institute.
• Valid only for full-time research in Switzerland.

Target group

• Highly qualified researchers who have completed a master’s degree in any academic field
• Priority will be given to individuals who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland (see eligibility criteria for exceptions).

Eligibility criteria

• Master’s degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027).
• Date of birth after 31 December 1991.
• Detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities.
• Applicants must have a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland (including a short CV).
• If the applicant already resides in Switzerland: date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026 (submit a copy of the registration confirmation or residence permit).

Selection criteria

• Academic profile, research competence, and motivation
• Originality and methodological quality of the project
• Quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration

Duration

• 12 months, renewable twice for up to 36 months (subject to academic progress during the first 12 months).
• Start date: 1 September 2027.

Scholarship amount

• CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses for one person
• This scholarship is not a salary and must therefore not be treated as equivalent to regular remuneration, either financially or legally.

Academic supervision required

An academic supervisor at a Swiss university is required for all scholarship applications (research fellowships, PhD scholarships). Each applicant must find a supervisor in Switzerland to endorse the proposed research project and write a letter of support. Scholarship applications without an academic supervisor will not be considered. This also applies to graduate schools (doctoral programmes).

It is the responsibility of each individual scholarship applicant to find a suitable academic supervisor.

Suitable supervisors: professors and laboratory group leaders. For PhD scholarships, supervisors must be authorised to supervise doctoral theses.

At universities of applied sciences, a doctorate requires two academic supervisors. One of them must be authorised to confer doctorates at a traditional university.

Before contacting a potential supervisor

• Academic relevance: Check whether the academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution is conducting research in your desired field.
• Self-assessment: Make sure that your skills and credentials meet all the requirements for the desired scientific collaboration.
• Thorough research: Be precise. For example, verify the degree requirements relevant to your intended scholarship before reaching out.
• Keep in mind: The search for an academic supervisor can take weeks or even months, as professors receive many enquiries.
• Please note: The application for a PhD scholarship, including the letter of support from a host supervisor, and the application for admission to a doctoral programme at a Swiss higher education institution are two separate procedures.

Key elements of the scholarship application

• Complete CV including educational background, degrees, awards, positions, publications, teaching and practical experience.
• Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages): reasons for stay in Switzerland, significance for future career and professional plans after the scholarship.
• Research proposal : detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities. To be submitted on FCS/ESKAS form (max. 5 pages including a summary for non-specialists). The form can be downloaded in the online application.
• Letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution.
• Short CV (max. 2 pages) from this academic supervisor.
• For research fellowships: short CV of the academic supervisor at the home university.
• For PhD scholarships at graduate schools only: confirmation of admission to graduate school (see FAQ for more details).
• E-mail addresses of two different professors in the relevant academic field must be provided during the online application. Those professors will be contacted through the application system and asked to upload a recommendation letter (FCS/ESKAS form).
• Copies of certificates and transcripts from previous universities (if not in English, French, Italian or German, with certified translations).
• For India: self-certification accepted.
• Copy of passport (dual citizen submit copies of both passports).
• Copy of residence permit or of registration confirmation if already residing in Switzerland.

Exclusion criteria for PhD scholarships

• The application is incomplete or contains formal errors.
• Multiple applications are submitted simultaneously by the same person for several host universities and/or scholarship types.
• The applicant has been living, studying, or working in Switzerland since a date more than 13 months before the start of the scholarship
• The applicant has already received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
• This is the fourth application after three unsuccessful attempts.
• No academic supervisor in Switzerland has been indicated.
• No letter of support from the academic supervisor in Switzerland has been provided.
• Applications are submitted with more than one research project proposal.
• PhD scholarships at graduate schools only:  
  The official confirmation of admission from a recognised graduate school is missing. Note: PhD applications for individual doctorates do not need a letter of admission at the time of application (see FAQ for more information).
• PhD students with an ongoing or planned doctoral project carried out under a formal agreement between two universities (“cotutelle de thèse” cooperation between a Swiss and a foreign university) are only eligible for a 12-month research fellowship. The project is jointly supervised by two supervisors.

Location of studies – Swiss higher education institutions

For the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships:

• 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)

• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO)
• Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)
• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
• Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST)
• University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FHGR)
• Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU)
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)
• Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)
• Universities of teacher education
• UniDistance Suisse (presence in Switzerland mandatory)
• Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET)
• Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM)

• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO)
• Bern University of the Arts (HKB-BFH)
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
• University of Applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland (OST)
• Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU)
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)
• Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana
• Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK)

Scholarships: Amount and additional benefits

• Research fellowships, PhD scholarships and art scholarships: CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses of one person.
  Please note: This scholarship is not a salary.
  No funding is provided for fieldwork and participation in conferences
• Additional benefits:
  • Health insurance: FCS covers the premiums for compulsory health insurance for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries. Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries must cover these costs themselves.
  • One-time grant of CHF 600 for rental deposit.
  • Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport
  • In addition, the coordinating body organises excursions and activities for federal scholarship holders.
  • Return flight allowance:
    Scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries receive a return flight allowance (amount determined by country of origin). This allowance may be used up to two months after expiry of the scholarship exclusively for the purpose of returning to the country of origin.
• Costs to be paid by scholarship holders:
  • Tuition fees:
    The Federal Excellence Scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees. In some cases, universities, universities of applied sciences or federal institutes of technology require scholarship holders to pay semester fees (approx. CHF 600 to CHF 2,000 per semester) or reduced tuition fees. In some cases, PhD fees are not waived.
    Scholarship holders must cover these fees themselves.
  • Conferences:
    The costs of participating in international conferences are borne by the scholarship holders.
  • Field research:
    PhD scholarship holders may request to do field research for up to six months (without additional funding). All associated costs are borne by the scholarship holders.
  • Travel expenses:
    Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries must pay their own travel expenses.

Scholarship holder obligations

• Place of residence:
  The scholarship requires the holder to reside in Switzerland. Scholarship holders must live in the city or canton of their Swiss host institution. They must follow FCS instructions, comply with laws applicable to foreign nationals and adhere to the regulations established by their host institution.
• Family and children:
  The scholarship amount only covers the living expenses for one person. No family allowances are provided. The decision on whether to grant residence permits for accompanying persons is made by the federal and cantonal migration authorities. Currently, a restrictive policy is in place. Neither FCS nor Swiss higher education institutions provide any support in this regard.
• Additional scholarships/income:
  Some universities (e.g. EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich) require additional funding from the academic supervisor. FCS must be notified if any other financial support is provided, e.g. from other scholarships, teaching and research assistant positions. The scholarship may not be used to supplement full-time employment.
• Field research:
  Field research outside Switzerland is not permitted during research fellowships.

Interested?

Important: Before starting the online application, please check the available scholarship types and deadlines for your country of origin.

List of all countries and territories with scholarship types and deadlines

Apply here

Scholarship applications only via this link (access available from 20 August 2026).

Allow enough time
Start preparing your application well in advance. Careful preparation improves your chances of success.

Steps:
1. Check that you meet the eligibility requirements.
2. Register in Grants Online (GO ESKAS).
3. Sign in to GO ESKAS and prepare your application. If you are applying for a research scholarship, you must also identify an academic supervisor in Switzerland.

Important: Do not send your application by email or in paper form.