The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for PhD studies support highly qualified researchers who hold a master's degree in any academic field to pursue a full-time PhD at a Swiss university or recognised research institute. The scholarship pays CHF 2,450 per month, lasts 12 months and is renewable twice for up to 36 months, starting on 1 September 2027. Applicants must be born after 31 December 1991 and need a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland. Applications are open to 168 countries and territories, with deadlines set by country of origin and the earliest falling on 10 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the official scholarship rules, and every condition, document and country deadline is set out below.
What Is the Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarship?
🎯 The scholarship is intended to support selected applicants in pursuing a PhD at a Swiss university or recognised research institute.
🔬 It is valid only for full-time research in Switzerland.
🏢 The scholarships are awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS / ESKAS), under SERI.
📚 PhD scholarships belong to the research scholarships strand, which is open to postgraduate researchers in any discipline.
Where Can You Do Your PhD?
Research scholarships can be held at:
🏫 Any Swiss cantonal university
🧪 Any university of applied sciences
🛰️ Either of Switzerland's two federal institutes of technology: ETH Zurich (ETHZ) or EPFL
🧫 One of the four research institutes within the ETH Domain: PSI, WSL, Empa and Eawag
📌 Prerequisite: the scholarship application must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland who is willing to direct and guide your proposed research.
Who Is the Scholarship For?
🌟 Highly qualified researchers who have completed a master's degree in any academic field.
🆕 Priority is given to people who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland (exceptions are covered in the eligibility criteria below).
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.
🗂️ A detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities.
🖋️ A letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland, including a short CV.
🛬 If you already reside in Switzerland, your date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026 (submit a copy of your registration confirmation or residence permit).
How Applicants Are Selected
🧠 Academic profile, research competence and motivation
💡 Originality and methodological quality of the project
🤝 Quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration
Duration and Start Date
⏱️ 12 months, renewable twice for up to 36 months.
🔄 Renewal is subject to academic progress during the first 12 months.
🗓️ Start date: 1 September 2027.
How Much Does the Scholarship Pay?
💶 CHF 2,450 per month to cover the basic living expenses of one person.
⚖️ The scholarship is not a salary and must not be treated as equivalent to regular remuneration, either financially or legally.
🚫 No funding is provided for fieldwork or 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.
🔑 A one-time grant of CHF 600 for your rental deposit.
🚆 A Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport.
🥾 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, with the amount determined by country of origin. It may be used up to two months after the scholarship expires, exclusively for returning to your country of origin.
Costs You Pay Yourself
🧾 Tuition fees: the scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees. Some 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 holder.
🏕️ 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 holder.
🧳 Travel expenses: scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries pay their own travel expenses.
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Finding an Academic Supervisor in Switzerland
🧑🏫 An academic supervisor at a Swiss university is required for all scholarship applications. You must find a supervisor in Switzerland who endorses your proposed research project and writes a letter of support.
❌ Applications without an academic supervisor will not be considered. This also applies to graduate schools (doctoral programmes).
🙋 Finding a suitable supervisor is your own responsibility.
👩🔬 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, and one of them must be authorised to confer doctorates at a traditional university.
Before You Contact a Potential Supervisor
🔍 Academic relevance: check whether the supervisor at the Swiss higher education institution is conducting research in your desired field.
🪞 Self-assessment: make sure your skills and credentials meet all the requirements for the scientific collaboration you want.
📏 Thorough research: be precise. For example, verify the degree requirements relevant to your intended scholarship before reaching out.
🕰️ Keep in mind: the search for a supervisor can take weeks or even months, as professors receive many enquiries.
🔀 Please note: the PhD scholarship application (including the supervisor's letter of support) and the application for admission to a doctoral programme at a Swiss higher education institution are two separate procedures.
Documents Required for the PhD Scholarship Application
📄 A complete CV including educational background, degrees, awards, positions, publications, teaching and practical experience.
💭 A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages): reasons for your stay in Switzerland, its significance for your future career and your professional plans after the scholarship.
🗒️ A research proposal: a detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities, submitted on the FCS/ESKAS form (max. 5 pages, including a summary for non-specialists). The form can be downloaded in the online application.
✉️ A letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution.
📋 A short CV (max. 2 pages) of this academic supervisor.
📜 For PhD scholarships at graduate schools only: confirmation of admission to the graduate school.
📧 The e-mail addresses of two different professors in the relevant academic field, provided during the online application. These professors are 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 is accepted.
🛂 A copy of your passport (dual citizens submit copies of both passports).
🏠 A copy of your residence permit or registration confirmation if you already reside in Switzerland.
Graduate Schools vs Individual Doctorates
🎟️ For PhD scholarships at graduate schools, the official confirmation of admission from a recognised graduate school is required; an application without it is excluded.
🧭 Individual doctorate applications do not need a letter of admission at the time of application.
🔗 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, jointly supervised by two supervisors) are only eligible for a 12-month research fellowship, not for a PhD scholarship.
Exclusion Criteria: When Applications Are Rejected
⚠️ The application is incomplete or contains formal errors.
🔁 The same person submits multiple applications simultaneously 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.
4️⃣ 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.
📑 The application includes more than one research project proposal.
🎫 For PhD scholarships at graduate schools only: the official confirmation of admission from a recognised graduate school is missing.
Your Obligations as a Scholarship Holder
🏡 Place of residence: you must reside in Switzerland and live in the city or canton of your Swiss host institution. You must follow FCS instructions, comply with the laws applicable to foreign nationals and adhere to your host institution's regulations.
👨👩👧 Family and children: the scholarship covers the living expenses of one person only, with no family allowances. Residence permits for accompanying persons are decided by the federal and cantonal migration authorities, which currently apply a restrictive policy. Neither FCS nor Swiss higher education institutions provide support with this.
💼 Additional scholarships and income: some universities (e.g. EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich) require additional funding from the academic supervisor. FCS must be notified of any other financial support, such as other scholarships or teaching and research assistant positions. The scholarship may not be used to supplement full-time employment.
Swiss Higher Education Institutions Listed for the 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 and Arts 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)
🎨 Bern University of the Arts (HKB-BFH)
🎻 Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana
🎭 Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK)
Application Deadlines by Country of Origin
The deadline depends on your country of origin. These are the PhD deadlines for all 168 eligible countries and territories, with country names as they appear in the official list. China, Hong Kong and North Korea are eligible for the research fellowship only, not for the PhD scholarship.
🔴 10 November 2026: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Burundi, Cook Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Germany, Haïti, India, Iran, Korea (South), Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Malawi, Morocco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Samoa, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Zimbabwe
🟠 13 November 2026: Algeria, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Finland, Peru, South Sudan, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), United Kingdom
🟡 17 November 2026: Barbados, Bulgaria, Czechia, Grenada, Guyana, Holy See (Vatican City), Italy, Malta, Santa Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
🟢 20 November 2026: Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel
🔵 24 November 2026: Cambodia, Chile, Georgia, Laos, Montenegro, Myanmar, Serbia, Thailand, Vietnam
🟣 27 November 2026: Angola, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian territory, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Salomon Islands, Saudi Arabia, São Tome and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen
🟤 30 November 2026: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belarus, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cap Verde, Colombia, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Croatia, Cuba, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Syria, Timor-Leste, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
How to Apply
✅ Step 1: check that you meet the eligibility requirements and the scholarship types and deadlines available for your country of origin.
📝 Step 2: register in Grants Online (GO ESKAS).
🔐 Step 3: sign in to GO ESKAS and prepare your application, including identifying your academic supervisor in Switzerland.
📲 Applications are accepted only through the online application system, which opened on 20 August 2026.
⛔ Do not send your application by email or in paper form.
⌛ Allow enough time: start preparing well in advance, as careful preparation improves your chances of success.
Official Resources from SERI
❓ FAQ for interested applicants and for academic supervisors
📘 User Guide Onboarding Scholarship Candidates
📈 "Career-boosting scholarships": an online survey of ESKAS alumni from the 2016-2021 cohort and a follow-up survey of the 1996-2015 cohort (in German, summary in French and English)
🌱 "Scholarships that change lives": an online survey of FCS scholarship holders from 1996-2015 (in German, summary in English)
🔎 Find more funded study and research opportunities like this on the Youth Works Hub scholarships page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarship?
The scholarship pays CHF 2,450 per month to cover the basic living expenses of one person. Holders also receive a one-time CHF 600 rental deposit grant and a Half-Fare Travelcard, and those from non-EU/EFTA countries get health insurance premiums covered and a return flight allowance.
How long does the PhD scholarship last?
It is awarded for 12 months and can be renewed twice for up to 36 months in total. Renewal depends on academic progress during the first 12 months, and the scholarship starts on 1 September 2027.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. Applicants must be born after 31 December 1991.
Do I need a master's degree before applying?
You need a master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027, or by 30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich. You can therefore apply while still finishing your master's, as long as it is completed by that date.
Do I need a supervisor in Switzerland?
Yes. Every application must be backed by an academic supervisor at a Swiss institution who provides a letter of support and a short CV. Applications without a supervisor are not considered, and finding one is the applicant's own responsibility.
Does the scholarship cover tuition fees?
No. Tuition and semester fees are not covered, and some institutions charge semester fees of approx. CHF 600 to CHF 2,000 per semester or reduced tuition fees. In some cases, PhD fees are not waived, and scholarship holders pay them themselves.
Do I need a letter of admission to apply?
Only for PhD scholarships at graduate schools, where official confirmation of admission is required. Applicants for individual doctorates do not need a letter of admission at the time of application.
Can I apply if I already live in Switzerland?
Yes, but your date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026, and you must submit your registration confirmation or residence permit. Applicants who have lived, studied or worked in Switzerland for more than 13 months before the scholarship start are excluded.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship type or university?
No. Submitting multiple applications at the same time for several host universities and/or scholarship types leads to exclusion, as does submitting more than one research project proposal.
Is health insurance included?
FCS covers compulsory health insurance premiums for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries. Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries pay these costs themselves.
Can I bring my family?
The scholarship covers one person only and includes no family allowances. Residence permits for accompanying persons are decided by Swiss migration authorities, which currently apply a restrictive policy.
When is the deadline?
Deadlines depend on your country of origin and range from 10 November 2026 to 30 November 2026. Check the country list above for your exact date.
Deadline
⏳ 10 November 2026
Links
🖥️ Apply online (GO ESKAS): https://www.go.eskas.ch/BewerbungServlet?identifier=SBFI&kz_bew_pers=S&kz_bew_art=IN&aust_prog=CHECK&sprache=en&onlyEligibilityCheck=ELIG_CHECK_SUCCESS
ℹ️ Official scholarship page (SERI): https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships-at-a-glance
🗺️ List of countries and territories with scholarship types and deadlines (PDF): https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/yBYiu8PC4jzg/2026-10-26_A_Z_List_of_countries_and_territories_complete.pdf
