Youth Works Hub has 3 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for 2027-2028 open for applications, all held in Switzerland and all paying CHF 2,450 per month from 1 September 2027. The batch covers a PhD scholarship for highly qualified researchers, a first Master in Arts scholarship for highly talented young artists and a research fellowship for early-career researchers pursuing a PhD outside Switzerland, with 168, 23 and 171 eligible countries and territories respectively.
According to Youth Works Hub's review of the official scholarship rules, the deadline depends on your country of origin and runs from 10 November 2026 to 30 November 2026. The scholarships are awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS / ESKAS), under SERI, and our page on how we verify opportunities explains our own checks. A complete CV is required on all three tracks, so our guide to the Europass CV is a useful place to start.
Each track has its own focus:
🇨🇭 Switzerland: a PhD scholarship for researchers with a master's degree in any academic field, lasting 12 months and renewable twice for up to 36 months.
🇨🇭 Switzerland: a first Master in Arts scholarship for highly talented young artists at Swiss art schools and conservatories, lasting 12 months with an extension possible up to 21 months.
🇨🇭 Switzerland: a research fellowship of 6 to 12 months for early-career researchers pursuing a PhD in a country other than Switzerland, with young medical doctors also part of the target group.
Each scholarship pays CHF 2,450 per month to cover the basic living expenses of one person, plus a one-time CHF 600 grant for the rental deposit and a Half-Fare Travelcard. Scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries also have their compulsory health insurance premiums covered by FCS and receive a return flight allowance. Tuition and semester fees are not covered, and the scholarship is not a salary.
📅 Deadlines: 10 Nov (3) 🌍 Countries: 🇨🇭 Switzerland (3)
In This Batch
- 📅 10 Nov · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · PhD Scholarship
- 📅 10 Nov · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · First Master in Arts Scholarship
- 📅 10 Nov · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Research Fellowship
What's in this batch:
2 Scholarships · 1 Fellowship · 1 Country
🎓 Scholarships
1. 🇨🇭 Scholarships in Switzerland 🎓 Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarships at Swiss Universities, ETH Zurich, EPFL and Research Institutes 🔬 (CHF 2,450/month)
📅 Deadline: 10 November 2026
📍 Switzerland · 👥 Master's degree holders in any academic field, born after 31 December 1991 · ⏳ 12 months, renewable twice for up to 36 months · 💶 CHF 2,450/month
The Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarship supports highly qualified researchers with a master's degree in any academic field to pursue a full-time PhD at a Swiss university or recognised research institute, starting on 1 September 2027. It can be held at any Swiss cantonal university, any university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL or one of the four research institutes within the ETH Domain. Selection is based on academic profile, research competence and motivation, the originality and methodological quality of the project, and the quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration.
Applicants need a master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027), a date of birth after 31 December 1991 and a detailed research plan. Applications without an academic supervisor in Switzerland will not be considered, and finding a supervisor who writes a letter of support is the applicant's own responsibility. The scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees and provides no funding for fieldwork or participation in conferences. The deadline depends on country of origin, from 10 November 2026 to 30 November 2026, and China, Hong Kong and North Korea are eligible for the research fellowship only, not for the PhD scholarship.
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🌍 All opportunities in Switzerland →
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2. 🇨🇭 Scholarships in Switzerland 🎨 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for a First Master in Arts at Swiss Art Schools and Conservatories 🎻 (CHF 2,450/month)
📅 Deadline: 10 November 2026
📍 Switzerland · 👥 Highly talented young artists with a Bachelor's degree, born after 31 December 1991 · ⏳ 12 months, extendable up to 21 months · 💶 CHF 2,450/month
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for a First Master in Arts lets highly talented young artists complete their first Master's degree full-time at a Swiss art school or conservatory, starting on 1 September 2027. It lasts 12 months, with an extension possible up to a maximum of 21 months depending on the chosen Master's programme and the required ECTS credits. Candidates are selected on artistic profile, qualifications and motivation, the submitted portfolio and enrolment availability at the desired university.
The art scholarship is open to applicants from only 23 countries, each with its own deadline between 10 November 2026 and 30 November 2026. Applicants need a Bachelor's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027, a date of birth after 31 December 1991 and no Master's degree at the start of the scholarship. The application includes a confirmation from a Swiss University of the Arts or Music and one portfolio PDF for music, visual arts or other artistic domains such as dance, acting or writing. Tuition and semester fees are not covered.
🏆 Fellowships
3. 🇨🇭 Fellowship in Switzerland 🔬 Swiss Government Excellence Research Fellowship for PhD Candidates and Early-Career Researchers at Swiss Universities 🎓 (CHF 2,450/month)
📅 Deadline: 10 November 2026
📍 Switzerland · 👥 Early-career researchers pursuing a PhD outside Switzerland, born after 31 December 1991 · ⏳ 6 to 12 months · 💶 CHF 2,450/month
The Swiss Government Excellence Research Fellowship funds PhD candidates from abroad to carry out a 6 to 12 month research project as part of their doctoral studies at a Swiss university, university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL or an ETH Domain research institute, starting on 1 September 2027. Applications are assessed on academic profile, research competence and motivation, the originality and methodological quality of the project, and the quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration.
The fellowship targets highly qualified early-career researchers from all academic fields who are pursuing a PhD in a country other than Switzerland, and young medical doctors are also part of the target group. Applicants need a Master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027), a date of birth after 31 December 1991, a detailed research plan and a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland. No extensions are possible, field research outside Switzerland is not permitted, and tuition or semester fees are not covered. The deadline depends on country of origin, from 10 November 2026 to 30 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships cover tuition fees?
No, the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships do not cover tuition or semester fees. Some Swiss institutions require scholarship holders to pay semester fees of approx. CHF 600 to CHF 2,000 per semester or reduced tuition fees, and scholarship holders cover those fees themselves. On the PhD scholarship and the research fellowship, PhD fees are in some cases not waived. The CHF 2,450 monthly amount is meant for the basic living expenses of one person, and the costs of participating in international conferences are also borne by the scholarship holder. Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries pay their own travel expenses and compulsory health insurance premiums. Before budgeting for a move to Switzerland, read our guide to the hidden costs of funded programmes.
Who can apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-2028?
Applicants must be born after 31 December 1991 and come from an eligible country, and the list of eligible countries differs by scholarship type. The PhD scholarship is open to 168 countries and territories and requires a master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027). The research fellowship is open to 171 countries and territories, including China, Hong Kong and North Korea, with the same degree requirement. The Master in Arts scholarship is open to only 23 countries and requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 and no Master's degree at the start of the scholarship. Priority goes to people who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland. Our application tips can help when preparing the documents.
Which Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship deadline comes first?
The earliest deadline for all three Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship types is 10 November 2026, and the latest is 30 November 2026. According to the official country list from SERI, the exact date depends on the country of origin. For the Master in Arts scholarship, 10 November 2026 applies to Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Korea (South), Latvia and Lithuania, and 30 November 2026 applies to Croatia, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia. For the PhD scholarship and the research fellowship, Germany, India and Egypt are among the countries closing on 10 November 2026, while Japan, Indonesia and South Africa are among those closing on 30 November 2026. Applications are accepted only through the GO ESKAS online system, not by email or in paper form. For general advice before starting, read our guide on how to apply for opportunities.
These Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships fall into two groups: research at Swiss universities and institutes on the PhD scholarship and the research fellowship, and artistic training at Swiss art schools and conservatories on the Master in Arts scholarship. Moving to Switzerland for research or study also means adjusting to life abroad, and our guide to culture shock and homesickness is worth reading before you go.
Youth Works Hub shares more funded study and research opportunities on its scholarships and fellowships pages, and anyone weighing other routes to a master's abroad can also read our guide to Erasmus Mundus. Open the listing that fits your profile and start preparing your application well in advance.
