🇨🇭 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships in Switzerland 🎓 Funded Research and PhD Scholarships for International Researchers 🔬 (CHF 2,450/month)

Switzerland runs some of the best-resourced universities in the world, and every year the Swiss Confederation opens a door for international researchers to work inside them — funded. The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (run by the body known as ESKAS/FCS) support young researchers from over 180 countries to come to Switzerland for research or a doctorate, with a monthly living allowance and a package of extras. At Youth Works Hub we track fully and partly funded study routes, and this is one of the most prestigious research scholarships out there — but the 2027-2028 round comes with an important change to what's covered, so read the funding section carefully. Here is the full breakdown.

What the Scholarship Is

🏛️ The scholarships are awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), commonly known as ESKAS, to encourage international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and more than 180 countries.

🎯 The target group is young researchers from abroad who have already completed a master's degree. Applications for the 2027-2028 round opened on 20 August 2026, and the scholarship period begins on 1 September 2027.

The Three Scholarship Types

The programme is split into three types, and one important change for 2027-2028 is that the former postdoctoral scholarship has been removed:

🔬 Research Scholarship — for a postgraduate researcher who has completed a master's. Lasts a maximum of 12 months (minimum 6), with no extension.

🎓 PhD Scholarship — 12 months, renewable twice, up to a total of 36 months.

🎨 Art Scholarship — for a first master's in art or music. 12 months, up to a maximum of 21 months. This type is open to only around 26 selected countries, unlike the research and PhD types which are open to 180+ countries.

What It Pays — and What It No Longer Covers

This is the part to read closely, because 2027-2028 changed the funding.

💶 A monthly allowance of CHF 2,450, the same across all three types, to cover basic living expenses for one person. (Earlier figures such as CHF 1,920, and the old postdoc rate of CHF 3,500, no longer apply.)

🩺 Health insurance — provided specifically for scholars from outside the EU/EFTA area.

🏠 A one-time housing deposit contribution of CHF 600 (this is a deposit help, not an ongoing monthly rent allowance).

🚆 A Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport.

✈️ A return flight allowance for scholars from outside the EU/EFTA area, with the amount depending on the country.

🚫 Tuition / semester fees are NOT covered — this is the key 2027-2028 change. Semester fees of roughly CHF 600–2,000 are the student's responsibility. Conference and fieldwork costs are also not covered.

Who Can Apply

📅 Age: you must have been born after 31 December 1991 (roughly 35 or under for the research track).

🎓 Degree: your master's must be completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich, by 30 June 2027).

👩‍🏫 A host professor is mandatory — you need an acceptance/support letter from a supervising professor in Switzerland; for a doctorate, either professorial supervision or admission to a doctoral school.

🚪 Prior residence rule: anyone who has been living in Switzerland for more than one year at the start of the scholarship is not eligible (residence of 13 months or more is an exclusion).

📝 Documents must be in English, French, Italian or German (otherwise a certified translation is required). A separate language certificate is not stated as mandatory in the FAQ.

🔁 Previous recipients of this scholarship are not eligible, and you may apply a maximum of three times for the same type.

🔬 Eyeing a research career and comparing funded postdoctoral routes? This one is a strong parallel: the Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Sustainability in 🇺🇸 the United States → https://youthworkshub.org/21047

How to Apply

🖥️ From the 2027-2028 round, applications are submitted exclusively online through GO ESKAS — applications are no longer accepted through embassies or by post or email. You first create an authenticated SWITCH edu-ID, then log in to GO ESKAS, create your application and complete the online file.

🌍 The precise process and deadline are country-specific, published in the official 2027-2028 A–Z country list. Applicants use the contact listed for their own country in that official list.

The Documents You Will Need

📎 A full CV including publications.

📎 A motivation letter (max 2 pages).

📎 A research plan (max 5 pages).

📎 A support letter from your Swiss supervisor, plus the supervisor's CV (max 2 pages).

📎 Two letters of recommendation.

📎 Certified transcripts and diplomas.

📎 A passport, and, if applicable, proof of Swiss residence.

How Candidates Are Selected

🔎 The FCS evaluates applications on academic profile and research ability, motivation, the originality and methodology of the research project, and the quality of supervision and the potential for collaboration. The number of scholarships is set by country quota.

🎓 Prefer a postdoctoral research route in the humanities and social sciences? Take a look at this one: the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in 🇬🇧 the United Kingdom → https://youthworkshub.org/21045

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ How old can I be? You must have been born after 31 December 1991.

❓ Do I need a host professor? Yes — a supervising professor in Switzerland is mandatory.

❓ Which types are open to the most countries? Research and PhD scholarships are open to 180+ countries; the Art Scholarship is limited to around 26 countries.

❓ How long is the PhD scholarship? 12 months, renewable twice, up to 36 months in total.

❓ Are tuition fees covered? No — from 2027-2028, semester fees (roughly CHF 600–2,000) are the student's responsibility.

❓ How many times can I apply? A maximum of three times for the same type; previous recipients are not eligible.

❓ Where do I apply? Online only, through GO ESKAS (after creating a SWITCH edu-ID).

Deadline

⏳ Applications opened on 20 August 2026, and the scholarship starts on 1 September 2027. Deadlines are country-specific — they generally fall between November and December 2026, though some countries close earlier and a few extend into early 2027. The exact deadline for your country is published in the official 2027-2028 country list, so check it and apply well ahead. Youth Works Hub tracks funded research scholarships like this so you can line up your host professor and research plan before your country's date.