Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2026

Overview

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are prestigious awards offered by the Swiss Confederation to promote international exchange and research cooperation. Administered by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), these scholarships enable foreign scholars and artists to pursue postgraduate research, PhD studies, or postdoctoral work at Swiss universities and research institutions. Each year, Switzerland offers these awards to citizens of partner countries across the globe, reinforcing its commitment to academic excellence and international scientific collaboration.

The scholarships are available for research stays at all Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, and the two federal institutes of technology: ETH Zurich and EPFL. Switzerland’s world-renowned research environment across disciplines including natural sciences, engineering, medicine, arts, and social sciences makes these scholarships especially attractive for high-achieving researchers and doctoral candidates.

What’s Included?

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships provide comprehensive support covering all major costs of living and studying in Switzerland. Recipients benefit from a monthly stipend to cover living expenses, waiver of tuition fees at the host institution, health insurance coverage, accommodation support, and a travel allowance for the initial journey to Switzerland. The exact stipend amount varies depending on the level of study and is paid in Swiss Francs (CHF). PhD students and postdoctoral researchers receive a higher monthly stipend than research scholars, reflecting the demands of their academic work.

Eligibility

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are open to nationals of eligible countries who meet specific academic and age requirements. Research scholarships and PhD scholarships are available to candidates up to 35 years of age, while postdoctoral scholarships are open to candidates up to 45 years of age. For the arts scholarship (available at the Zurich University of the Arts only), applicants must be under 35 years of age and hold a master’s degree in fine arts or music.

Applicants must hold a master’s degree or equivalent to be eligible for research and PhD scholarships. PhD scholarship applicants should be in the early stages of their doctoral research. Postdoctoral applicants must have obtained their doctorate within the past five years. Importantly, candidates are not permitted to hold Swiss citizenship, and those currently residing or studying in Switzerland may be ineligible depending on country-specific rules.

How to Apply

Applications for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships must be submitted through the Swiss Embassy or the relevant national authority in the applicant’s home country. Each country has its own application procedure and national deadline, which typically falls several months before the Swiss Federal deadline. Applicants should first visit the Swiss Embassy website in their home country to confirm eligibility criteria and required documents specific to their nationality.

A typical application includes academic transcripts, a research proposal, letters of recommendation, proof of language proficiency, a CV, and confirmation of acceptance from a Swiss academic supervisor (required for some scholarship types). Candidates are strongly encouraged to contact potential supervisors at Swiss universities early in the process to secure a hosting agreement before submitting their application.

Key Dates

Event	Date
National Application Deadline (varies by country)	Typically October–February
Swiss Federal Deadline	August 31, 2026 (indicative)
Results Notification	Spring 2026
Scholarship Start Date	September/October 2026

Contact Information

For more information about the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships, visit the official website of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) at sbfi.admin.ch. For country-specific application procedures and deadlines, contact the Swiss Embassy or consulate in your home country, or reach out to the national scholarship authority designated for your country.