Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2026-27

Switzerland’s Government Excellence Scholarships are prestigious awards that promote international exchange and research collaboration. Offered by the Swiss Confederation through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), they support young researchers and artists from over 180 eligible countries. These scholarships are available for a wide range of study opportunities, including full PhD programs, postdoctoral research, and short‑term research fellowships, as well as certain art studies in eligible countries.

Eligibility

NOTE: Before applying, click on this link to check your country’s eligibility and the type of admission available

For example, Azerbaijani students are eligible for the Research Fellowship + PhD + PostDoc

• Research Scholarships
  • Research Fellowships, PhD, Postdoctoral awards
  • Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent (PhD required for postdocs)
  • Plan to conduct full‑time research in Switzerland at an eligible university, ETH/EPFL, or research institute.
  • PhD applicants: born after 31 Dec 1989.
  • Postdocs: PhD obtained after 31 Dec 2021.
• Art Scholarships
  • For artists with at least a Bachelor’s degree applying to Swiss conservatories or universities of the arts (only available in select countries).
• General Requirements
  • Must have a Swiss academic supervisor/host willing to nominate you.
  • Nationality: Citizen of one of the 180+ eligible countries.
  • Residency: Cannot have lived in Switzerland for more than 12 months prior to the start date.
  • Language: Sufficient knowledge of the language required by the host institution (English, French, German, or Italian).
  • Not eligible if you have previously been awarded this scholarship.

 Program Dates (depends on the eligible country)

• Call opens: August/September 2025 (for the 2026–2027 academic year).
• Submission: Two printed copies of your application package must be delivered to your Swiss embassy or designated authority by the deadline.
• Selection: Final decisions by May 2026.
• Start of scholarship: September 1, 2026.
• Duration of scholarship: 12 months

 Program Benefits

• Monthly stipend:
  • CHF 1,920 for research/PhD
  • CHF 3,500 for postdocs
• Note that the Federal Excellence Scholarship doesn’t cover tuition or semester fees. Scholarship holders may need to pay reduced or full fees themselves, depending on the university.
• Health insurance included.
• Half‑fare public transport card in Switzerland.
• Possible housing allowance and airfare reimbursement (depending on country).
• Invitations to orientation and networking events.

Research Criteria & Types of PhDs

• Your proposal must be high‑quality, original, and feasible within the Swiss research environment.
• Research must align with your host institution’s expertise and infrastructure.
• PhD scholarships are for full doctoral programs in Switzerland (you enroll as a doctoral student at a Swiss university).
• Postdoc and research fellowships are non‑degree, project-based placements hosted by a Swiss professor or lab.

Exclusion criteria

An application will not be considered if:

• No academic supervisor in Switzerland has been indicated.

• No letter of support from the academic supervisor has been provided.

• The academic supervisor in Switzerland is the same person as the reference person in the country of origin.

• Applications are submitted simultaneously for several host universities or scholarship types.

• Applications are submitted with more than one research project proposal.

• The applicant has been residing in Switzerland for more than one year (calculated from the start date of the scholarship).

• The application is incomplete or contains formal errors.

• PhD scholarship application: The official confirmation of admission from a recognised graduate school (doctoral programme) is missing.

• Postdoctoral scholarship application: The academic supervisor in Switzerland has already supervised the doctoral thesis or was co-supervisor within the framework of a cotutelle de thèse.

• This is the fourth application after three unsuccessful attempts.

• The applicant has already received a Swiss Federal Excellence

 Required Documents

1. Completed application form (from your embassy/SERI).
2. Research proposal or study plan with timeline.
3. CV or résumé.
4. Motivation letter.
5. Two academic reference letters.
6. Letter of support from Swiss supervisor (include their CV).
7. Certified academic transcripts and degree certificates.
8. Language test results (if required by host).
9. Passport copy.
10. Medical certificate (if requested).

 Application Process

1. Find a Swiss supervisor: Contact professors or researchers in your field and secure written support.
2. Prepare your documents: Follow the checklist above carefully.
3. Get country-specific guidelines: Download them from your Swiss embassy website or the SERI page.
4. Submit two hard copies: Deliver to your embassy or designated authority before the deadline.
5. Wait for review: Embassy pre‑selection, then FCS final selection by May.
6. Receive confirmation: Successful candidates begin in September 2026.

For more specific details about the scholarship, please visit the link below.