Scholarship amount

• Research scholarship: 1920 Swiss Francs per month
• PhD scholarship: 1920 Swiss Francs per month
• Arts scholarship: 1920 Swiss Francs per month
• Postdoctoral scholarship: 3500 Swiss Francs per month.

Housing allowance

All scholarship holders receive a one-time lump sum of CHF 300 with the first grant payment to help them pay part of the housing deposit.

Tuition fees and Master fees for artists

The FCS does not pay for tuition and/or semester fees. In some cases, the universities and the Federal Institute of Technology do require scholarship holders to pay semester fees (generally around 600 CHF per semester) or at least reduced tuition fees. In some cases, the universities do not waive the PhD fees. In case the Universities and the Universities of Applied Sciences and Art Schools should not waive the fees, it is up to the grantee to pay for the fees.

Health insurance

According to Swiss law, every resident in Switzerland must be covered by Health Care Insurance (except for dental care). For non-EU and non-EFTA grantees only: the FCS pays mandatory Swiss health insurance. Please note, that each FCS scholarship holder from an EU and EFTA Member State is responsible for his/her insurance coverage and all resulting costs.

Travel expenses

Grantees from EU and EFTA member states pay for their own travel expenses to Switzerland as well as back to their country of origin. Grantees from outside the European Union and the EFTA pay for their own travel expenses to Switzerland, but receive a return flight allowance (lump sum depending upon the country of origin) for a ticket back to their country of origin (provided at the end of the scholarship).

Fieldwork

Once the scholarship is awarded, PhD scholarship holders may submit a special request regarding their PhD thesis and the potentially necessary fieldwork. The scholarship may continue during the fieldwork for up to six months. No additional financial support is possible though for fieldwork by FCS. For other scholarship types, no fieldwork abroad in Switzerland is possible during the scholarship period.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships Host Institutions

For postgraduate scholarships (Research Fellowships, PhD, Postdoctoral):

1. University of Basel
2. University of Bern
3. University of Fribourg
4. University of Geneva
5. University of Lausanne
6. University of Lucerne
7. University of Neuchâtel
8. University of St. Gallen
9. University of Zurich
10. Università della Svizzera italiana
11. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
12. Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyZurich (ETHZ)
13. Research Institutes of the ETH Domain (PSI; WSL; EMPA; EAWAG)
14. Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID).

For postgraduate scholarships (Research fellowships and Postdoctoral only):

1. University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
2. Bern University of Applied Sciences
3. University of Applied Sciences Northwest Switzerland
4. University of Applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland
5. University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons
6. Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
7. University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
8. Universities of teacher education
9. Zurich University of Applied Sciences
10. Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen
11. Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training.

For art scholarships:

1. University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland
2. Bern University of the Arts
3. University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
4. University of Applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland
5. Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
6. University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
7. Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana
8. Zurich University of the Arts.

Furthermore, this Europe scholarship applicants must satisfy specific requirements of the scholarship type they’ve chosen.

Swiss Excellence Master’s Scholarships Eligibility

The arts scholarships are granted at any Swiss conservatory or universities of the arts. Applicants must meet the following requirement in addition to the general requirements above.

• Applicants must be born after 31 December 1988.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent achieved before 31 July 2024 (degree certificate).
• Applicants should start their scholarship no later than three years after graduating with their Bachelor’s degree.
• Valid for full-time studies in Switzerland only.
• A proof for “admission is under consideration” at the intended Swiss arts or music school (conservatory). This may be in the form of a conditional acceptance pending an entry exam or other specific requirements. If applicable: a copy of the letter from a professor confirming the supervision of the studies.
• Or, if applicable the confirmation from the art or music school that the admission procedure cannot be started before the scholarship application deadline.
• Not holding a master’s degree already.
• Art scholarships are only available to citizens of countries with which Switzerland has a reciprocity agreement for art scholarships. Please find below the full list of eligible countries.

Art scholarship is only available for the following: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, United States of America.

Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarships Eligibility

This scholarship is intended for highly qualified postgraduate students (possessing the required degrees to start a PhD) from all academic fields. To apply for the Swiss Government Excellence PhD Scholarships, applicants must meet the following requirement in addition to the general requirements above.

• Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent university degree achieved before 31 July 2024 (except: ETH Zurich: 30 June 2024)
• be born after 31 December 1988
• have a mandatory letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the selected Swiss university
• have a copy of the support letter (including a short CV, maximum 2 pages) from an academic host professor who is entitled and willing to supervise a PhD at the chosen Swiss university during the entire duration of the doctoral studies. The support letter should contain the reasons why she/he is willing to supervise and support the PhD thesis.
• If an assistant professor supports a candidature, a full professor who is entitled to supervise the PhD during the entire scholarship has to co-sign the support letter. This letter is not the same as the also requested confidential recommendation letter.
• For PhD studies at a University of Applied Sciences an additional letter of support from a faculty member of the host research university at which the PhD will be completed is mandatory. Please note: Doctoral degrees can only be awarded by research universities.

Swiss Excellence Research Fellowships Eligibility

This scholarship is for highly qualified postgraduate researchers from all academic fields as well as young medical doctors. The Swiss Excellence Research Fellowships applicants must meet the following requirement in addition to the general requirements above.

• Master degree or equivalent achieved (degree certificate) before 31 July 2024 (except: ETH Zurich: 30 June 2024)
• Date of birth after 31 December 1988
• A copy of the support letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV, maximum 2 pages) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the research. This letter is not the same as the also requested confidential recommendation letter.
• A research proposal including a timeframe.
• Not available for scholars holding a PhD degree.

Swiss Excellence Postdoctoral Scholarships Eligibility

This program is intended for highly qualified early career scientists at the postdoctoral level from all scientific fields. To apply for the Swiss Excellence Postdoctoral Scholarships, applicants must meet the following requirement in addition to the general requirements above.

• Hold a PhD degree achieved after 31 December 2020 and before 31 July 2024 (except ETH Zurich: 30 June 2024) PhD degree certificate is completed.
• Primarily for scholars who have not already been to Switzerland.
• No funding for sabbaticals.
• A copy of the letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV, maximum 2 pages) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the postdoctoral research.
• Not accepted as academic supervisors for Postdoctoral scholarship applicants are their former PhD mentors and their co-directors for the co-tutelle PhD.
• A research proposal including a timeframe. This is the centerpiece of the application. The applicant must devote all required attention to it.
• This scholarship is valid only for full-time postdoctoral research in Switzerland. It is not compatible with fieldtrips outside Switzerland. Therefore no possibility and no funding for fieldwork.
• In the case of double doctorates, the date of the 1st degree counts.
• It is not valid for mixed research (part time in Switzerland and part time in another country).

Documents for Postgraduate Scholarship Applications

The following documents are for Research, PhD, and Postdoctoral scholarship applications. Please submit 2 sets (= 1 original + 1 copy) of application documents in the exact order given below: The 1st set contains the original, signed documents plus the confidential letters of recommendation and, if applicable the attested translations in English. The other set is the copy of the 1st set except for the confidential letters of recommendation (only the 1st set). No copies for 2nd set.

1. Signed FCS application form (typed and printed) with photo.
2. A full CV with a list of personal education and training, degrees and diplomas (with precise dates), awards, academic positions (with precise dates), non-academic positions (with precise dates), publications with references, conferences, academic teaching experiences, extra academic teaching experiences, links to your science blogs, your presentations online, etc.
3. A motivation letter (max. 2 pages).
4. All applicants must have a clear research goal. Therefore research fellowship, postdoctoral scholarship, as well as PhD scholarship candidates, have to submit a complete research proposal (max. 5 pages, signed) including a layman abstract in English, using exclusively the FCS research proposal form provided with the application package. The research proposal is a central part of your application. Please devote the required attention to it and submit only a signed document.
5. A copy of the letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to support and supervise the research. For research fellowships in addition: A short CV of the academic mentor at the home institution. For PhD scholarships at doctoral schools only, in addition: Confirmation for accepted admission is required. A support letter from a host professor is required in any case additionally.
6. Two confidential letters of recommendation from two different professors in the applicant’s field (use exclusively the FCS from – originals in sealed envelopes only, for the first set). No copies for 2nd set.
7. Photocopies of certificates and grade sheets from previously attended universities/ colleges and diplomas with grades, starting with the most recent. If not in English, French, Italian, or German with attested certified translations in English. Exception for India: Self-attested documents are accepted. Do not submit the original certificates.
8. Signed medical certificate (use only the FCS health certificate form).
9. Two copies of the applicant’s passport (main page with personal data). Dual nationals add copies of both passports. Applicants already in Switzerland during their application procedure add a copy of the residence permit for Switzerland.