Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2024-25: For Foreign Scholars and Artists

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships provide financial support and empower international scholars and artists for academic success.

The Swiss Confederation provides Government Excellence Scholarships each year to encourage international collaboration in research and exchange between Switzerland and more than 180 other nations.

The Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), the organization responsible for making the awards, chooses the recipients of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.

Foreign artists with a bachelor’s degree are eligible for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships, as are young foreign researchers who have finished a master’s or doctoral program.

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Summary of the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Level of Study: Postdoctoral, PhD, or Masters
Government of Switzerland and Swiss Universities
Study in Switzerland
Opportunities to focus on: See the types below.
Program Length: Variable depending on the degree selected.
Country-specific deadline. Check out this page.

Types of Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

There are two types of scholarships.

1. Research Scholarship

The research scholarship is open to post-graduate researchers in any field (who have earned a master’s degree at minimum) who want to travel to Switzerland for research or continue their education at the doctoral or post-doctoral levels.

All Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, the two federal institutes of technology, and the four research institutes offer research scholarships for study or research. Only applicants who have been recommended by a professor at one of these universities will be taken into consideration.

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2. Art Scholarships

Art students can apply for art scholarships if they want to study for their first master’s degree in Switzerland.

Any Swiss conservatory or art university may offer art scholarships for students. Only students from a limited number of countries are eligible for this scholarship.

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Benefits of Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

The following benefits are offered to recipients of Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2024–25:

A monthly payment of CHF 1,920 is included in the scholarship.
The FCS pays for the required Swiss health insurance only for recipients who are neither EU nor EFTA members.
There are no allowances for families.
Non-EU and non-EFTA scholarship recipients are given a flight allowance (lump payment) at the end of the program to cover the cost of a trip home.
One-time payment of CHF 300 for a special housing allowance at the start of the scholarship.
Public transportation card with a one-year half-fare period.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship recipients receive support services in addition to a variety of trips, meals, and sightseeing tours.
For particular information on scholarship advantages, please consult the fact sheets for each nation.

Eligibility Criteria for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Candidates must meet all of the requirements listed below in order to be eligible for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships:

English is a required language.
Any country in the world is eligible.

A Master’s degree or an equivalent college degree earned before July 31, 2024, and recognized by the Swiss university. Before the scholarship begins, the degree must be presented to the Federal Commission for Scholarships as verification.
Candidates must have been born after December 31, 1988.
At the start of the scholarship in September, candidates who have lived in Switzerland for more than a year are ineligible.
Applicants must provide a letter from an academic host professor at the selected Swiss university explaining why she or he is ready to oversee and support the research (along with a brief CV of the professor). The application will be rejected without such support.
The research proposal for each applicant must provide a timeline. This serves as the application’s main attraction. The candidate must give it the necessary amount of attention.
Candidates must have the language proficiency required for the research or studies.
It is not possible to apply for a second award if you have already received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
During their grant period, scholarship recipients are expected to move to Switzerland.

Required documents for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Prepare the following documents:

A completed CV with a list of academic journals, awards, and prizes, together with a typed and printed application for FCS.
A one- to two-page letter of motivation.
A complete research proposal using only the FCS research proposal (maximum 5 pages, signed).
A copy of the letter from the academic host professor at the selected Swiss university explaining why she or he is willing to oversee and support the research, together with a brief CV.
A brief resume of the professor who will be your mentor at the institution you attend.
Two confidential letters of recommendation from two distinct professors in the applicant’s field (only the FCS reference form should be used; the first set should only include originals in sealed envelopes). No copies for the second set
Copies of certificates, grade reports, and diplomas with grades, starting with the most recent, from universities and colleges that you have previously attended. if not in English, then in French, Italian, or German with proven, official translations into English. Do not provide the original certificates.
Medical certificate that has been signed (only use the FCS health certificate form).
Two copies of the main page with the applicant’s information from their passport A copy of each passport is included for dual nationals. Candidates who are already present in Switzerland at the time of application must also include a copy of their Swiss residency document.

The Swiss embassy in your country can provide you with the application package.
Please submit your application materials in the exact order listed below, in two sets (one original and one copy).

The first set includes the original, properly signed documents as well as the private letters of recommendation and, if necessary, the attested English translations. With the exception of the private letters of recommendation (only the first set),
The other set is a duplicate of the first set. None for the second set.

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