Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2026

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

A monthly living-expenses grant for postgraduate research in Switzerland, CHF 2,450 a month, with no single deadline: each of 183 countries has its own opening date and closing date, the first closed on 13 October 2026 and others run to the end of November.

Checked 21 Oct 2026Share

Who can apply

Research fellowship or PhD scholarship: hold, or be completing, a Master's degree by 31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich applicants)
A research application needs a letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss host institution, secured by the applicant before applying
Born after 31 December 1991 (maximum age 35 at application)
Art scholarships, for a first Master's degree at a Swiss art school or conservatory, are open to a limited number of countries only; not offered to any African country on the current list
Must reside in the city or canton of the host institution for the duration; some universities (EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich) require the supervisor to provide additional funding beyond the FCS grant
PhD holders may request up to 6 months of unfunded field research; research fellowship holders may not do field research outside Switzerland at all

The two things most listings of this scholarship miss

Most listings of this scholarship miss the two things that actually decide whether you can apply at all. First, there is no single deadline: it is set per country, by the Swiss embassy or cooperation office that handles your application, and the spread across the published lists runs from mid-October to the end of November 2026. Tunisia, Hungary and Iceland closed first, on 13 October, and the next closing dates are in late October (Mozambique on 27 October). Second, a research application needs a letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss university before you can submit anything, and the programme’s own FAQ warns that finding one can take weeks or months. With the earliest country closing two months after the portal even opens, that search has to start now.

A living-expenses grant, not full funding

The award itself is a living-expenses grant, not full funding. CHF 2,450 a month covers one person’s basic costs, but tuition and semester fees are explicitly not included, and some PhD programmes do not waive their fees at all. What is covered beyond the stipend is concrete: health insurance for non-EU/EFTA holders, a one-time deposit grant, a public transport pass, and a return flight home for non-EU/EFTA holders (EU/EFTA holders cover their own travel). Conferences, fieldwork and any family costs are the applicant’s own expense, and the page notes that residence permits for accompanying family are currently subject to a restrictive policy.

At some universities, the stipend alone isn’t actually enough

At some universities, the stipend alone isn’t actually treated as sufficient: EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Zurich are named as requiring additional funding from the academic supervisor on top of the FCS grant, so a supervisor’s willingness to top up matters as much as their willingness to write a support letter. Any other financial support you receive, another scholarship, a teaching or research assistant position, has to be reported to FCS, and the scholarship cannot be used to supplement full-time employment.

Field research rules differ by scholarship type

Field research rules differ sharply by scholarship type. PhD scholarship holders may request up to six months of field research, but without any additional funding, all associated costs are the holder’s own. Research fellowship holders don’t get that option at all: field research outside Switzerland is explicitly not permitted during a research fellowship. You’re also required to actually live in the city or canton of your host institution for the duration, not just enrol there.

Two scholarship types cover almost everyone reading this

Two scholarship types cover almost everyone reading this: a 12-month research fellowship for someone already pursuing a PhD at home, and a renewable PhD scholarship funding up to 36 months from scratch. Both require a completed Master’s by mid-2027 and both start studies on 1 September 2027. Art scholarships exist too, for a first Master’s at a Swiss art school, but only for a short list of countries that on the current lists does not include any African country.