Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28: Eligibility, Funding and How to Apply

Last checked: 22 October 2026. The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships support early-career researchers from more than 180 countries who want to do research or a PhD in Switzerland. The programme is run by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS/ESKAS) and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Deadlines depend on your country, so confirm yours on the official site.

At a glance (2027 to 2028)

The scholarship types

• Research fellowship: for highly qualified early-career researchers who are doing a PhD outside Switzerland, including young medical doctors. It funds a research project of 6 to 12 months, with no extension.
• PhD scholarship: for researchers who hold a master’s degree in any field and want to do a PhD at a Swiss university or recognised research institute. It is granted for 12 months and can be renewed twice, up to 36 months, depending on progress in the first year.
• Art scholarship (Master in Arts): for talented young artists without a master’s degree who want to complete a first master’s at a Swiss art school or conservatory. It runs 12 months and can extend up to 21 months. It is only offered for selected countries.

Postdoctoral scholarships are not awarded from the 2027/28 academic year, and the number of funded places is falling from 350 to between 200 and 250 a year.

Who can apply

• You must have completed your master’s degree (or equivalent) by 31 July 2027, or by 30 June 2027 if you are going to ETH Zurich. For the art scholarship you need a bachelor’s degree by 31 July 2027 and no master’s at the start.
• You must have been born after 31 December 1991. The SERI page gives a maximum age of 35.
• If you are already in Switzerland, your entry date must be no earlier than 1 August 2026.
• Applicants who have not previously studied or researched in Switzerland are given priority.
• Your country must be on the list for the scholarship type you want. Check the country list on the SERI site.

What you receive

• A monthly stipend of CHF 2,450 for basic living costs.
• Compulsory health insurance premiums, for holders from non-EU and non-EFTA countries.
• A one-time rental deposit grant of CHF 600.
• A Half-Fare Travelcard.
• A return-flight allowance based on your country of origin, for holders from non-EU and non-EFTA countries. It can only be used to return home, up to two months after the scholarship ends.

What it does not cover

• Tuition and semester fees. Some institutions charge about CHF 600 to 2,000 per semester.
• International conference costs and field research costs.
• Family members. The stipend covers one person only, and the scholarship gives no family allowance.

Finding a supervisor

Research fellowships and PhD scholarships need a supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution: a professor or lab group leader who is authorised to supervise doctorates, for PhD scholarships. The host can be a cantonal university, a university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL, or one of the ETH Domain institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag). You must find the supervisor yourself, and they write a letter of support. This can take weeks or months, so start before anything else. Applications without a supervisor are not considered. Supervisors typically support only one or two candidates a year.

Documents for a research application

• CV and a motivation letter (maximum 2 pages)
• A research proposal on the official form (maximum 5 pages, including a summary for non-specialists)
• Your supervisor’s letter of support and short CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Email addresses of two professors, who will be asked to upload recommendation letters
• Certificates and transcripts, with certified translations if they are not in English, French, Italian or German
• A copy of your passport (both passports if you hold two)
• For art applicants: a portfolio and admission confirmation from a Swiss art or music university

How to apply

1. Check your eligibility, and your country’s scholarship types and deadline.
2. Find and agree a supervisor in Switzerland.
3. Register in GO ESKAS through the official application link and fill in the form online. Do not send applications by email or on paper.
4. Upload the documents and submit before your country’s deadline.

The application is free. SERI warns about fake offers that ask for money transfers. You can apply up to three times for the same type of scholarship.

How you are assessed

For research applications the commission looks at your academic profile, research competence, motivation, the originality and method of your project, the quality of supervision, and the potential for future research cooperation.

Applications can be excluded for any of these reasons:

• The application is incomplete or has formal errors.
• You applied to several hosts or scholarship types at the same time.
• You lived, studied or worked in Switzerland more than 13 months before the start date.
• You have already received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, or this would be a fourth application after three unsuccessful attempts.
• You have no supervisor or letter of support, or you submitted more than one research proposal.

Obligations of scholarship holders

You must live in the city or canton of your host institution and follow the commission’s instructions and Swiss immigration law. You must report any other financial support. The scholarship cannot top up full-time employment, and field research outside Switzerland is not allowed during a research fellowship.

Official links

• SERI: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027
• SERI: scholarships at a glance
• SERI: frequently asked questions
• SERI: list of countries and deadlines (A to Z)
• Questions: sgs@sbfi.admin.ch