Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-2028 [Fully Funded]

If you’re thinking about a research career in Europe, it might interest you to know that applications have been opened for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-2028. It’s a fully funded program by the Swiss Confederation for international research and arts. This programme is aimed at gifted PhD candidates, as well as select art students, who wish to continue their studies in Switzerland. Each year, the Swiss Confederation awards strengthen academic and cultural relationships with more than 180 partner countries. Those who win receive a monthly allowance plus health insurance and placement in some of the world’s best research institutions including ETH Zurich and EPFL.

What Exactly Are the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?

These scholarships sit at the core of Switzerland’s international education, research, and innovation strategy. The program funds doctoral research and a smaller Art Scholarship track for students entering a master’s-level art program. However, to apply for the research track, you need to already hold a master’s degree. This scholarship won’t fund a standalone master’s. Instead, it’s built for people ready to run their own ambitious, self-directed research once they’re already qualified.

The Swiss Confederation runs this every year to keep international collaboration alive in research and the arts, linking Switzerland to more than 180 countries. Any citizen of a country holding diplomatic relations with Switzerland can apply. Beyond individual funding, the program is really about keeping Switzerland’s name up as a global leader in education and innovation.

And that reputation isn’t just marketing talk. Switzerland regularly ranks among the strongest education and research systems anywhere, and flagship schools like ETH Zurich and EPFL back that up with real output. Its universities pull in a disproportionately high share of international students and have poured money into research for decades – a habit that’s paid off for the country’s economy as much as its academic standing. That’s exactly why this scholarship keeps chasing serious, research-driven applicants worldwide.

Looking at other government-funded routes too? The Chevening Scholarship is another strong, fully funded option worth researching alongside this one.

Past the money, scholars get real access to Swiss academic circles – working alongside leading researchers and picking up hands-on research experience. Plenty stay plugged into alumni networks long after the funding ends, keeping the collaboration going well past graduation.

Host Country: Switzerland
Eligible Institutions: Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL, and Swiss research institutes
Scholarship Provider: Swiss Confederation, through the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS/ESKAS)
Financial Coverage: Fully funded – monthly stipend, health insurance, housing allowance, and travel benefits
Funded Degree Levels: PhD (doctoral) research, plus a separate Art Scholarship track for master’s-level art study
Prerequisite: Research-track applicants must already hold a master’s degree

What Do You Actually Get?

Two scholarship tracks (Research & Art Scholarships) fall under this program for international students headed to Switzerland.

Research Scholarships apply to any area of study. You may conduct research at any cantonal university, university of applied sciences, federal institute of technology (ETH Zurich or EPFL), or one of the four research institutes of the ETH-Domain (PSI, WSL, Empa, and Eawag).

Art Scholarships for Students Commencing an Initial Master’s in an Art Field. This is limited to specific countries, so check the eligible countries list first. Scholarship recipients can enrol in any Swiss conservatory or university of the arts.

What Does the Scholarship Cover, in Real Numbers?

Each Research and Art scholar will receive a monthly stipend of CHF 2,450 to help cover their basic living costs.
Scholars pay no application fees as entry into the whole process is free.
Health insurance as per Swiss regulations for students coming from outside EU/EFTA.
A travel compensation for your trip home upon completion of your program (non-EU/EFTA scholars).
A single payment in the amount of CHF 600 for housing at the outset.
A half-fare card that greatly reduces your Swiss public transport expenses.
Support services and cultural activities organized specifically for scholarship holders.

Who Actually Qualifies?

Here’s what you’ll generally need to check off:

A letter of acceptance from a Swiss academic supervisor willing to guide your proposed research – this is non-negotiable for the Research Scholarship track.
A completed master’s degree (or a recognized equivalent) before you apply to the research track.
A bachelor’s degree in an artistic field if you’re going for the Art Scholarship track instead.
Citizenship in one of the 183 countries that hold diplomatic relations with Switzerland.
An age under the cutoff of 35.
The ability to relocate to Switzerland for the entire scholarship period.
No prior Swiss government scholarship on your record.

Exact conditions shift depending on nationality, so check the official Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships page for your country before assuming you qualify.

Beginning with the cycle of 2027-2028, postdoctoral scholarships were discontinued. The Federal Council made a decision in November 2025 that increased the amount of the award to CHF 2,450 while reducing the number of awards. Researchers at the postdoc level may apply under the standard research track.

Q4. Do postdoctoral researchers still qualify?

There will be no more post-doctoral scholarships starting with the 2027-2028 cycle. Researchers at a postdoc level may still apply, but only through the normal research track under the same criteria and stipend as PhD applicants.

Is there one application deadline for everyone?

No. SBFI is going to publish each country’s deadlines after the launch of the cycle opening on August 20, 2026. Deadlines usually run from September to December 2026. Check the official page for your country as soon as possible.

Documents You’ll Need to Pull Together

Everything gets submitted online through Grants Online (GO ESKAS) – paper and emailed documents don’t count. Here’s what to have ready:

A tight, focused CV, publications included if you have any.
A letter of motivation laying out why you want this and what you’re aiming for.
A research proposal in the required format, usually capped around 5 pages, ideally drafted alongside your prospective supervisor.
Transcripts and diplomas proving you’ve actually completed your degree.
Two academic recommendation letters.
A letter of support plus a CV from your Swiss supervisor, for research-track applicants.
Your passport copy and whatever extra documents your specific country requires.

Document lists vary by country, so double-check requirements on the GO ESKAS portal before submitting.

When’s the Deadline, Exactly?

Applications for 2027-2028 opened on August 20, 2026. There’s no single global deadline – every country gets its own submission date, published by SBFI once the cycle opens. Check the official Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships page, pick your country, and note that date. Results come out by the end of May 2027 at the latest, with scholarships starting 1 September 2027.

How Do You Actually Apply?

The whole process runs online, starting from the official Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships page, which lists eligibility rules, country-specific deadlines, and the application portal itself.

Confirm you’re eligible – a completed master’s degree (or bachelor’s in art, for the Art track), and under the age of 35.
Register on Grants Online (GO ESKAS), the official portal linked from the SBFI site.
Track down your own academic supervisor at a Swiss university if you’re going the research route. This is entirely on you – neither ESKAS nor the universities will help.
Target professors whose work actually matches your field. A close match between your interests and theirs makes a real difference to your response rate.
Reach out directly and specifically. A generic mass email gets ignored; a well-prepared message that names the scholarship gets a reply.
Check Art Scholarship country eligibility first, since that track only opens to a limited set of nationalities.
Prepare everything in English – your CV, research proposal, and supporting documents.
Submit through GO ESKAS by your country’s deadline. Never send anything by email or post.

Tips That Actually Move the Needle

This scholarship is genuinely competitive – a capped number of spots go out yearly across 183 eligible countries. A few things really do help:

Start Hunting for a Supervisor Early

Swiss professors are always receiving scholarship requests, meaning simply forwarding a generic email template to them gets you nowhere. It’s best if you read their recent publications, reference something specific from those papers that connect to your proposed work, and explain why their lab is a good fit for your project.

Make Your Research Proposal Focused and Clear

Make your research proposal focused and clear rather than broad. Reviewers assess applications based on your profile, the originality of your project and the potential for lasting cooperation with Swiss institutions. A solid proposal with good reasoning trumps a vague, yet ambitious one.

Don’t Submit Until Your Supervisor Has Actually Committed

Don’t submit until your supervisor has actually committed. A written acceptance or support letter from your Swiss supervisor is mandatory for the research track – there’s no way around securing this first.

Watch Your Country’s Specific Deadline Closely

There’s no universal date; SBFI publishes them per country, typically between September and December, and late submissions aren’t reviewed.

Never Pay a Cent to Apply

SBFI has publicly flagged phishing scams using the Swiss Government’s name to request visa or insurance fees. The genuine process is free – treat any payment request as a scam.

Mistakes That Sink Otherwise Strong Applications

Even well-qualified candidates get turned down over avoidable slip-ups. Here’s what trips people up most, based on the program’s own guidance:

Applying without a confirmed supervisor.
A committed supervisor isn’t something to sort out later – it’s required before submission, and applications missing it won’t be considered.
Assuming postdoc funding still exists.
Postdoctoral scholarships were discontinued starting with the 2027-2028 cycle, following a November 2025 Federal Council decision that raised the monthly stipend to CHF 2,450 while trimming award numbers. Postdoc-level researchers can still apply, but only under the standard research track.
Missing the age cutoff.
The limit is 35. Confirm the exact cutoff date for your cycle before sinking time into a full application.
Writing a broad, unfocused research proposal.
Reviewers care about originality, not just credentials. A vague, ambitious-sounding proposal loses out to a narrow one tied to your supervisor’s actual work.
Sending a generic email to a potential supervisor.
Applicants who research the professor’s recent work and explain precisely why it fits get noticed; everyone else gets ignored.
Submitting on paper or by email.
The entire process runs through Grants Online (GO ESKAS). Using the old route is treated as if you never applied.
Assuming a master’s alone unlocks general funding.
Outside the Art track, this program doesn’t fund standalone master’s study – a completed master’s is your entry ticket to the research track, not something the scholarship pays for.
Ignoring your country-specific deadline.
There’s no single cutoff across all countries, and late applications aren’t reviewed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I apply for a standalone master’s degree through this scholarship?

No, only the Art Scholarship track funds an initial master’s. The Research Scholarship track requires you to already hold a completed master’s – it funds PhD and doctoral-level research only, not master’s coursework.

Q2. Is there an age limit for applicants?

Yes, the maximum age is 35. If you’re near that cutoff, confirm the exact qualifying date for the 2027-2028 cycle on the official SBFI page before investing time preparing a full application.

Q3. Do I need a supervisor before I apply?

Yes. A letter of acceptance or support from a Swiss academic supervisor is mandatory for the research track. Finding that supervisor is entirely your responsibility – neither ESKAS nor the universities will help arrange this for you.

Q4. Can postdoctoral researchers still apply?

The separate category of postdoctoral scholarships has been discontinued, beginning with the 2027-2028 cycle. Researchers who are at postdoc level can still apply but only through the research track as per the guidelines. The same stipend and criteria for this track are identical to those for PhD applicants.

Q5. Is there a single application deadline for everyone?

No. Each country gets its own deadline, published by SBFI once the cycle opens on August 20, 2026. Countries typically get deadlines which fall generally between September and December 2026. Check the official page for your country at the earliest for more information.

Q6. Does the scholarship charge any application fees?

There’s no payment and application is completely free. SBFI has sent a warning concerning phishing jobs pretending to be from the program to ask for visa or insurance fees. Don’t send money to anyone saying they will process your scholarship application.

Q7. Can citizens of any country apply?

Applicants must hold citizenship in a country with diplomatic relations with Switzerland, currently 183 countries. The Art Scholarship track is more restrictive, limited to a shorter list of specific nationalities, so confirm eligibility before applying.

Q8. How many times can I apply if I’m rejected?

You may apply for the same scholarship type up to 3 times. If your initial attempt is unsuccessful, improve the quality of your proposal and identify a supervisor with a more suitable fit. You can try again in a later cycle.