🇨🇭 Switzerland · Scholarships
Scholarships and financial aid for studying in Switzerland — government, university, and international programs.
Quick answer
Switzerland's flagship award is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (run by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students), for postgraduate researchers and artists, alongside ETH/EPFL excellence scholarships and university awards. Applications usually go through the Swiss embassy in your country. Explore options and apply by the (early) deadline.
The flagship national award for international students is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, offered to postgraduate researchers and artists from many countries and administered via Swiss representations and the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS). Swiss universities (including ETH Zurich and EPFL) also offer their own scholarships and funded doctoral positions.
- The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship funds postgraduate researchers/artists from many countries.
- It is administered via Swiss representations and the Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS).
- Swiss universities (e.g. ETH Zurich, EPFL) also offer their own scholarships and funded PhDs.
Step-by-step
- 1
Map the funding landscape
Map Swiss funding: the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Federal Commission), ETH/EPFL excellence awards and university scholarships.
- 2
Check eligibility and deadlines
Confirm eligibility (level, nationality, grades, language) and note that scholarship deadlines are often months before course start.
- 3
Prepare your documents
Prepare transcripts, a language-test score, reference letters, a strong personal statement and (for research) a proposal.
- 4
Apply to the scheme and university
Submit the scholarship application and, where required, a separate university/admission application by each deadline.
- 5
Interview, results and acceptance
Attend any interview or selection stage; if awarded, formally accept the scholarship and your study place.
- 6
Handle visa, funds and conditions
Apply for your student visa, arrange disbursement, and note any conditions such as progress requirements or a return/service obligation.
Checklist
- Funding sources identified (government / university / private)
- Eligibility + deadlines confirmed
- Transcripts + language test + references
- Personal statement / research proposal
- Scholarship + university applications submitted
- Interview / selection completed
- Offer accepted + funding terms understood
- Student visa + disbursement + any bond/return rules
Official authorities
- Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (SERI)
Official national scholarship for international students.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
A federal scholarship for postgraduate researchers and artists from many countries, covering a stipend and fees, applied for via the Swiss embassy.
How do I apply?
Applications for the government scholarship are usually made through the Swiss embassy in your home country, with early deadlines.
Do ETH and EPFL offer scholarships?
Yes — the federal institutes and other Swiss universities run their own excellence master’s and research scholarships.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- ch.ch — Swiss Authorities Online — Official information portal for federal, cantonal and communal authorities
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) — Visas, residence permits (B/C), and naturalisation
- Federal Tax Administration (FTA) — Federal tax and VAT (cantonal taxes are levied separately)
- EasyGov.swiss — One-stop company registration and business admin