Key details of the Swiss Government
Scholarship by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) under the Swiss Government to promote international exchange and research cooperation across 180+ countries.Â
Who: Post-graduate researchers (Master’s, PhD, Post-doc) & artists (in some cases) from abroad.Â
Duration & Start: For most scholarships the start is 1 September of the scholarship year.Â
âś… Eligibility & Requirements
Must hold a relevant advanced degree depending on the track:
Research/PhD track: Master’s degree completed by a certain date.Â
Post-doctoral: PhD degree awarded within certain recent years.Â
Arts track: Bachelor’s degree in arts for Master’s in arts programmes.Â
You must not already have been in Switzerland for more than 12 months at the planned start date.Â
You should secure a host institution / supervisor in Switzerland (especially for research/PhD track) who agrees to host you.Â
Language skills as required by the host institution (English/German/French/Italian) and ability to relocate to Switzerland
Deadlines & Application
Call for applications typically early August each year.
Each country (including India) has a specific deadline (often September to December) via the Swiss representation in that country.Â
Applications usually via country-specific office: download forms, research proposal, supervisor letter etc.Â
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⚠️ Important Notes / Things to keep in mind
Scholarship amount:
Research fellowship track: CHF 1,920/month approx.Â
Post-doctoral track: CHF 3,500/month approx.Â
Additional benefits: one-time housing deposit allowance (~CHF 300) paid at beginning.Â
Important: Tuition fees or semester fees may not be covered in all cases — the scholarship may not cover these.Â
No family allowance: The scholarship covers living costs of one person only. Bringing family is subject to migration/canton rules.Â
Warning: There are many fake “Swiss Government scholarships” offers circulating — application is free and official only via Swiss diplomatic representation.Â