Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2026: Deadline, Eligibility, Benefits

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships fund doctoral research, postdoctoral-style research fellowships, or art study in Switzerland for outstanding candidates from more than 180 countries with a bilateral agreement with Switzerland. Applicants must have been born after 31 December 1991. For research fellowships and PhD scholarships, a master's degree or equivalent must be completed by 31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for applicants to ETH Zurich); for art scholarships, a bachelor's degree or equivalent by the same date is enough. Applicants already living in Switzerland must not have entered the country before 1 August 2026. The scholarship pays CHF 2,450 a month to cover basic living costs, described explicitly as not equivalent to a salary, plus health insurance premiums and a return flight allowance for scholars from outside the EU and EFTA, a one-time CHF 600 grant toward a rental deposit, and a Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport; it does not cover tuition, semester fees, conference costs or fieldwork expenses. Applications are made through the Swiss embassy or consulate in the applicant's home country, each of which sets its own deadline. The application portal for the 2027-2028 academic year, leading to study starting 1 September 2027, opened 20 August 2026, with most country deadlines falling in November or December 2026.