CHF 2,450 Monthly Swiss PhD Scholarship

Organization: Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS / ESKAS), State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)

Type: Scholarship

Location: Global

Deadline: November 10, 2026

Funding: Partially Funded

The Swiss Confederation's Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) funds early career researchers from about 180 countries to do their PhD at a Swiss university, federal institute of technology or ETH research institute. The scholarship pays CHF 2,450 a month for up to three years, starting 1 September 2027. You need a Master's degree and a professor in Switzerland willing to supervise you before you apply, and the closing date depends on your country, so check your own. **What you get:** - CHF 2,450 a month towards basic living costs for one person, for 12 months, renewable twice up to 36 months for a PhD - Compulsory health insurance premiums paid, for holders from non-EU/EFTA countries - A return flight allowance at the end, for holders from non-EU/EFTA countries (amount set by country of origin) - A one-time CHF 600 grant towards a rental deposit - A Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport - Excursions and activities organised for federal scholarship holders **What you'll do:** - Carry out full-time doctoral research at a Swiss cantonal university, university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL or one of the four ETH Domain research institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag) - Live in the city or canton of your host institution for the length of the scholarship - Work under a Swiss academic supervisor who has agreed to guide your project **Key dates:** - Applications opened 20 August 2026 for most countries (some open 28 August, 1 September, 4 September or, for Bulgaria, 3 November 2026) - Deadlines are set by country of origin, at 11:59 PM Swiss local time. Check your own country in the official A-Z list before applying - 6 October 2026: United States (applied through Fulbright first) and Belize - 13 October 2026: Hungary, Iceland, Tunisia - 27 October 2026: Brazil, Cyprus, Ecuador, Mozambique - 30 and 31 October 2026: Bangladesh, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan - 10 November 2026: India, Germany, Egypt, Argentina, Armenia and others - 13 November 2026: United Kingdom, Finland, Algeria, Ethiopia, Peru and others - 27 November 2026: Australia, Nigeria, Ghana, Philippines and others - 30 November 2026: Kenya, South Africa, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Uganda and others - Decisions announced by the end of May 2027 at the latest - Scholarship starts 1 September 2027 **More information:** - Official A-Z list of countries, scholarship types, deadlines and embassy contacts: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/yBYiu8PC4jzg/2026-09-01_A_Z_List_of_countries_and_territories_complete.pdf - FAQ for applicants and supervisors: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/en/faq-swiss-government-excellence-scholarships - Applications are made only online through GO ESKAS, never by email or on paper - Applying is free. SERI warns of fake Swiss Government scholarship offers asking for money; never send money to anyone

Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS / ESKAS), State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)Scholarship

CHF 2,450 Monthly Swiss PhD Scholarship

Nov 10, 2026 23:59:00 Europe/Zurich

Opportunity type

Scholarship

Funding

Partially Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Nov 10, 2026 23:59:00 Europe/Zurich

About this opportunity

What you get:

CHF 2,450 a month towards basic living costs for one person, for 12 months, renewable twice up to 36 months for a PhD
Compulsory health insurance premiums paid, for holders from non-EU/EFTA countries
A return flight allowance at the end, for holders from non-EU/EFTA countries (amount set by country of origin)
A one-time CHF 600 grant towards a rental deposit
A Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport
Excursions and activities organised for federal scholarship holders

What you'll do:

Carry out full-time doctoral research at a Swiss cantonal university, university of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL or one of the four ETH Domain research institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag)
Live in the city or canton of your host institution for the length of the scholarship
Work under a Swiss academic supervisor who has agreed to guide your project

Key dates:

Applications opened 20 August 2026 for most countries (some open 28 August, 1 September, 4 September or, for Bulgaria, 3 November 2026)
Deadlines are set by country of origin, at 11:59 PM Swiss local time. Check your own country in the official A-Z list before applying
6 October 2026: United States (applied through Fulbright first) and Belize
13 October 2026: Hungary, Iceland, Tunisia
27 October 2026: Brazil, Cyprus, Ecuador, Mozambique
30 and 31 October 2026: Bangladesh, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan
10 November 2026: India, Germany, Egypt, Argentina, Armenia and others
13 November 2026: United Kingdom, Finland, Algeria, Ethiopia, Peru and others
27 November 2026: Australia, Nigeria, Ghana, Philippines and others
30 November 2026: Kenya, South Africa, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Uganda and others
Decisions announced by the end of May 2027 at the latest
Scholarship starts 1 September 2027

More information:

Official A-Z list of countries, scholarship types, deadlines and embassy contacts: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/yBYiu8PC4jzg/2026-09-01_A_Z_List_of_countries_and_territories_complete.pdf
FAQ for applicants and supervisors: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/en/faq-swiss-government-excellence-scholarships
Applications are made only online through GO ESKAS, never by email or on paper
Applying is free. SERI warns of fake Swiss Government scholarship offers asking for money; never send money to anyone

Who can apply

Master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich)
Born after 31 December 1991 (the programme states a maximum age of 35)
Citizen of an eligible country. Not offered in 2027/28 to Andorra, Canada, France, Greece, Greenland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain or Sweden
A letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland authorised to supervise doctoral theses, with a short CV
A detailed research proposal on the FCS form, up to 5 pages
CV, a motivation letter of up to 2 pages, two recommendation letters from professors, transcripts and a passport copy
For a doctoral school: proof of admission to the school submitted with the application
If already living in Switzerland, date of entry no earlier than 1 August 2026
Not eligible: previous Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship holders, a fourth attempt after three unsuccessful ones, or multiple simultaneous applications
United States citizens apply first through the Fulbright US Student Program; only Fulbright semi-finalists may then apply via GO ESKAS

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Good to know

+CHF 2,450 a month for up to three years of PhD research at a Swiss university, from the Swiss federal government
+Free to apply, and open to any academic field in about 180 countries
+Health insurance and a return flight for holders from outside the EU and EFTA, plus a CHF 600 rental deposit grant and a Swiss rail discount card

Worth checking yourself

!Deadlines depend on your country, at 23:59 Swiss time. Many close 10 November 2026 (including India, Germany, Egypt, Argentina and Armenia), but some are earlier: 6 October for the US and Belize, 13 October for Hungary, Iceland and Tunisia, 27 October for Brazil, Cyprus, Ecuador and Mozambique, and 30 or 31 October for Bangladesh, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan
!You need a Master's by July 2027, must be born after 31 December 1991, and must find a Swiss supervisor before applying, which can take months
!Not open this cycle to citizens of Canada, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Greece, Luxembourg, Andorra or Greenland, and US citizens must go through Fulbright first
!Tuition is not covered, and some Swiss institutions charge about CHF 600 to 2,000 a semester

Sources checked

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