Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027-28: CHF 2,450 a Month for PhD and Research Stays in Switzerland

Full Program Details

Every year the Swiss government pays talented young researchers from around the world to do their PhD, or a year of doctoral research, at ETH Zurich, EPFL and the country's other universities. The catch is that there is no single deadline. Each country has its own date, set by the Swiss embassy that receives its applications, and the 2027-28 dates are now published. For most African countries the window closes between 10 and 30 November 2026.

CHF 2,450 a month, Swiss health insurance for non-EU applicants, a return flight allowance and up to three years of PhD support, for researchers born after 31 December 1991 with a master's degree and a Swiss supervisor.

Details at a glance:

• Funder: the Swiss Confederation, through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS)
• Monthly payment: CHF 2,450
• Types: PhD scholarship (up to 36 months) or research fellowship (6 to 12 months)
• Hosts: Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, ETH Zurich, EPFL and the ETH Domain research institutes
• Countries: open to applicants from 183 countries
• Age limit: born after 31 December 1991
• Start date: 1 September 2027
• Deadline: depends on your country, at 11:59pm Swiss local time

Eligibility note: your deadline is the one listed for your country of origin, not a global date. Check the official country list before you plan anything.

Deadlines for Selected Countries

These dates come from the official Swiss country list for 2027-28, dated 1 September 2026.

Some windows have already closed, including Mozambique and Brazil (27 October) and Tunisia (13 October). If your country is not in this table, find it in the official A to Z list on the SERI website.

What the Scholarship Covers

• CHF 2,450 a month for living costs. This is a scholarship, not a salary.
• Compulsory Swiss health insurance, paid by the FCS for holders from outside the EU and EFTA
• A one-time CHF 600 grant toward a rental deposit
• A Half-Fare Travelcard for Swiss public transport
• A return flight allowance for holders from outside the EU and EFTA
• Organised excursions and events for scholarship holders

What it does not cover: tuition and semester fees, which some universities charge at roughly CHF 600 to 2,000 per semester, plus conference trips and fieldwork costs. Budget for these before you accept.

The Two Research Scholarship Types

• PhD scholarship: for a full doctorate at a Swiss university or recognised research institute. It runs for 12 months and can be renewed twice, up to 36 months, if your first year goes well.
• Research fellowship: for a research stay of 6 to 12 months as part of a doctorate you are doing elsewhere. It cannot be extended. Joint doctorate (cotutelle) candidates can only apply for this type.

Art scholarships for a first master's in an artistic field also exist, but only for a small number of countries.

Who Can Apply

• You must hold a master's degree or equivalent by 31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich).
• You must be born after 31 December 1991.
• You need a professor at a Swiss university or research institute who agrees to supervise you and writes a letter of support. Applications without a Swiss supervisor are not considered.
• You need a detailed research proposal with a timeline.
• Applicants who have not studied or researched in Switzerland before get priority. Anyone who has lived, studied or worked in Switzerland for more than 13 months before the start date is excluded.
• You may submit only one application.

How to Apply

1. Find your country and deadline in the official country list on the SERI website.
2. Contact Swiss professors in your field and secure a supervisor's letter of support, plus the supervisor's short CV (two pages maximum).
3. Register on the GO ESKAS online portal, which opened on 20 August 2026.
4. Prepare your CV, a motivation letter of up to two pages, a research proposal of up to five pages on the official form, certificates, transcripts and a passport copy.
5. Enter the email addresses of two professors who will upload recommendation letters through the system.
6. Submit through the portal before 11:59pm Swiss time on your country's deadline. Email and paper applications are not accepted, and applying is free.

Selection Timeline

• Applications are received through the Swiss embassy for your country and selected by the FCS on your profile, your research project and its potential for future cooperation
• Final decisions by the end of May 2027 at the latest
• Scholarships start on 1 September 2027

GizPulse Verdict

Who this is for: Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan and other researchers with a strong master's degree who want to do a PhD in Switzerland, or a year of doctoral research there, and who can win over a Swiss professor before the deadline.

Who should pause: Anyone born before 1992, anyone without a master's degree by July 2027, and anyone who cannot cover tuition fees on top of the monthly payment. Do not start in the last week: finding a supervisor takes time.

One tip to stand out: Treat the supervisor email as your real application. Read two or three of the professor's recent papers, explain in one paragraph how your project builds on their work, and attach a one-page proposal summary. A clear fit with a Swiss lab carries more weight than a long list of grades.

Check your country's deadline and the full rules on the official SERI Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships page. Beware of anyone asking for money: the Swiss authorities say applying is free.