Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship 2027–28 | Fully Funded PhD and Postdoctoral Research in Switzerland (Applications Open 20 August 2026)
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship 2027–28 is a fully funded research award from the Swiss Confederation for outstanding international researchers to pursue a PhD or postdoctoral research at any Swiss university, federal institute of technology, or recognised research institution. Monthly stipends are CHF 2,450 for PhD researchers and CHF 3,500 for postdoctoral researchers. The scholarship also covers health insurance for non-EU and non-EFTA nationals, a one-time housing allowance of CHF 600, a half-fare Swiss travel card, and a tuition fee exemption. Applications open on 20 August 2026 through the official ESKAS portal. Deadlines are country-specific and most fall between September and December 2026. The scholarship is open to citizens of 183 countries. There is no application fee.
If you hold a master’s degree or PhD in any academic field and want to spend one to two years conducting fully funded research at ETH Zurich, EPFL, the University of Zurich, or any other Swiss research institution with a monthly stipend, free health insurance, and a travel card for Switzerland’s public transport network the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is one of the most comprehensive and geographically inclusive research scholarships available in Europe for the 2027–28 cycle. Use our Free Scholarship Calculator
Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (ESKAS) |
| Funder | Swiss Confederation / Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS/ESKAS) |
| Host Country | Switzerland |
| Types | Research Scholarship / PhD Scholarship / Postdoctoral Scholarship / Art Scholarship |
| Monthly Stipend (PhD/Research) | CHF 2,450 per month |
| Monthly Stipend (Postdoctoral) | CHF 3,500 per month |
| Housing Allowance | CHF 600 one-time payment |
| Health Insurance | Fully covered for non-EU and non-EFTA nationals |
| Travel Card | One-year half-fare card for Swiss public transport |
| Tuition Fees | Fully exempted at host Swiss institution |
| Eligible Countries | 183 countries worldwide |
| Applications Open | 20 August 2026 |
| Deadline | Country-specific — September to December 2026 |
| Duration | Typically 12 months (renewable up to 36 months) |
| Application Fee | None |
| Official Portal | Click Here |
What Is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is awarded annually by the Swiss Confederation through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, known by its German acronym ESKAS and French acronym CFBE. The programme has been running since 1961 and is one of the oldest government scholarship programmes in Europe. Each year, around 400 to 500 scholars from over 180 countries are funded to conduct research at Swiss universities and research institutions.
The programme operates under a simple but consequential mandate: to promote international academic exchange and long-term research cooperation between Switzerland and the rest of the world. Switzerland is home to four of the world’s top 15 universities: ETH Zurich, EPFL, the University of Zurich, and the University of Basel. The ESKAS scholarship opens access to all of them and to the broader Swiss research ecosystem without any tuition cost.
The 2027–28 scholarship cycle is the first full cycle to operate exclusively through the online ESKAS portal at go.eskas.ch, having moved entirely away from the previous embassy-based paper submission process in 2026. All applications are now submitted digitally, making the programme more accessible for researchers from countries where Swiss diplomatic representation is limited.
Three Scholarship Types for International Researchers
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is not a single award with one eligibility path. It operates through three distinct scholarship types, each with different academic requirements and purposes. Understanding which type applies to your career stage is the essential first step before beginning any application.
Research Scholarship. This track enables selected applicants to carry out a one-year research project as part of their doctoral studies at a Swiss higher education institution or recognised research institute. It is valid for full-time research in Switzerland only. It is designed for highly qualified early-career researchers who have completed a master’s degree but have not yet begun a PhD programme. Applications from candidates already enrolled in a PhD programme elsewhere are welcome the scholarship funds the Swiss research phase of that programme rather than a standalone degree. The stipend for this track is CHF 2,450 per month.
PhD Scholarship. This track enables selected applicants to undertake a full PhD at a Swiss university, federal institute of technology, or recognised research institution. It is designed for highly qualified postgraduate students who have completed a master’s degree and are ready to begin independent doctoral research in Switzerland. The monthly stipend is CHF 2,450. The scholarship is typically awarded for 12 months initially and is renewable up to a maximum of 36 months subject to satisfactory academic progress.
Postdoctoral Scholarship. This track supports researchers who have already completed their PhD and want to conduct postdoctoral research at a Swiss institution. It is the most financially generous of the three tracks — providing CHF 3,500 per month — and is targeted at researchers within a specific number of years of their PhD completion. The postdoctoral track is particularly relevant for early-career researchers from the Global South who want to conduct a funded research stay at a Swiss institution without relocating permanently.
What the Scholarship Covers
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship provides a package that removes every significant financial barrier to conducting research in Switzerland.
Monthly stipend of CHF 2,450 (PhD/Research) or CHF 3,500 (Postdoctoral). Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Zurich and Geneva consistently rank among the top five most expensive cities globally. The stipend is calibrated to cover basic living expenses for one person, including accommodation, food, local transport, and personal costs. It does not cover dependents and is not designed as a savings vehicle in a Swiss context, but it is sufficient for a comfortable research stay.
Health insurance — mandatory Swiss health insurance is fully covered by ESKAS for non-EU and non-EFTA nationals for the duration of the scholarship. EU and EFTA nationals must arrange their own health insurance, though they may use their existing EU coverage.
One-time housing allowance of CHF 600 — paid with the first stipend to help cover housing deposit costs when arriving in Switzerland.
Half-fare travel card — a one-year card providing 50% discount on all Swiss public transport including trains, buses, boats, and mountain lifts. Swiss public transport is extensive and reliable, and the half-fare card provides meaningful savings for researchers who need to travel between cities or attend conferences.
Tuition fee exemption — all registration and course fees at the host Swiss institution are waived. Swiss public universities charge no tuition fees for research students under this scholarship.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility varies by country and scholarship type. The core requirements that apply across most countries are the following.
For the Research and PhD scholarships, applicants must hold a master’s degree or equivalent completed before 31 July 2027 (or 30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich specifically). For the Postdoctoral scholarship, a completed PhD is required.
Applicants must be born after 31 December 1991 for most countries, though some country-specific calls extend this to 31 December 1990. Verify the exact age requirement for your country on the ESKAS portal.
Applicants must not have resided in Switzerland for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the application deadline. This mobility requirement is strictly enforced and cannot be waived. If you have been based in Switzerland for research or study for more than a year in the recent past, you are not eligible in most cases.
Applicants must not have previously received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
A mandatory letter of support from an academic supervisor at the chosen Swiss institution is required for all three research tracks. This is not optional and cannot be waived — a complete application without a Swiss academic host letter will be rejected automatically. Identify and contact a potential Swiss supervisor before you begin the application.
Language proficiency appropriate to the host institution and research group is expected. Most research at ETH Zurich and EPFL is conducted in English. Cantonal universities may operate primarily in German, French, or Italian depending on their location.
The Country-Specific Application Process
This is the most important structural feature of the ESKAS application that catches applicants off guard. There is no single universal application deadline and no single document requirement for all applicants. Every country has its own specific deadline, its own set of required documents, and sometimes its own additional eligibility conditions.
The process for every applicant begins at the same place: the official ESKAS website at sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships. From there, select your country of citizenship from the country list. Your country’s page will show you the exact deadline, the required documents for your nationality, any country-specific eligibility conditions, and the contact details for the Swiss diplomatic representation or national body handling your application.
For many Global South countries, including India, Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brazil, Ghana, Ethiopia, and dozens of others, applications are submitted through the online ESKAS portal at go.eskas.ch rather than through a Swiss embassy. The full move to online-only applications that began in 2026 has made the process significantly more accessible for researchers in countries without a nearby Swiss embassy.
Applications open on 20 August 2026. Country-specific deadlines fall between September and December 2026, depending on your nationality. Verify your exact deadline as early as possible; missing the country deadline by even one day results in automatic rejection.
Official Portal: Click Here
Why the Swiss Excellence Scholarship Matters for Global South Researchers
Switzerland invests significantly in attracting talented researchers from developing countries. The ESKAS programme explicitly prioritises applicants who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland, which means first-time applicants from the Global South without existing European networks or institutional affiliations are not disadvantaged by the selection criteria.
The research infrastructure at Swiss institutions is genuinely world-class. ETH Zurich and EPFL consistently rank in the global top 10 for engineering and natural sciences. The University of Basel has one of the oldest and most distinguished chemistry and pharmaceutical research programmes in the world. Swiss research groups attract competitive external funding and collaborate intensively with international partners, meaning a year or two embedded in a Swiss research group creates lasting collaborative relationships with global reach.
For researchers from the Global South who want to conduct a funded research stay in Europe for a specific project, a dissertation chapter, or a postdoctoral position, the ESKAS scholarship provides access to exactly this without requiring permanent relocation and without any tuition cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship open to researchers from India, Nigeria, Kenya, or other developing countries?
Yes. The scholarship is open to citizens of 183 countries worldwide. There are no restrictions based on nationality within the eligible country list. The programme explicitly prioritises applicants from countries with which Switzerland has active academic exchange relationships, which includes most developing nations. Priority is given to individuals who have not previously studied or researched in Switzerland.
Do I need to speak German, French, or Italian to apply?
Language requirements depend on your host institution and research group. Research conducted at ETH Zurich, EPFL, or international research groups at other Swiss universities is typically conducted in English, and English proficiency is sufficient for many positions. Swiss cantonal universities may require German, French, or Italian depending on their location and the language of the specific research group. Verify language requirements with your potential Swiss supervisor.
Is a Swiss academic supervisor letter mandatory before applying?
Yes. For all three research tracks, Research, PhD, and Postdoctoral, a letter of support from a Swiss academic supervisor confirming their willingness to host your research project is a mandatory document. Applications submitted without this letter are rejected. Please contact potential Swiss supervisors as soon as the portal opens on 20 August 2026.
When exactly do applications open and when is my deadline?
The ESKAS application portal opens on 20 August 2026. Country-specific deadlines fall between September and December 2026. Visit sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships and select your country to find your exact deadline and required documents.
Is the CHF 2,450 stipend enough to live in Switzerland?
Switzerland is expensive. CHF 2,450 per month is sufficient for a single person living modestly — shared accommodation in cities like Zurich costs approximately CHF 900 to CHF 1,400 per month, leaving a reasonable margin for food, transport, and personal expenses. However, it does not allow for savings in a Swiss context. Cities like Bern, Fribourg, Basel, and Lausanne have lower rent costs than Zurich or Geneva and are worth considering when selecting a host institution.
Can the scholarship be renewed?
Yes. The Research and PhD scholarships are initially awarded for 12 months and are renewable up to a maximum of 36 months subject to satisfactory academic progress, as assessed by ESKAS and the host institution.
Final Checklist Before You Apply
- Confirm you hold the required degree for your chosen scholarship track (master’s for Research/PhD, PhD for Postdoctoral) completed before the specified date
- Confirm you were born after 31 December 1991 (verify your country’s exact age requirement on the ESKAS portal)
- Confirm you have not resided in Switzerland for more than 12 months in the past three years
- Identify a potential Swiss academic supervisor and contact them before 20 August 2026
- Visit sbfi.admin.ch and select your country to find your exact deadline and document requirements
- Register on the ESKAS application portal at go.eskas.ch when it opens on 20 August 2026
- Submit your complete application with the Swiss supervisor letter before your country-specific deadline
- Apply at: sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships
Last updated: June 2026. Stipend amounts, housing allowances, and country-specific eligibility conditions are reviewed annually by ESKAS. Always verify current details, including your country’s exact deadline and required documents, on the official ESKAS portal at sbfi.admin.ch before applying. Use our Free Scholarship Calculator
