Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Recipients are selected by the awarding body, the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS).

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or PhD and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.

One minute introduction to Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Introduction to Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (5 min.)

Types of scholarship
The research scholarship is available to post-graduate researchers in any discipline (who hold a master’s degree as a minimum) who are planning to come to Switzerland to pursue research or further studies at the doctoral or post-doctoral level.

Research scholarships are awarded for research or study at all Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences and the two federal institutes of technology, as well as the four research institutes. Only candidates nominated by an academic mentor at one of these higher education institutions will be considered.

Art scholarships are open to art students wishing to pursue an initial master’s degree in Switzerland. Art scholarships are awarded for study at any Swiss conservatory or university of the arts. This scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.

Awards
The FCS will announce its decisions regarding the new scholarship awards by the end of May at the latest.

Outlook
The FCS will select scholarship holders for the 2022-23 academic year by the end of May 2022. Scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year will be advertised online from August 2022.