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Scholarships in Switzerland

This website provides Information on Scholarships for students and researchers coming to Switzerland or going to low- and middle-income countries. An overview of funding opportunities for global research projects in and with low- and middle-income countries can be found at this website.

Scientific Exchanges

Research visits by Swiss researchers to other countries or by researchers from abroad to Switzerland are funded for a period of 1 to 6 months.

Scientific Exchanges SNSF

Ambizione

Ambizione grants are aimed at young researchers who wish to conduct, manage and lead an independent project at a Swiss higher education institution. The scheme supports young researchers both from Switzerland and abroad. Scientists holding non-professorial academic positions at higher education institutions are also eligible to submit an application. An Ambizione grant covers the grantee's salary and the funds needed to carry out the project. An Ambizione project grant, however, comprises only project funds.

Ambizione

SNSF Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships (SPF)

Following Switzerland’s non-association to Horizon Europe as of 2021, early-career researchers with destination Switzerland are not eligible to apply for monobeneficiary schemes such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) individual postdoctoral fellowship. The SNSF is therefore offering a comparable call for proposals as part of the transitional measures in 2021.

The scheme is open to all research disciplines and topics. This funding scheme will offer applicants with a PhD and no more than eight years of postdoctoral experience a position at a non-commercial research institution in Switzerland for 12-24 months. The grant includes the postdoctoral fellow’s salary with social security contributions, financial contributions to research, and conference costs.

SNSF Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists

Logo Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft

The Swiss Government, through the Federal commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), awards various postgraduate scholarships to foreign scholars and researchers. The scholarships provide graduates from all fields with the opportunity to pursue doctoral or postdoctoral research in Switzerland at one of the public funded university or recognized institution.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists

Scholars at Risk

Scholars at Risk supports Scholars at Risk. They currently provide a comprehensive overview on fellowships and resources for students and researchers from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

In collaboration with Scholars at Risk Switzerland, the SNSF is supporting placements of researchers under threat in Switzerland.

Scholars at Risk

Scholars at Risk Switzerland

Perspectives Studies

Informations for refugees, who wish to study in Switzerland and people who support them along their way.

Perspectives Studies

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships is a program that opens doors for students from India, Singapore and Australia to the world of Swiss academia. The scholarship accepts students who have completed their 2nd year of graduation or post-graduation, while being enrolled with an Indian, Singaporean or Australian university.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships

Scholarships offered by different Universities and Institutes

Fellowship Programmes by the EPFL

Doctoral fellowship programme funding early stage researchers to become leaders in the transition towards sustainable societies.

Next application deadline: Currently no open call

EPFLglobaLeaders - doctoral fellowship programme for the next generation of sustainable science leader

EPFL and the Cyber-Defence Campus “CYD Fellowships” to promote research and education in cyber-defence.

CYD Fellowships – A Talent Program for Cyber-Defence Research.

Scholarships by the University of Fribourg
Master, and research stay of max. 6 months for PhDs and max. 3 months PostDoc

Scholarships University of Fribourg

Scholarships by the University of Lausanne: UNIL's Master's grant
To facilitate access to Master’s degrees by students with qualifications from foreign universities, the University of Lausanne makes available around ten Master’s grants which are awarded on a competitive basis.

University of Lausanne Master's grants

Scholarships & Financial Assistance by the Graduate Institute Geneva
A significant number of scholarships are awarded each year to students attending the Master and PhD programmes.

Funding Opportunities by the Graduate Institute Geneva

Grants and financial aid by the University of Geneva

Grants and financial aid by the University of Geneva

ETH4D Programmes

ETH4D Faculty Exchange Grants

  • allow ETH scientists to bring collaborators from the Global South to ETH Zurich for a research stay or a workshop/conference attendance.
  • fund ETH scientists to travel to partner institutions in the Global South for lectures, courses and collaboration meetings.

ETH4D Doctoral Mentorship Programme

The mentorship entails remote support of doctoral students in low-​ and lower-​middle-income countries as well as a research stay of 1-3 months at ETH Zurich.

E4D Doctoral Scholarship Programme

The Engineering for Development (E4D) doctoral scholarships promote doctoral research for the benefit of underprivileged people in low-​income countries.

E4D Continuing Education Scholarship Programme

The Engineering for Development (E4D) Continuing Education Scholarship Programme awards scholarships for travel and living expenses to candidates from low-​income countries to attend continuing education programmes at ETH Zurich.

Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme of the ETH Zürich

The scholarships can be awarded to students who belong to the best 10 percent of their Bachelor programme.

Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme of the ETH Zürich

Collegium Helveticum fellowships

The Collegium Helveticum is the joint Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) of the ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, and the Zurich University of the Arts. The fellowship program seeks to promote exchange and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. The fellowship program is open to applicants from all academic and artistic disciplines. Depending on the fellowship type, fellows either receive a grant equivalent to full salary or a financial allowance to support them in their work for the duration of their fellowship.

Collegium Helveticum

Kanton Basel Stadt: Stipendienkommission für Nachwuchskräfte aus Entwicklungsländern

Unterstützt wird während maximal dreier Jahren (in der Regel 1-2 Jahre) die Ausbildung von Studierenden und anderen Nachwuchskräften aus Entwicklungsländern in Basel. In erster Linie werden Dissertationen und Post-Docs gefördert. Einreichefrist für Gesuche: jeweils 31. März und 30. September. Der Antrag kann nur von der betreuenden Person eingereicht werden.

Stipendienkommission für Nachwuchskräfte aus Entwicklungsländern
c/o Amt für Ausbildungsbeiträge
Holbeinstrasse 50
Postfach
4001 Basel

Telefon: 061 267 17 41

Visiting Fellowships 2023 Institute for European Global Studies of the University of Basel

Visiting fellowships for 3 months in for autumn 2023. The initiative is designed to establish new academic mobility and exchange in teaching and research. The thematic focus is on “Global Convergences: Cultures and Politics of Artificial Intelligence in Globality Research.” The closing date for applications is January 31 2023.

Swissuniversities scholarships

SUDAC Scholarships

NEWAL supports the capacity-development of West African partners by offering support for short term research exchanges of either students or faculty at Swiss partner institutions. These specific exchanges aims to strengthen the scientific exchange, to help develop stronger personal ties between the West African and Swiss NEWAL organizations and to promotoe collaborative research or teaching activities.

NEWAL Scholarships

For further information you can also contact the Swiss Embassy in your home country

Swiss Representations


Visiting Scientist Programmes of TWAS - The World Academy of Sciences

TWAS - Visiting Scientists

TWAS Fellowships

With the world’s largest South-South PhD and post-doctoral research fellowship programme, TWAS helps early-career researchers to gain education and experience at top global science institutions.

TWAS Fellowships

OWSD Fellowships

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) provides PhD and Early Career fellowships for women scientists from selected Science and Technology-Lagging Countries (STLCs). The fellowships are offered to women scientists to pursue research in the natural, engineering and information technology sciences.

OWSD Fellowships

The African Academy of Sciences

The African Academy of Sciences manages several programmes to fund research careers and projects:

AESA-RISE Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

Future Leaders – African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellowships

African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI)

AAS Affiliates Programme

AXA Fellowships

Funding is granted for 2-year post-doctoral fellowships as well as 5-year “Chairs” for more established researchers on a priority topic aligned with AXA and the Society. The Fund only covers expenses directly connected to the research activity, excluding any administrative and infrastructural expenses.

AXA Research Fund

Gerda Henkel Scholarships

Applications for research scholarships can be made directly by Postdocs or scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification. A research scholarship is usually applied for by one scholar who will work on a specific project on his own. An institutional affiliation is not necessary. As part of its Ph.D. programme, the Foundation promotes highly-qualified new academic talent.

Scholarships to study or research in a LMIC

Scientific Exchanges is aimed at researchers who want to host their own scientific event in Switzerland, invite colleagues from abroad for a research visit to Switzerland, or visit their colleagues in another country.

Running call: apply at least 4 months before the event or visit.

For Swiss students and researchers swissuniversities manages government scholarships of over 30 countries for study or research stays abroad.

Early Postdoc.Mobility fellowships are designed for postdocs at the beginning of their career who wish to enhance their scientific profile by working at a research institution abroad.
The fellowships include a grant towards living costs, a flat-rate for travel expenses and, if justified, a contribution towards research and conference costs as well as matriculation fees. In principle, these fellowships are awarded for 18 months, in justified cases for at least 12 months.

Doc.CH is aimed at promising researchers who wish to write a doctoral thesis on a topic of their own choice in the humanities and social sciences in Switzerland. Part of the doctoral thesis may be conducted at a host institution abroad if a corresponding request giving reasons is submitted.

Besides the salary of the doctoral student, the grant may include a contribution towards costs directly related to project implementation.

Submission deadline: 15 March and 15 September

In order for Swiss institutions to be able to continue working together with Erasmus+ programme countries, the Swiss Federal Council has adopted a solution that is financed by the Swiss government. This Swiss Programme for Erasmus+ promotes cooperation between individuals and institutions from Switzerland and Erasmus+ programme countries. From 2023 onwards, stays abroad will also be supported worldwide.

The Mercator Fellowship on International Affairs promotes each graduates and young professionals from all fields who aspire to positions of responsibility in international organizations. During the course of the 12-month program, the fellows work in two or three international organizations or globally active NGOs around the world, possible places of deployment ranging from an organization’s headquarters in New York to field experience in Kyrgyzstan. Fellows select a project topic of global relevance, which then determines the work placements they choose. The fellows also benefit from seminars aimed at developing their skills and core competencies. The costs of all travel to international placements are covered, and additional grants are also available for conferences and language courses.

Currently no open call