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.
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.
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.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists
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.
Perspectives Studies
Informations for refugees, who wish to study in Switzerland and people who support them along their way.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
Grants and financial aid by the University of Geneva
ETH4D Programmes
- 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.
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.
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.
For further information you can also contact the Swiss Embassy in your home country
Visiting Scientist Programmes of TWAS - The World Academy of Sciences
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.
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.
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
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.
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.