Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2023 for International Students
Switzerland Government Excellence Scholarship Application Deadline December 30, 2022
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships will be available in Early August 2023 for the class of 2023-2024. Switzerland Government Scholarships 2023 are fully-funded scholarships that cover a large number of subject offerings for admissions. Science, Arts, Engineering, Medicine, Management, and Law degree programs are all offered under Switzerland Scholarships.
The deadline to submit applications for the Swiss Government Scholarships will be December 30, 2023. This is the ideal time for applicants to get familiar with the application process for Swiss Scholarships and prepare their application material in time. It is a great chance to avail in order to study for free in Switzerland.
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 for 2023-2024 are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or Ph.D. and at foreign artists holding a bachelor’s degree.
Swiss Excellence Scholarships Allowances and Coverage Plan:
It must be noted that the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2023 are fully funded that cover full tuition fees, monthly stipend payments, room, health insurance, and other student expenses. The Swiss Excellence Scholarship covers the following for all international students:
- Free Airfare Tickets
- Sponsored Research Fund
- Housing Allowance Disbursements
- Free Accommodation (CHF 300 housing allowance)
- Sponsorship for Monthly Stipend (CHF 1,920)
- Full Tuition Fees Waiver
- Paid Health Insurance
Swiss Excellence Scholarships Subject Categories:
The Research-Based Swiss Scholarship:
This 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. Only candidates nominated by an academic mentor at one of these higher education institutions will be considered.
Arts Swiss Scholarships:
These 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 Swiss scholarship is available to students from a limited number of countries only.
Swiss Government Scholarship Selection Criteria:
The FCS assesses scholarship applications according to three criteria:
a) Quality of the research project or artistic work
b) Assessment of Candidate profile
c) Synergies and potential for future research cooperation
Eligibility Standards for Swiss Excellence Scholarship:
- Applicants must be in command of the necessary language skills required for the research/studies.
- Applicants must provide a letter from an academic host professor (including her/his short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the research. Without such support, the application will be rejected.
- Applicants who have been in Switzerland for more than one year at the beginning of the scholarship in September are not eligible.
- Applicants who have already benefited from a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship are not eligible to apply for a second scholarship.
- Applicants must have a research proposal including a timeframe. This is the centerpiece of the application.
- The applicant must devote all required attention to it.
- Scholarship holders are expected to move to Switzerland during their grant period.
Documents Needed for Swiss Excellence Scholarship Application:
- Signed medical certificate (use only the FCS health certificate form).
- Signed FCS application form (typed and printed) with photos.
- A copy of the letter from an academic host professor (including the applicant’s short CV) at the chosen Swiss university confirming why she/he is willing to supervise and support the research.
- A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages).
- A full CV with a list of academic publications, awards, etc.
- A complete research proposal (max. 5 pages, signed), using exclusively the FCS research proposal form.
- A short CV of the academic mentor at the home institution.
- Study plan or statement of purpose
- Photocopies of certificates and grade sheets from previously attended universities/colleges and diplomas with grades, starting with the most recent. If not in English, French, Italian, or German with attested certified translations in English. Do not submit the original certificates.
- Two confidential letters of recommendation from two different professors in the applicant’s field (use exclusively the FCS reference form – originals in sealed envelopes only for the 1st set). No copies of 2nd set.
- Two copies of the applicant’s passport (main page with personal data). Dual nationals add copies of both passports. Applicants already in Switzerland during the application procedure add a copy of the residence permit for Switzerland.
Application Process of Switerzland Government Excellence Scholarship:
Candidates are required to send the above-listed documents to their local Swiss Country Embassies prior to their country-specific deadlines. You can check the country-specific Swiss Scholarship application and deadline information from the links available at the end of this article.
