Applications go to the Swiss representation responsible for Bangladesh, on the dates it publishes. First you need a Swiss professor’s agreement to supervise the research — that is the real contest. Message us on WhatsApp for help drafting the approach and the proposal.
Switzerland · Research funding
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
A federal grant for research at ETH Zurich, EPFL and Switzerland’s research institutes. This is not a general degree scholarship — it targets researchers, and each country’s Swiss embassy sets its own deadline.
- CHF 2,450
- Monthly allowance
- Included
- Health insurance
- CHF 600
- Rental deposit grant
- 183
- Eligible countries
Overview
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is administered by Switzerland’s Federal Commission for Scholarships and is open to researchers from 183 countries. Its principal form is the research scholarship, for those holding at least a master’s degree who intend to carry out doctoral or postdoctoral research in Switzerland.
One feature governs how you plan: there is no single international deadline. The Swiss representation responsible for each country publishes its own dates, and which scholarship types are offered there at all. Working from another country’s published deadline is therefore risky.
What the scholarship covers
- CHF 2,450 a month towards basic living costs for one person
- Health insurance cover
- A one-off CHF 600 grant towards a rental deposit
- Access to the Swiss research ecosystem — world-class labs and supervisors at ETH, EPFL and beyond
Eligibility
- A master’s degree as the minimum qualification for the research scholarship
- A letter of acceptance to supervise the research from a professor in Switzerland
- Citizenship of an eligible country, and residence there
- Assessment on the research proposal and the academic record
How to apply
The step-by-step application process for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.
01.Find a supervisor
Without a Swiss professor’s agreement the application is incomplete — the longest step.
02.Check your embassy’s dates
See what the Swiss representation responsible for your country has published.
03.Build the research proposal
Assemble the proposal, CV, transcripts and references in the prescribed format.
04.Submit to the embassy and selection
File with the embassy, then the Federal Commission makes the final assessment.
Application cycles
Each cycle has its own page with that round’s dates, figures and changes — kept in step with the official notice.
Frequently asked questions
No. Its main form is the research scholarship, aimed at doctoral and postdoctoral level with a master’s as the minimum entry point. Which types are offered in a given country is announced by that country’s Swiss representation, so read your own notice.
Want help winning the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
Our counsellors help with course selection, essays and the application. Message us on WhatsApp for free guidance.