Lake Zurich at golden hour with the Swiss Alps in the background and trees on the shoreline.

Switzerland 2026/27 intake: Master's/PhD admission with scholarship consideration typically closes around 15 January 2026 — confirm on graduateinstitute.ch

Graduate Institute Geneva (IHEID) Scholarship

The Geneva Graduate Institute (Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement, IHEID) is a world-leading postgraduate institution for international affairs, development studies, international law, international economics, and political science, located beside the UN and other international organisations in Geneva. It offers a substantial scholarship budget for admitted Master's and PhD students, ranging from full tuition waivers to combined tuition-plus-living-stipend packages, awarded on a mix of merit and financial need. For Sri Lankan graduates aiming at careers in diplomacy, development, human rights, trade, or international organisations, IHEID is one of the most prestigious funded routes in Europe — and its Geneva location offers unmatched access to the UN system. Scholarship amounts, coverage tiers and deadlines are set each admission cycle, so confirm the current terms on the IHEID website; applying early and completing the financial-need section carefully is important.

Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)

University-funded

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Value

Tuition + Partial Living Stipend

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Level

Master's / PhD

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Basis

Merit & Financial Need

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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International Applicant

Open to international students admitted to an IHEID Master's or PhD. Sri Lankan applicants are eligible; scholarships are especially aimed at talented students who could not otherwise afford to study in Geneva.

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Strong Academic Record

A first-class or strong upper-second Bachelor's (for Master's applicants) or a strong Master's plus research proposal (for PhD applicants) in a relevant field, from a recognised Sri Lankan university.

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Demonstrated Financial Need

Many IHEID scholarships weigh financial need alongside merit. Applicants must complete the financial-need section honestly and provide supporting documentation to be considered for the larger packages.

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Language Proficiency

IHEID is bilingual (English/French); most Master's can be completed in English but require strong English (IELTS ~7.0). Sri Lankan applicants from English-medium degrees may qualify via an MOI/exemption route — confirm with admissions.

account_tree Application Process

Apply for admission with scholarship request

Submit your IHEID admission application, ticking the scholarship option and completing the financial-need and motivation sections, with transcripts, CV, references and (for PhD) a research proposal.

Single combined deadline

Meet the main admission deadline (around mid-January), which also serves as the scholarship deadline — late applications are generally not considered for funding.

Selection

IHEID's committees assess admission and scholarship together, awarding tiered packages based on merit and need, and notify candidates in the spring.

Accept and apply for the Swiss visa

Accept your place and scholarship, then apply for the Swiss student visa (national D visa) via the Swiss representation covering Sri Lanka, using your admission, scholarship letter and financial evidence.

Why the Geneva Graduate Institute?

IHEID is among the world's top institutions for international affairs and development, embedded in Geneva's dense ecosystem of UN agencies, NGOs and multilateral bodies. Its generous need- and merit-based scholarships make this elite environment genuinely reachable for talented Sri Lankan graduates.