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

Switzerland Check current round

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS). They support international researchers at the PhD and postdoctoral level at Swiss public universities, the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Zurich and EPFL), and university hospitals. Sri Lanka has its own country-specific quota each cycle, with applications managed through the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo.

The 2027/28 cycle opened in August 2026. Deadlines are set per country by the Swiss embassy and generally fall between November and December — Sri Lankan applicants must confirm the exact date with the Swiss Embassy rather than relying on the global opening date.

Swiss Confederation (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation)

Government-funded

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PhD Stipend

CHF 2,450/month

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Postdoc Stipend

CHF 3,500/month

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Extras

CHF 600 Housing + Insurance + Half-Fare Travel Card

info How this award actually works

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This is a separate, highly competitive application

Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.

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Who awards it

Swiss Confederation (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation) — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.

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What it covers

CHF 2,450/month (PhD) + housing + insurance. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.

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Where we come in

We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Master's Degree

PhD applicants must hold a Master's degree (or be in the final year). Postdoc applicants must have completed (or be completing) a PhD between January 2023 and July 2026 — ETH Zurich's PhD deadline is 30 June 2026.

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Age Limit

Applicants must be born after 31 December 1990 (i.e., under 35–36 years old). This is non-negotiable.

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Confirmed Swiss Supervisor

Every applicant must have a confirmed academic supervisor at a Swiss public university, ETH/EPFL, or recognised research institute. Applications without a supervisor letter are rejected at first screening.

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Language Proficiency

Sufficient command of the language of instruction — usually English for research roles, but French or German may be required at some institutions. IELTS 6.5+ or equivalent is standard.

account_tree Application Process

Find a Swiss supervisor

Identify a Swiss professor whose research aligns with yours and secure a confirmation letter agreeing to supervise. This is the single most important step and usually takes 2–4 months.

Prepare your application package

CV with research output
Research proposal (5 pages)
Two academic references
Master's/PhD transcripts and degree certificate
Supervisor confirmation letter from Switzerland
Medical certificate
Language proficiency certificate

Submit to Embassy of Switzerland Colombo

Sri Lankan applicants submit a complete paper application to the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo by the country-specific deadline (typically late November/early December).

FCS selection in Bern

The Embassy forwards shortlisted applications to the Federal Commission for Scholarships in Bern. Final results are announced in May for September entry.

Why Switzerland?

Switzerland has the highest density of top-ranked research universities in Europe — ETH Zurich and EPFL consistently rank in the global top 20. PhD researchers are paid employees (not students) and the scholarship's monthly stipend covers a comfortable Zurich/Geneva cost of living.

CHF 36k+

Annual PhD Stipend Total

12+12+12

PhD Months (Renewable to 36)

180+

Eligible Countries Worldwide

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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