Switzerland · Swiss Confederation — Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS)
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
- Study levels
- Master, PhD
- Funding
- Partially funded
- Applications open
- 20 Aug 2026
- Deadline
- 30 Oct 2026Europe/Zurich (closes 23:59 Swiss local time)
What the funding covers
CHF 2,450 per month plus health insurance, a CHF 600 rental-deposit grant, a Half-Fare Travelcard and a return flight allowance; tuition and semester fees (approx. CHF 600–2,000 per semester) are not covered.
- CHF 2,450 per month
- Compulsory health insurance premiums (non-EU/EFTA holders)
- One-time CHF 600 rental-deposit grant
- Half-Fare Travelcard
- Return flight allowance (non-EU/EFTA holders)
- Tuition
- Not covered — semester fees (approx. CHF 600–2,000 per semester) are paid by the holder
- Stipend / living allowance
- CHF 2,450 per month (research fellowships, PhD scholarships and art scholarships)
- Accommodation
- One-time grant of CHF 600 for rental deposit
- Travel
- Return flight allowance for non-EU/EFTA holders
- Other support
- FCS covers compulsory health insurance premiums for non-EU/EFTA holders; Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport.
Eligibility
- Who can apply: Bangladesh is explicitly listed in the official SBFI A–Z country list (1 September 2026) with a 30 October 2026 deadline; Research Fellowship / PhD types only.
- Age limit: 35 (see the note in the official rules).
- Language requirements are set by the Swiss host institution and academic supervisor; the FCS pages do not state a separate IELTS score.
- Master's degree already completed (research fellowship) or enrolment in a PhD programme.
- A Swiss academic supervisor willing to direct the proposed research is required.
- Research Fellowship and PhD types only for Bangladesh — no art scholarships.
- Applicants must reside in Switzerland at their host institution for the scholarship period.
- English / IELTS
- English requirement — see official source
- Set by the Swiss host institution and supervisor; no separate IELTS score on the FCS pages.
- Application fee
- See official source
- Not stated on the official pages checked.
Run the eligibility checker to see how you line up.
Apply — official links only
Apply only via the official ESKAS portal link on the SBFI page (register in Grants Online / GO ESKAS). A Swiss academic supervisor willing to direct the proposed research is required before applying; do not send applications by email or on paper.
Verification record
- Source:
- SBFI — Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships at a Glance (sbfi.admin.ch)
- Last verified:
- 2026-10-25
- Last checked:
- 25 Oct 2026, 17:58 UTC
- Status:
- Applications open
Evidence: Official SBFI A–Z list of countries and territories (1 September 2026), Bangladesh row: "Bangladesh — 20. Aug 26 — 30. Okt 26 — Research Fellowship / PhD"; column heading: "Submission deadline, 11:59 PM (Swiss local time)". SBFI 'at a glance' page: "Research fellowships, PhD scholarships and art scholarships: CHF 2,450 per month"; "The Federal Excellence Scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees" (approx. CHF 600 to CHF 2,000 per semester); health insurance, CHF 600 rental-deposit grant, Half-Fare Travelcard and return flight allowance listed as additional benefits; "the scholarship application must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland". Max age 35 and master's-completed requirement verified on the official SBFI page on 2026-10-24.
Verified against the official SBFI A–Z country list and the SBFI 'at a glance' page on 2026-10-25 (all 12 checks passed).
Not published by the provider (left blank on purpose): a numeric minimum GPA (the provider does not state one). NextGrant never fills gaps with guesses.
NextGrant is an independent discovery platform and is not the scholarship provider. Always confirm the final requirements on the official page before applying.