Application is open for the Swiss government Excellence Scholarship program for the Academic year of 2023-2024.

The Swiss government offers its Excellence scholarship to foreign students and researchers from over 180 countries to create an international exchange and study at Swiss higher education institutions.  Young artists with a bachelor’s degree and researchers with a master’s degree or Ph.D. can apply to the Swiss Excellence fully funded scholarship program.

Scholarships type offered:

1. Research scholarship for those who have at least a master’s degree and are willing to do their research in Switzerland
2. Art Scholarship for those who want to start and pursue their master’s degree in Swiss for a limited number of countries.

Each country has been offered scholarships with separate requirements and programs. Students need to check the requirements for their countries HERE.

Swiss Scholarship for Afghanistan

For Afghanistan, there are three types of scholarships:

• Ph.D. Scholarships
• Post Doctoral Scholarship
• Research Scholarships

Duration:

• PhD: 12 months extendable up to 36 months
• Research and postdoctoral studies: 12 months  ( not extendable)

Details of Research Scholarship for Afghanistan

• Start of Application: August 2
• Deadline: September 30
• Location: Swiss
• Level of study: Research
• Deadline for Submission of application package: September to December differed according to the country
• Result announcement: May 2023
• Start of the program: September 1, the next year
• Targeted group: eligible postgraduate researchers from all academic fields as well as young medical doctors

Benefits of the scholarship:

Swiss Excellence Scholarships offers the following expenses:

• Monthly stipend of CHF 1,920 for Research, Ph.D. & Master of Arts, CHF 3,500 for Postdoctoral studies
• Health Insurance
• One-way trip flight ticket from Swiss to the home country
• CHF 300 allowance for housing
• Half-fare public transportation card for one year
• Support for various trips organized for scholarship holders

Who can apply for Swiss Excellence scholarships?

The applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Applicants who want to undertake research, Ph.D. or a Postdoctoral scholarship must find a host professor in Switzerland willing to support and entitled to supervise their scholarship, research project or Ph.D. project. A specific letter of invitation must imperatively be part of the application package. This is also valid for doctoral
  schools.
• For research and Ph.D. candidates, a research proposal including time is needed.
• For PhD and Research scholarships, candidates should hold a master’s degree or equivalent or receive it by July 31, 2023
• Not born before December 31, 1987
• Not have been for  more than 1 year in Switzerland
• Not have received a Swiss scholarship previously
• For Postdoc candidates, you need to have obtained your degree between 31 December 2019 and  31 July 2023. (except: ETH
  Zurich: 30 June 2023) PhD degree certificate completed.
• For Art scholarships, applicants should hold bachelor’s degree or equivalent achieved before 31 July 2023 (degree certificate).
• A proof for “admission is under consideration” at the intended Swiss arts or music school (conservatory). This may be in the form of a conditional acceptance pending an entry exam or other specific requirements. If applicable: a copy of the letter from a professor confirming the supervision of the studies.

The Swiss Excellence scholarship is available for the following countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cap Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea North, Korea South, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Island, Mauritania, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Authority, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Salomon Islands, Samoa, Santa Lucia, Sao Tome and principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St- Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland / eSwatini, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, UK, USA, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Eligible higher education institutions:

For postgraduate scholarships (Research Fellowships, PhD, Postdoctoral)

• University of Basel
• University of Bern
• University of Fribourg
• University of Geneva
• University of Lausanne
• University of Lucerne
• University of Neuchâtel
• University of St. Gallen
• University of Zurich
• Università della Svizzera italiana
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
• Research Institutes of the ETH Domain (PSI; WSL; EMPA; EAWAG)
• Graduate Institute

For postgraduate scholarships(Research fellowships and Postdoctoral only)

• University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
• Bern University of Applied Sciences
• University of Applied Sciences Northwest Switzerland
• University of applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland
• University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons
• Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
• The Zürcher Fachhochschule
• Universities of teacher education

For art scholarships

• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland
• Bern University of the Arts
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
• University of Applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland
• Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
• Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana
• Zurich University of the Arts

Required documents for Swiss Government Scholarships:(in English, French, German or Italian)

Applicants should prepare the following document:

• Signed FCS application form (typed and printed) with photo
• Letter from an academic host professor at Swiss University he/she chooses. The professor’s CV should be included. The letter should indicate that the professor is willing to supervise the mentioned student at his/her Ph.D. thesis.
• Full CV
• Motivation letter – not be more than two pages
• Two confidential letters of recommendation from two different professors
• Academic certificates and transcripts
• Signed medical certificate (use only the FCS health certificate form).
• Admission letter from doctoral school with application dossier
• Signed Research proposal (maximum 5 pages)
• Proficient in research /PhD studies language
• Two copies of the passport

Note: Please do not put the documents into plastic folders or binders. And do not use clips or staple

Selection:

Preliminary selection is made by the relevant country authorities and/or the Swiss diplomatic mission. The applications that are shortlisted are subsequently evaluated by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), which determines the final decision.

The FCS evaluates scholarship applications based on three criteria:

• Candidate information
• The standard of the research study or artistic work
• Potential for future research collaboration and synergies

The FCS is made up of professors from all of Switzerland’s public universities. Scholarships are awarded based on academic and scientific excellence.

How to apply?

Applicants should check their eligibilities according to their country of origin. If they are eligible they can contact the designated Swiss office assigned for their country.
Applicants from Afghanistan can contact the Swiss embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan to receive all detailed information about the Swiss Excellence Scholarships  and the package for application. Applicants from countries other than Afghanistan Should find their country-specified scholarships HERE, read the details, and apply accordingly.

Please download and read the details of the program  linked below before you apply this program

• Research 
• PhD
• Postdoctoral
• Arts

Guidelines for Swiss Government Scholarship Applications 2023-2024

Afghan Applicants can get and submit the application form to the address below: [email protected].

Please note that Afghanistan applicants who apply to Ph.D. program should simultaneously apply for admission and for a Scholarship. Applicants can get the application package by contacting the Swiss Cooperation Office Pakistan in Islamabad. Then submit 2 sets of the application (a copy and original of all documents )

For more information, please the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship Program Website.

Afghanistan applicants can contact [email protected].

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