[Switzerland] Swiss Government Scholarships for University, Fine Arts and Music Schools for the academic year 2010-2011
The Swiss government awards a range of scholarships to foreign students through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS): university scholarships (Swiss universities and Federal Institutes of Technology), arts scholarships (schools of music and fine arts) and scholarships for universities of applied sciences. These scholarships provide graduates from all disciplines with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies or research in Switzerland at a public funded university or recognised institution.
Please use the drop-down menu below to see whether your country of origin is part of the Swiss government’s scholarship scheme. You will also find the necessary information regarding eligibility criteria and the application procedure.
Country of origin:
If your country does not feature on the list you are not eligible for a Swiss government scholarship.
A. Types of scholarship:
University scholarships: University scholarships are open to students from both industrialised and developing countries, but are intended exclusively for study at one of Switzerland’s 10 universities or 2 federal institutes of technology.
Arts scholarships: Scholarships in the fields of fine arts and music are only available to advanced candidates from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Romania, Turkey, USA.
UAS scholarships: To a more limited extent, scholarships are also available for studies at the 7 universities of applied sciences (UAS) with the exception of teacher training colleges. Candidates must hold a degree (at least a Bachelors) and enrol for studies in Switzerland at postgraduate level. These scholarships are only open to students from: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine.
B. Eligibility
- Candidates must hold a university degree (Bachelors/Masters) on commencement of the scholarship.
- Candidates must be able to demonstrate their academic abilities and what they aim to achieve.
- Candidates must contact the institution and/or the professor supervising their period of research. Universities may request supplementary information and/or set certain additional conditions to determine whether or not you qualify for admission.
- Candidates must be under the age of 35 (born on or after 1.1.1975).
- Candidates must be suitably proficient in the language of instruction (French, German, Italian or English) in order to draw full benefit from their studies in Switzerland.
- Candidates who have already embarked on the first year of a Masters programme at a Swiss university or UAS are no longer eligible for a Swiss government scholarship (with the exception of arts scholarships). Such applications will not be considered by Swiss diplomatic representations.
- Swiss government scholarships may not be combined with other scholarships or awards.
C. Length and amount
Scholarships are provided for a nine-month academic year. Scholarships for postgraduate or Masters programmes lasting up to 2 years (3 or 4 semesters) may be extended depending on results from the first year.
Scholarships consist of monthly payments of:
CHF 1920.- for postgraduate students
CHF 1920.- for fine arts and music students
CHF 1600.- for students attending language courses in Fribourg or Lugano
The Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students does not cover the cost of academic and /or term fees. Generally-speaking, the universities and the Zurich Federal Institute of Technology exempt holders of Swiss government scholarships from term fees, but not necessarily from Masters programme enrolment fees. In the event that these fees are not waived, it is up to the scholarship holder to arrange payment.
D. Application procedure
- If you fulfil the eligibility requirements contact the Swiss diplomatic representation in your country of origin.
- The diplomatic representation will provide you with all the necessary information regarding the procedure including application forms and a list of required documentation.
E. Awards
Technically, the scholarships are offered to the government of the student’s country of origin and not to the student. Applications are subject to preliminary selection by the relevant national authorities and the Swiss diplomatic representation. The Swiss diplomatic representation then passes on the selected applications to the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) which subsequently takes the final decision. The FCS is composed of academic staff drawn from Swiss universities. Scholarship awards are made on the basis of academic and scientific excellence.
