Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships: Fully Funded PhD and Research Fellowships in Switzerland

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship is one of the most generous research awards in Europe. It pays 2,450 Swiss francs a month, covers your health insurance, gives you a housing grant and a half-fare travel card, and pays for your return flight. It funds a full PhD of up to three years, or a one-year research stay, at a Swiss university or federal institute of technology. It is open to researchers from 183 countries, and Pakistan is one of them. The catch is that you cannot apply for it the way you apply for most scholarships. You must first find a Swiss professor who agrees to supervise your research, and that professor’s written support is the single most important document in your file.

Two facts about the 2027-28 cycle matter before you go further. First, the deadline for Pakistani applicants was 31 October 2026, and it has now closed. If you are reading this after that date, you cannot apply for the 2027-28 cycle, and this guide is built to help you prepare for the 2028-29 round, which will be advertised from August 2027. Second, the postdoctoral scholarship has been discontinued from the 2027-28 cycle onward. The Swiss Federal Council announced the change in November 2025, raising the monthly stipend to 2,450 francs and ending the separate postdoctoral track. If you already hold a PhD, the research fellowship is the closest route now, subject to the age rule. This guide covers the 2027-28 rules as published by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, known as SERI, and the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, known as the FCS or ESKAS.

1. Introduction

Every year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to encourage international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and more than 180 other countries. The recipients are selected by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, the FCS, an independent body whose secretariat is run by SERI. The program is aimed at talented early career researchers from abroad who have already completed a master’s degree. It is not a scholarship for taught study. It funds research, and it expects you to arrive with a project, a supervisor, and a record that shows you can do the work.

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Quick Facts

Scholarship Name	Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship
Host Country	Switzerland
Host University	Any eligible Swiss university
Study Level	PhD scholarship (up to 3 years) or research fellowship (1 year)
Funding Type	CHF 2,450 a month, health insurance, CHF 600 housing grant, half-fare travel card, return flight allowance
Eligible Nationalities	Selected countries, including Pakistan
Study Duration	12 months (Research Fellowship); up to 3 years (PhD)
Application Deadline	31 October 2026 for Pakistan (closed). Deadlines are country-specific; check the official A-Z list for your country.
Scholarship Year	2027-28
Official Website	go.eskas.ch

The award is structured differently from most government scholarships. There is no central application form that you fill in and send to Bern. You apply online through the Grants Online portal, known as GO ESKAS, and your application must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland who is willing to direct and guide your proposed research. Without that supervisor, your application is not reviewed. Finding the supervisor is the real work of this application, and it can take weeks or months of emailing professors, reading their papers, and shaping a proposal that fits their lab. Start with the supervisor, not the form.

Switzerland is a strong research destination, and the stipend reflects that. At 2,450 francs a month, it is a proper living allowance even by Swiss standards, and it comes with health insurance and travel support. The trade-off is the competition. This is one of the most selective government awards in Europe, and the selection panel reads every proposal on its merits. A generic application, or one without a real supervisor relationship, will not survive the first cut.

2. Types of Scholarship

The 2027-28 cycle offers three types of scholarship. The postdoctoral scholarship, which existed in earlier cycles, has been discontinued from this cycle onward. If you were planning to apply as a postdoctoral researcher, read the note at the end of this section.

PhD Scholarship. This is for researchers who hold a master’s degree and want to complete a full PhD at a Swiss university. It runs for 12 months and can be renewed twice, up to a maximum of 36 months. You must have a Swiss academic supervisor, and you must meet the admission requirements of your host university. This is the main route for Pakistani applicants who want a doctorate in Switzerland.

Research Fellowship. This is for postgraduate researchers who want a one-year research stay in Switzerland as part of their doctoral work. It runs for 12 months. It suits doctoral candidates who are enrolled in a PhD program in their home country and want a research year in a Swiss lab. Field research outside Switzerland is not permitted during a research fellowship.

Art Scholarship. This is for students who want to pursue an initial master’s degree in an artistic field at a Swiss conservatory or art school. It is available to applicants from only a limited number of countries. It is not one of the types available to Pakistani applicants in the 2027-28 cycle, so this guide does not cover it in detail. If you are an art student from another country, check the official A-Z list to see whether your country is included.

Postdoctoral scholarships: discontinued. Until the 2026-27 cycle, postdoctoral researchers received a separate, higher stipend of 3,500 francs a month. The Federal Council announced in November 2025 that the postdoctoral track would end from the 2027-28 academic year onward, as part of reforms that raised the base stipend to 2,450 francs for the remaining types. If you already hold a PhD, the research fellowship is the closest available track, subject to the age rule and to finding a supervisor. Do not apply for a PhD scholarship if you already hold a doctorate, because the PhD scholarship is for researchers who do not yet hold one.

3. Degree Level

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship funds postgraduate research only. It does not fund undergraduate study, and it does not fund taught master’s degrees. You must already hold a master’s degree, or complete one before the scholarship starts in September 2027, to apply for a research fellowship or a PhD scholarship. The master’s degree must be completed by 31 July 2027, or by 30 June 2027 if your host institution is ETH Zurich.

The PhD scholarship funds a full doctorate at a Swiss university, up to three years. The research fellowship funds a one-year research stay. Neither is a taught program. Your time in Switzerland is spent on your research project, under your supervisor, at your host institution. If you are looking for a taught master’s degree in Switzerland, this is the wrong award. Swiss universities offer their own master’s programs, and you would apply to the university directly, with your own funding or a university scholarship.

The age rule is strict. The official scholarship page states a maximum age of 35, and the country guidance for Pakistan sets the rule as being born after 31 December 1991. If you were born on or before that date, you are not eligible for the 2027-28 cycle. There is no flexibility in this rule, so check your date of birth before you spend weeks finding a supervisor.

4. Available Subjects

Research scholarships are available in any discipline. There is no fixed subject list, and there is no quota by field. Your project can be in the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences, humanities, law, economics, or any other field, as long as a Swiss professor is willing to supervise it and a Swiss institution can host it.

The host institutions are the Swiss cantonal universities, the universities of applied sciences, the two federal institutes of technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL, and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain: the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva also hosts scholars. The full list of host institutions is published on the official SERI page.

Because the award is supervisor-driven, the subject that matters is the one your supervisor works in. A strong proposal in a field where Switzerland is strong, such as pharmaceutical sciences, materials science, environmental science, or international relations, will find supervisors more easily than a proposal in a field with few Swiss research groups. Before you write to a professor, read their recent papers, check their lab’s current projects, and shape your proposal around work they are actually doing. A proposal that could have been sent to any professor in any country is easy to spot, and it is easy to refuse.

5. Scholarship Benefits

The funding is a monthly stipend plus a set of additional benefits. The figures below are from the official SERI page for the 2027-28 cycle. The stipend is the same for research fellowships, PhD scholarships, and art scholarships.

• Monthly stipend of CHF 2,450 to cover the basic living expenses of one person. The official page states clearly that this scholarship is not a salary.
• Health insurance: the FCS covers the premiums for compulsory health insurance for scholarship holders from non-EU and non-EFTA countries. Scholarship holders from EU and EFTA countries must cover these costs themselves.
• One-time grant of CHF 600 for the rental deposit on your housing.
• Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport in Switzerland.
• Return flight allowance for scholarship holders from non-EU and non-EFTA countries. The amount is set by country of origin, and it may be used up to two months after the scholarship ends, only for the return to your country of origin.
• Excursions and activities organized by the coordinating body for federal scholarship holders.

What the award does not cover is just as important. The scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees. Some Swiss institutions require scholarship holders to pay semester fees of about 600 to 2,000 francs per semester, or reduced tuition fees, and in some cases PhD fees are not waived. You must cover these fees yourself, so confirm the fee position with your host university before you accept. No funding is provided for fieldwork or for participation in conferences. PhD scholarship holders may request to do field research for up to six months, without additional funding, and all associated costs are borne by the holder.

Conference costs are borne by the holder. The stipend covers one person only. No family allowances are provided, and the decision on residence permits for accompanying persons is made by the federal and cantonal migration authorities, under a policy the official page describes as currently restrictive. Neither the FCS nor the host institution provides support for accompanying family members.

6. Eligible Nationalities

The program is open to applicants from 183 countries, and Pakistan is one of them. Swiss nationals are not eligible. The available scholarship types and the deadline vary by country of origin, and the official A-Z list on the SERI site sets out the types and deadlines for every country. For Pakistan, the available types in the 2027-28 cycle are the PhD scholarship and the one-year research fellowship. The art scholarship is not available to Pakistani applicants.

Your country of origin decides your deadline, not your country of residence. Check the A-Z list for Pakistan specifically. The deadline for Pakistani applicants in the 2027-28 cycle was 31 October 2026, and it was set by the Swiss Embassy notice for Pakistan. Other countries have different dates. India, for example, closed on 10 November 2026, and the ETH Zurich application window ran to 30 November 2026. Do not use another country’s deadline for your own application.

The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the HEC, advertises this scholarship in Pakistan, but it does not select the winners. Selection is done entirely by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students in Switzerland. The HEC plays no role in the decision, and no one in Pakistan can improve your chances by contacting the HEC on your behalf.

7. Eligibility Criteria

The rules below are the confirmed requirements for the 2027-28 cycle. Always confirm the current rules on the official SERI page before you apply, because details can change between cycles.

• Master’s degree: You must hold a master’s degree or equivalent, completed by 31 July 2027, or by 30 June 2027 if your host institution is ETH Zurich. If you will complete your master’s before the scholarship starts in September 2027, you can apply, but the degree must be finished by those dates.
• Age: You must have been born after 31 December 1991. The official page describes this as a maximum age of 35. The rule is strict.
• Supervisor: Your application must be backed by an academic supervisor in Switzerland who is willing to direct and guide your proposed research. You need a signed letter of support from that supervisor. Applications without a supervisor support letter are not reviewed.
• Strong academic record: The selection panel assesses your candidate profile, which includes your grades, your publications, and your research experience. A strong record in your field is expected.
• Research project: You must present a detailed research proposal with a timeline, written for your chosen field. The panel judges the quality of the project and its potential for future research cooperation.
• No prior award: You must show that you have not already benefited from this scholarship in the past. The application asks for proof of this.
• Residence: The scholarship requires you to live in Switzerland, in the city or canton of your host institution, for the full period of the award.

One practical point catches many applicants. Some universities, including EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Zurich, require additional funding from the academic supervisor on top of the scholarship. The FCS must be told if any other financial support is provided, for example from other scholarships or from teaching and research assistant positions. The scholarship may not be used to top up full-time employment. Check with your supervisor and your host university whether extra funding is required, and settle that question before you submit.

8. English Language Requirements

The FCS does not set an IELTS requirement for this scholarship. There is no English test in the official application, and no minimum score is published. That does not mean language does not matter. Your research will be supervised in English, German, French, or Italian, depending on your host institution and your supervisor, and most research groups in Switzerland work in English. Your supervisor will judge your English from your emails and your proposal, so weak English will show up long before any formal test.

Your host university may set its own language rule for PhD admission, separate from the scholarship. Some universities ask for IELTS or an equivalent test as part of their doctoral admission process. Check the admission rules of your host university early, and confirm with your supervisor whether a test is needed. If you already hold an IELTS score, include it in your file. If you do not, do not delay your supervisor search to take a test the scholarship itself does not ask for. The supervisor letter comes first.

9. Required Documents

Applications go through the GO ESKAS online portal only. Do not send your application by email or in paper form. The documents below are the standard set for Pakistani applicants. The portal will list the exact forms for your country, and you must follow that list.

• The signed application form from the official GO ESKAS portal.
• A detailed research proposal, usually with a timeline, written for your chosen field.
• A signed letter of support from your Swiss academic supervisor. This is the single most important document in the file.
• Your CV, with your publications and research experience.
• Your HEC-attested master’s degree and transcripts, plus certified translations if any document is not in English.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• A medical certificate and a copy of your passport.
• Proof that you have not already benefited from this scholarship in the past.

Get your HEC attestation done early. It is the slowest document in the process, and October is when every scholarship applicant in Pakistan wants it done at once. If any of your documents is not in English, arrange certified translations in time. Incomplete files are not considered, so check every item against the portal list before you submit.

10. Selection Criteria

The FCS assesses every application against three criteria, published on the official SERI page. The first is the candidate profile: your academic record, your publications, and your research experience. The second is the quality of the research project or artistic work: the proposal itself, its originality, its method, and whether it can be done in the time available. The third is the synergy and potential for future research cooperation: whether the project builds a real link between your home institution and your Swiss host, and whether that link is likely to last beyond the scholarship.

The supervisor letter carries unusual weight in this process, because it speaks to all three criteria at once. A generic letter from a professor who barely knows your project signals that you emailed fifty people and one said yes. A detailed letter from a professor who clearly helped shape your proposal signals a real research partnership, and it tells the panel that the project is feasible and the supervision is genuine. Write to fewer professors, but write better emails. Read their recent papers, mention one of them by name, explain in three sentences why your project fits their lab, and say what you bring to it. Pakistani applicants often send long emails full of life story. Swiss professors prefer short emails full of research substance. Give them that, follow up once politely, and move on if there is silence.

Decisions are announced by the end of May at the latest, for a scholarship starting on 1 September. The FCS announces the awards for the following academic year, and there is no appeal process published for unsuccessful applicants.

11. How to Apply – Step by Step

Applications go only through the GO ESKAS online portal. There is no paper form, no embassy submission, and no agent route. The application is free of charge. The Swiss government warns applicants that anyone asking for money in the name of this scholarship is running a scam. Follow the steps below.

1. Check the official A-Z list for Pakistan to confirm the scholarship types available to you and your deadline. For the 2027-28 cycle, the types were the PhD scholarship and the one-year research fellowship, and the deadline was 31 October 2026.
2. Start with the supervisor, not the form. Email Swiss professors in your field with a short, specific research idea. Finding the right supervisor can take weeks or months, so this step cannot wait. Do not apply without a supervisor.
3. Once a professor agrees to support you, develop the full research proposal together, with a timeline. Ask for the signed letter of support.
4. Register on the GO ESKAS portal and complete the application form carefully. Check the admission rules of your host university at the same time, including any language test and any fee the university charges.
5. Gather every document: HEC-attested degree and transcripts, certified translations, CV with publications, two recommendation letters, medical certificate, passport copy, and proof that you have not held this scholarship before. Get the HEC attestation done early.
6. Upload everything to the portal and submit before your country deadline. For Pakistan in the 2027-28 cycle, that was 31 October 2026. Incomplete files are not considered.
7. Wait for the decision. The FCS announces its awards by the end of May. If you are selected, the scholarship starts on 1 September 2027.

Prepare well in advance. The portal opens on 20 August, and the country deadlines fall between September and December for most countries. The supervisor search is the longest step, so begin it months before the portal opens.

12. Deadline

The 2027-28 cycle is open, but the deadline for Pakistani applicants has passed. Here is the confirmed timeline for this cycle.

Stage	Date
Applications open (GO ESKAS portal)	20 August 2026
Deadline for Pakistan	31 October 2026 (closed)
Deadline for India	10 November 2026
ETH Zurich application window ends	30 November 2026
Master’s degree must be completed by	31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich)
Decisions announced	By the end of May 2027
Scholarship starts	1 September 2027
2028-29 cycle advertised	From August 2027

Deadlines are country-specific, so always check the official A-Z list for your own country. The 2028-29 cycle will be advertised from August 2027, and the portal will open around the same time. If you missed the 2027-28 deadline, use the months ahead to find a supervisor and build your proposal, so that you are ready to submit as soon as the next portal opens. Check the official SERI scholarship page for the announcement, and treat any date on a third-party site as a guess until the official list confirms it.

Check every date and rule on the official SERI website before you apply. The main scholarship page is sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships, the amounts and benefits are on the scholarships at a glance page, applications go only through the GO ESKAS portal, and the awarding body is described on the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students page.