Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
CHF 2,450 a month to do PhD research in Switzerland — open to 53 African countries, each with its own deadline.
Offered by Swiss Confederation — Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS/ESKAS)
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships fund early-career researchers to spend up to a year doing research in Switzerland as part of their doctoral studies. They pay CHF 2,450 a month and are open to applicants from 183 countries, including 53 in Africa. Be clear about what this is: it is NOT a taught Master's scholarship. It is for people who already hold a Master's and are pursuing a PhD, plus a separate art scholarship for a first Master's in music or fine art at Swiss conservatories. The hard requirement is the supervisor. You must find an academic at a Swiss university who agrees to supervise your project and writes you a letter of support. Switzerland states plainly that applications without a supervisor will not be considered, and that finding one is your responsibility. Every country has its own deadline and its own Swiss embassy handling it. Yours is listed below.
Applications open 20 August 2026 — but each country has its own closing date between October and November 2026
Applications open on 20 August 2026 for most African countries — a few open on 28 August or 1–2 September. Your closing date depends on your country and ranges from 13 October to 30 November 2026, always at 11:59 PM Swiss local time. Find your own country below: applying by another country's date will not help you. Awards are announced by the end of May 2027, and the research year begins on 1 September 2027.
Details checked against the official source on 13 August 2026. Rules change every year — always confirm on the official page before you apply.
TontonAfriJobs is not connected to this scholarship and never charges any fee. You can apply yourself, for free, using the steps below. Nobody needs to apply on your behalf.
Fully funded
Phd, Masters
Applications open 20 August 2026 — but each country has its own closing date between October and November 2026
Set by your Swiss host institution and supervisor
Competitive
What the scholarship pays for
What you still pay for yourself
Find your country
These 53 African countries are eligible, and each has a DIFFERENT deadline — shown next to its name below. Tunisia closes first, on 13 October 2026, and several close on 30 November. Applications go to the Swiss embassy responsible for your country, which is not always an embassy in your own country: applicants from Sudan are handled by Cairo, from South Sudan and Djibouti by Addis Ababa, and from several West African countries by the Centre Suisse de Recherches in Abidjan. Note that Cameroon and Sudan ARE eligible here — Switzerland is not affected by the UK visa rule.
Don't see your country? Eligibility can change each year — check the official country list.
Can I apply?
You need to be able to tick every box below. Each one links to the official page that states the rule.
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You hold a Master's degree or equivalent, completed by 31 July 2027 — or by 30 June 2027 if you are applying to ETH Zurich. Eligibility criteria
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You were born after 31 December 1991 — an effective age limit of 35. Age criterion
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YOU MUST HAVE A SWISS SUPERVISOR. An academic at a Swiss institution must endorse your project and write a letter of support with their short CV. Applications without one are not considered — including for doctoral programmes. Supervision requirement
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You submit a detailed research plan with a timeline setting out your key milestones and activities. What to submit
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Priority goes to people who have NOT previously studied or done research in Switzerland. Target group
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The separate ART scholarship is for a first Master's at a Swiss conservatory or art school, for artists who do not already hold a Master's — but it is open to a limited number of countries only. Art scholarships
How to apply, step by step
Do these in order. Every step links to the exact official page you need — you never have to guess, and you never need an agent.
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1
Find your own country's deadline first
Deadlines run from 13 October to 30 November 2026 and differ by country. Check yours in the list above, then work backwards from that date — not from a general one you read elsewhere.
Official Africa list (PDF) -
2
Start looking for a Swiss supervisor NOW
This is the step that takes longest and the one that disqualifies people. Identify researchers in your field at Swiss universities, read their work, and email them a short, specific proposal. They must agree to supervise you and write a letter of support with their CV.
Supervision requirement -
3
Write a detailed research plan with milestones
Switzerland assesses the originality and methodological quality of your project, so the plan carries real weight. Include a timeline with clear milestones and activities.
Selection criteria -
4
Contact the Swiss embassy that handles your country
It may not be in your own country — Sudan is handled from Cairo, South Sudan and Djibouti from Addis Ababa, and several West African countries through Abidjan. Each country's contact email is in the official PDF.
Embassy contacts by country -
5
Apply online from 20 August 2026
The online application opens on 20 August 2026. Submit by 11:59 PM Swiss local time on your country's own deadline — Swiss time, not your local time.
Official scholarship page -
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Results by end of May 2027, research starts 1 September 2027
The Federal Commission for Scholarships announces its decisions by the end of May 2027 at the latest. The research year begins on 1 September 2027.
After applying
Papers you need to prepare
Start gathering these early — some take weeks to get.
A letter of support from a Swiss academic supervisor
Must include their short CV. Without this your application is not considered at all.
A detailed research plan with a timeline
Must specify key milestones and activities.
Your Master's degree certificate
Must be completed by 31 July 2027, or 30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich.
Proof of date of birth
You must have been born after 31 December 1991.
Your CV and academic record
Assessed for academic profile, research competence and motivation.
English test — which one to take
An English test proves you can study in English. You take it at a test centre (or sometimes at home), pay a fee, and receive a score. Book directly on the official website below — never pay an agent to book it for you.
No central language test
Switzerland sets no scholarship-wide language test. Your Swiss supervisor and host institution decide what they need, and most research is conducted in English, French or German depending on the region.
Ask your prospective supervisor directly what language ability they expect — they are the one who decides.
Questions people ask
What is the deadline for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
There is no single deadline — Switzerland sets one per country. For African applicants the 2027–2028 deadlines run from 13 October 2026 (Tunisia) to 30 November 2026, always at 11:59 PM Swiss local time. Applications open on 20 August 2026 for most African countries. Check your own country's date on the official Africa list published by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation.
Do I need a supervisor for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
Yes, and it is compulsory. You must find an academic supervisor at a Swiss university who agrees to direct your proposed research and writes a letter of support including their short CV. Switzerland states that applications without an academic supervisor will not be considered, and that finding one is the applicant's own responsibility. This applies to doctoral programmes and graduate schools too.
Is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for a Master's degree?
Generally no. The research scholarship is for early-career researchers who have already completed a Master's and are pursuing a PhD, funding a research stay of 6 to 12 months in Switzerland. There is a separate art scholarship for a first Master's at a Swiss conservatory or art school, but it is open to a limited number of countries only.
How much is the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship pays CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses for one person. Switzerland states explicitly that this is not a salary and must not be treated as equivalent to regular remuneration. The scholarship lasts a maximum of 12 months and no extensions are possible.
Which African countries are eligible for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?
53 African countries are eligible, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon and Sudan. Each has its own deadline and is handled by a designated Swiss embassy, which is not always located in the applicant's own country — Sudanese applicants are handled by the Swiss embassy in Cairo, for example.
Is there an age limit for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship?
Yes. For the 2027–2028 research scholarships you must have been born after 31 December 1991, which works out as a maximum age of about 35. You must also have completed your Master's degree by 31 July 2027, or by 30 June 2027 if applying to ETH Zurich.
Tips that genuinely improve your chances
- Start the supervisor search today, not in October. Swiss academics receive many of these emails, and a vague one is ignored.
- Email two or three researchers with a specific, short proposal referencing their actual published work. Generic requests fail.
- Deadlines are Swiss local time, not yours. Submit a day early to be safe.
- Priority goes to people who have never studied or researched in Switzerland — if that is you, say so clearly.
- Check whether your embassy is in another country. Several African applicants are handled from Cairo, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dakar or Abidjan.
Protect yourself from scams
The Swiss State Secretariat publishes its own warning about this: criminals advertise fake "Swiss Government Scholarships" by email and social media, then ask victims to transfer money for supposed visa or social insurance costs. The Federal Commission for Scholarships says never to reply to these emails and above all never to send money. Applying for a Swiss Government Scholarship is free of charge, and applications go only through the official online system and Swiss embassies.
Ready to apply?
Applications are made directly on the official website — it is free, and you do it yourself.
Where this information came from
- https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/education/scholarships-and-grants/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships.html
- https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/en/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships-at-a-glance
- https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/tFFyoJ2KGeGB/2026-08-04_Africa_List_of_countries_and_territories_complete.pdf