List of Scholarships in Switzerland in 2026 for International Students

Discover List of Scholarships in Switzerland in 2026 for International Students: Picture starting your educational journey from a location that boasts some of the world's top lectures, labs, and research facilities, where a degree not only opens doors but throws them wide open. Switzerland consistently tops university rankings and research benchmarks around the globe. Its universities, ETH Zurich, EPFL, the University of Geneva and many more blend high-standard education, cutting-edge infrastructure, and international networks. Currently, the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2026-27 are calling for applications, as well as high-profile fellowships at CERN, such as the Theoretical Physics Research Fellowship, and other rarely seen residencies in the humanities, radiology, and applied sciences. These are not your standard grants they provide full stipends, health insurance, research guidance, access to top-notch facilities, and international collaborations. If you're considering where to study, why aim for good when you can aim for the best? Swiss scholarships offer you academic prestige as well as actual, life-enhancing benefits. This Spring 2026 intake could be your opportunity to study not only with the best, but among them.

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List of Scholarships in Switzerland in 2026 for International Students

1# Swiss Government Scholarships for Central & Eastern Europe & the Caucasus

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships present an exceptional chance for students and researchers from Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus to advance their studies in Switzerland. These international scholarships are intended to facilitate international cooperation and make talented individuals aware of the top-notch academic institutions in Switzerland. Intended mostly for postgraduate students, the scholarships are for a number of programs, ranging from research fellowships to PhDs and postdoctoral fellowships.

Benefits of the Scholarship

The scholarship offers a spacious monthly stipend to fund living costs, along with health insurance and other allowances, making it a scholarship that is entirely funded for high-achieving scholars in the region.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible, the candidate would usually require a master's degree and a well-formulated research proposal, along with a letter of support from a Swiss university professor who is willing to serve as an academic supervisor.

Deadline

The last date to apply for this scholarship is November 10, 2025.

Official Link: https://mon.gov.mk/mk-MK/konkursi-i-stipendii/stipendii-mon/stipendii-za-doktorski-i-post-doktorski-studii-i-istrazuvanja-vo-svajcarija-za-akademskata-20262027-godina?

2# CERN Research Fellowship in Theoretical Physics

This Cern fellowship is available to PhD graduates in theoretical physics, normally with up to six years of post-PhD research experience. The majority of posts are for nationals of CERN Member or Associate Member States, although a small number of posts are available to applicants from non-member states via the Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme. The successful applicant will get a competitive 24-month employment contract, with potential extension to 36 months.

Benefits of the Scholarship

The benefits package is extensive, and this involves a considerable, tax-free monthly allowance commonly in the range of 6,800 to 7,200 Swiss Francs, CERN's health scheme fully covering the fellow as well as his or her family, and membership of the CERN Pension Fund. In addition, fellows might also receive an installation grant, family and child allowances, and travel costs to Geneva, depending on personal circumstances. Fellows are granted 2.5 days of paid leave per month.

Elilgibty Critieria

The application procedure usually involves a CV, a research interests statement, and three current letters of recommendation. It's important to send these documents in and get the letters of recommendation uploaded in advance of the application deadline. This fellowship offers a rare opportunity to work with world-leading experts and engage in some of the deepest problems in physics.

Deadline

The last date to apply for this fellowship is 03 November 2025.

Official website: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/744000080106773

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3# Archivio Luigi Pericle (Ascona) – Dahlem Humanities Centre Fellowship

The Archivio Luigi Pericle (Ascona) – Dahlem Humanities Centre International Fellowship is an award for humanities scholars from the Freie Universität Berlin to carry out research at the Archivio Luigi Pericle in Ascona, Switzerland. The fellowship provides a rare chance to pursue the artistic heritage of Luigi Pericle as well as the intellectual climate of the Monte Verità area.

Benefits of the scholarship

This scholarship is intended for postdoctoral researchers and senior academic professors who work in particular departments and institutes of the Freie Universität Berlin, such as the Department of Philosophy and Humanities and the Department of History and Cultural Studies. The research projects must concern the Ascona area between the early modern era and the twentieth century. The fellowship offers a stay of up to six weeks at the Archivio Pericle/Hotel Ascona, including bed and board, and a stipend of 600 CHF. The fellowship itself does not reimburse travel costs, but postdocs affiliated with Freie Universität Berlin can apply for supplemental support to assist them in meeting these costs.

Eligibility

The applicants should provide a detailed research proposal, a curriculum vitae, and a cover letter stating their desired dates of the fellowship. The health insurance should be organised by the fellows themselves.

Deadline

The last date to apply for these fellowships is 2 November 2025.

Official website: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/dhc/news/2025-18-08_CfA-Ascona.html?

4# Swiss Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology (SSSR) Travelling Fellowship 2026

The Swiss Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology Travelling Fellowship is a highly competitive, fully-funded fellowship experience for young radiologists to advance their knowledge in musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging. The fellowship is intended for young radiologists (postgraduate level) who are working at a radiology institution in Switzerland and are members of the SSSR.

Benefits of the scholarship

The fellowship provides a one-week educational trip to at least three Swiss institutions from multiple language regions. Fellows acquire hands-on experience through participation in clinical conferences, lectures, research sessions, and interventional sessions. One of the main advantages of the fellowship is that it is fully funded with excellent financial support, including free accommodation and travel, as well as a grant of 1,000 CHF for miscellaneous expenses. Fellows also get the special chance to give their own scientific presentations at the host institutions and at the SSSR annual meeting, creating valuable networking with the best experts and colleagues.

Deadline: The last date to apply is the 30th November 2025.

Official website: https://sssr.ch/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Travelling-Fellowship_Requirements2026_FS.pdf?

5# CERN Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme

The CERN Non-Member State (NMS) Doctoral Student Programme is a programme that gives PhD students from non-members of CERN an opportunity to undertake thesis research at the cutting edge of science and technology. The programme is designed to train high-quality students in areas such as particle physics, applied physics, and computing and provide them an opportunity to work on projects such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The aim is to return with new skills and knowledge to their home countries and regions and fortify the academic community.
Benefits of the scholarship

An association contract is provided for a duration of up to 36 months, including a net-of-tax monthly allowance of 4,506 Swiss Francs, which will adequately cover living costs in the vicinity of Geneva.
The programme comes with full health insurance throughout the student's stay at CERN.
Students are provided with a travel grant to and from Geneva and 2.5 paid days per month.

Eligibility Criteria

You should be a national of a CERN non-Member State. Top priority is given to students from developing nations or areas with developing particle physics communities.
You should be registered in a PhD program in a university and already have finished one year of study.
Your research experience at CERN should be part of your PhD thesis. The supervision and award of the degree remain the responsibility of your home institution.
You ought to be proficient in English or French.

Deadline: The last date to apply for this scholarship is 20 October 2025.

Official website: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/744000075156105-cern-non-member-state-doctoral-student-programme?

6# EPFL Social Scholarship

The EPFL Social Scholarship is a grant program at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne that helps students who experience sudden and unanticipated financial difficulty while studying. It is a last resort type of support intended for students who have already depleted other means, such as family payments, state loans, or grants.

Benefits of the scholarship

It awards a monthly allowance of up to 2,100 CHF.
The scholarship is usually awarded for one to two semesters annually, or up to 10 months in a year.
It can be renewed every year, as long as the financial status of the student still warrants and if he/she provide a new application with all supporting documents.

Eligibility Criteria

You should have a sudden and unexpected change in your social, family, or financial situation that hampers your capability to pay for your studies.
You should be a student at EPFL.
You should have completed your first year of studies at EPFL and should be enrolled for more than one year.
Swiss nationals, C permit holders, or refugees, you are eligible from the start of the CMS program.

Deadline: The last date to apply for this scholarship is 1 Dec 2025.

Official website: https://www.epfl.ch/education/studies/en/epfl-social-scholarship/

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7# CERN Short-Term Internship 2025

The CERN Short-Term Internship is an internship opportunity planned for students to receive on-the-job training and professional development at the world's premier particle physics laboratory. The internship duration may be anywhere from 1 to 6 months and is open to technical as well as administrative students. This is a great way to include a prestigious organisation such as CERN on your CV and work on innovative projects.

Benefits of the scholarship

Interns are paid a monthly stipend of 1,587 Swiss Francs (after tax), which is a proportionate sum for one month of work.
The internship may be for a duration of at least 1 month up to 6 months.
You will have the opportunity to work alongside top professionals in a multicultural environment that is very collaborative. This is an ideal opportunity to put your academic education into practice for actual projects.

Eligibility Criteria

You should be a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
You should be a full-time student in a technical or administrative diploma, Bachelor's, or Master's degree course. Note that PhD students cannot participate in this particular programme.
You should be aged 18 years or older.
You should be a full-time registered student at your home university for the entire period of your internship at CERN.
You should be in possession of good working knowledge of English and/or French.

Deadline: 3 November, 2025

Official website: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/744000080106773

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8# Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are very competitive, funded scholarships provided by the Swiss Confederation to foster international exchange and research collaborations. They are administered by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students and offered to researchers and artists from more than 180 nations. They are targeted at postgraduate students who would like to carry out a research stay, a PhD, or a postdoctoral fellowship in Switzerland. A few scholarships are also offered to artists who are studying for a Master's degree.

Benefits of the scholarship

The award comes with a high monthly allowance to cater to living costs in Switzerland. The stipend is CHF 1,920 per month for Research, PhD, and Arts scholarships, and CHF 3,500 per month for Postdoctoral fellowships.
For non-EU/EFTA scholarship recipients, the Swiss health insurance premiums required by law are paid for in full by the FCS.
A single lump-sum travel grant for a return ticket back to the home country is given to non-EU/EFTA students at the conclusion of their scholarship.
A single CHF 300 allowance is given with the initial monthly stipend to assist with housing deposits.
You are given a one-year half-fare public transport card for Switzerland, which offers you a 50% reduction on the vast majority of trains, buses, boats, and mountain lifts.
While the scholarship itself does not pay for tuition fees, there are some universities that waive or charge a lower fee to scholarship recipients. Check this with your host university.

Eligibility Criteria

You should be a national of a country where Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations and has a scholarship agreement. The eligible countries are listed on the official FCS website.
You need to show a highly distinguished academic record, such as a good research proposal or arts portfolio.
Applicants for Research, PhD, and Arts must have been born after 31 December 1990. The Postdoctoral fellowships age limit depends on the date when your PhD was granted.
You should not have been living in Switzerland for more than a year at the start of the scholarship in September.
You should possess the required language skills (English, French, German, or Italian) to conduct your studies or research.
You are not eligible to apply for a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship if you have previously received the same scholarship.

Official website: https://scholarships365.info/switzerland-government-excellence-scholarship-2026-2027-fully-funded

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How to pick the right Swiss Scholarship Option for Spring 2026?

Selecting the appropriate Swiss scholarship for Spring 2026 is contingent on your level of study, financial requirements, and preferred program. For postgraduate research (Master's, PhD, and Postdoc), the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are the most inclusive. They provide a substantial stipend, health insurance, and travel allowance, but the application process is highly competitive and demands a strong academic record and a letter of support from a Swiss host professor.

Remember that for this scholarship, the academic year usually starts in September, so for the spring intake, you would have to approach the university directly. If you are already a student at EPFL and encounter an unexpected financial emergency, the EPFL Social Scholarship is a great emergency fund. It offers a stipend monthly for up to 10 months and is reserved for students who have tried all other sources of funding.

Lastly, if you are a student studying a technical or administrative course and wish to obtain practical experience, the CERN Short-Term Internship is an excellent option, paying a monthly stipend and providing priceless on-the-job training in a top research organisation. It should be noted that several Swiss universities, such as ETH Zurich, do not offer spring admission to new students in some of the programs, so you should verify the exact university's application schedule.