The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are awarded every year by the Swiss Confederation through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, known as FCS or ESKAS. They are aimed at early career researchers and artists from abroad, and they fund doctoral research, research fellowships, or a first Master's degree in the arts at Swiss higher education institutions.
This is a research scholarship first. If you want a taught Master's in business or computer science, this is the wrong programme for you. If you already hold a Master's degree, have a clear research idea and can persuade a Swiss professor to back it, it is one of the stronger options in Europe. You can read the full scholarship details on our site, and this guide goes deeper into how the application actually works.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded living costs (CHF 2,450 per month), tuition and semester fees not covered |
| Levels | PhD, research fellowships, first Master's in arts |
| Provider | Swiss Confederation via FCS/ESKAS |
| Applications open | August 20, 2026 on Grants Online (GO ESKAS) |
| Deadline | Varies by country of origin, published in August 2026 |
| Scholarship start | September 1, 2027 |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Official site | SERI scholarship page |
Three tracks, and only one of them is a Master's
The programme has separate scholarship types, and picking the right one matters because the degree rules differ.
- PhD scholarships are for doctoral research in any academic discipline. You need a Master's degree or equivalent.
- Research fellowships are also open to any discipline and also need a Master's degree. They fund a research stay rather than a full doctorate.
- Art scholarships are for a first Master's degree in artistic fields such as music, visual arts, dance, acting and writing, at Swiss art schools and conservatories. You need a Bachelor's degree and must not already hold a Master's.
Research and PhD options can be held at Swiss cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, the federal institutes of technology (ETHZ or EPFL), and research institutes within the ETH Domain.
One change to keep in mind: postdoctoral scholarships are no longer awarded starting from the 2027 to 2028 academic year. If you finished a PhD and were hoping for a postdoc through this route, it is closed.
What CHF 2,450 a month does and does not pay for
The scholarship gives a monthly living allowance of CHF 2,450, meant for one person. On top of that, holders get:
- compulsory health insurance premiums, for non-EU and non-EFTA scholarship holders
- a one-time grant of CHF 600 for a rental deposit
- a Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport in Switzerland
- a return flight allowance for non-EU and non-EFTA holders, based on country of origin
- organised excursions and cultural activities run by the federal body
Now the gaps. The scholarship does not cover tuition or semester fees. You pay semester fees or reduced tuition fees yourself, so check what your host institution charges before you count this as a zero-cost offer. It also does not cover family. There are no family allowances, and immigration authorities apply a restrictive policy on residence permits for accompanying persons. If you are married with children and planning to bring them, think hard about this before applying.
The eligibility rules that knock people out early
Scholarships are available to applicants from over 180 countries, but the scholarship types and deadlines depend on your country of origin. Pakistan is not named in the information we have, so open the country PDF lists on the official SERI page once they are published in August 2026 and confirm that Pakistan is listed and which tracks are offered to Pakistani nationals. Do this before you spend weeks writing a proposal.
The core rules are:
- You must be born after December 31, 1991.
- For research and PhD scholarships, you need a Master's degree or equivalent completed by July 31, 2027 (June 30, 2027 for ETH Zurich).
- For art scholarships, you need a Bachelor's degree or equivalent completed by July 31, 2027, and you must not already hold a Master's degree.
- Research and PhD applicants need a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland.
- You must not have been living, studying or working in Switzerland since a date more than 13 months before the scholarship starts.
- You must not have received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship before.
- You can apply a maximum of three times for the same type of scholarship.
The degree completion date is the one Pakistani students should look at carefully. If your MPhil or MS thesis defence is likely to slip past July 2027, your application is at risk even if everything else is strong. ETH Zurich applicants face the earlier June 30, 2027 cutoff.
Finding a Swiss supervisor is the real application
For PhD and research fellowship candidates, the supervisor letter is the hardest document to get and the one that decides whether you can apply at all. The ESKAS secretariat will not find a supervisor for you. You are fully responsible for this, by researching university websites or using institutional contacts.
Start months before the portal opens. Professors get many requests, and a cold email sent in late autumn is often too late. Read a professor's recent work before writing, make sure your field genuinely matches theirs, and confirm you meet the degree requirements before you ask. A generic email copied to thirty professors rarely works. A short, specific note that explains how your proposed project fits their group has a much better chance.
The supervisor's letter must include a short CV of maximum 2 pages. Also check whether your target university needs you to be admitted to a doctoral school at the time of application, because some PhD scholarships at graduate schools require a confirmation of admission.
The paperwork, with page limits that are enforced
The documents list is long, so build your folder early. For general preparation, our documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful companion.
- A complete CV covering education, degrees, awards, positions, publications, teaching and practical experience.
- A motivation letter of maximum 2 pages.
- A research proposal on the FCS/ESKAS form, maximum 5 pages, including a summary for non-specialists.
- A letter of support from your Swiss supervisor, with their short CV (maximum 2 pages).
- For research fellowships, a short CV of your academic supervisor at your home university.
- For PhD scholarships at graduate schools only, confirmation of admission to the graduate school.
- E-mail addresses of two different professors in your field, who will upload recommendation letters through the application system.
- Copies of certificates and transcripts from previous universities, with certified translations if they are not in English, French, Italian or German.
- A copy of your passport (or passports, for dual citizens).
- A copy of your residence permit or registration confirmation, if you already live in Switzerland.
- For art applicants, a portfolio or recording shared via link or QR code.
If any of your documents are in another language, arrange certified translations early. Whether the Swiss side asks for attested copies is something to confirm on the official portal. If you do end up needing attestation, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process.
The research proposal is where most applicants lose marks. Use the official form, stay inside five pages, and write the non-specialist summary so that a committee member outside your field understands why the work matters. Vague aims and a copied thesis chapter do not read well.
How the application moves from portal to decision
- Check the eligibility rules and the PDF lists of scholarship types and deadlines by country of origin.
- Find and contact a Swiss supervisor and secure the support letter, leaving plenty of time.
- Register and sign in to Grants Online (GO ESKAS), which opens on August 20, 2026.
- Complete the form and upload your proposal, motivation letter, CVs, certificates and other documents.
- Submit through the online system to the Swiss diplomatic representation in your home country.
The timeline runs like this. Country lists and deadlines are published in August 2026, and applications open on August 20, 2026. The country deadline is not fixed across all nationalities, so confirm the exact date for Pakistan on the official portal once it appears. FCS announces award decisions by the end of May at the latest, and the scholarship starts on September 1, 2027.
Who this suits, and who should look elsewhere
This suits a Pakistani MPhil or MS graduate with a focused research question, some publications or strong thesis work, and the patience to approach professors one by one. It also suits young musicians, visual artists, dancers, actors and writers who have finished a Bachelor's and want a first arts Master's in Switzerland.
It is a poor fit if you were born on or before December 31, 1991, if you already finished a PhD and wanted a postdoc, if you need a taught Master's in a non-arts subject, or if you plan to move with your family and rely on the scholarship to support them.
A few mistakes come up again and again:
- Waiting for the portal to open before contacting supervisors.
- Exceeding page limits on the motivation letter or proposal.
- Assuming the scholarship pays tuition. It does not.
- Giving recommender e-mail addresses without warning the professors, who then miss the upload request.
- Responding to emails asking for money for visa or social insurance costs. The application process is entirely free, and such messages are phishing or fake offers.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships?
The programme covers over 180 countries, but the scholarship types and deadlines differ by country of origin. Check the country lists on the official SERI page when they are published in August 2026 to confirm Pakistan's inclusion and which tracks apply.
Will ESKAS help me find a supervisor?
No. Applicants are entirely responsible for finding their own academic supervisor, using university websites or institutional contacts.
Does the scholarship pay tuition fees?
No. It does not cover tuition or semester fees. Holders pay semester fees or reduced tuition fees themselves.
How long does a PhD scholarship last?
It is granted for 12 months and can be renewed twice, for up to 36 months in total, depending on academic progress in the first year.
Can I bring my spouse and children?
The scholarship covers the living costs of one person only, with no family allowances. Immigration authorities are restrictive about residence permits for accompanying persons.
How many times can I apply?
You can submit a maximum of three applications for the same type of scholarship, and you cannot apply if you have already held this scholarship.
Before you start, read the latest rules and your country's list on the official Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships page, and keep the full scholarship page handy. For other options, browse all Switzerland scholarships.