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Tuition at Swiss universities is low by European standards. You can enrol at a Swiss university for as little as $1,500 a year, which is one reason Switzerland attracts international students. Swiss scholarships for international students are also available to help with tuition fees and living costs.
Below are the main Swiss government and university awards open to foreign students.
Swiss Government Scholarships for International Students »
Swiss Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Students
Every year the Swiss Confederation gives Government Excellence Scholarships to encourage exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. The research scholarship is open to post-graduate researchers in any discipline who hold at least a master's degree and plan to come to Switzerland for research or further study at doctoral or post-doctoral level. It covers a monthly payment, exemption of tuition fees, health insurance, air fare, housing allowance, etc.
Swiss Universities that offer Scholarships for International Students »
ETH Excellence Scholarships
ETH Zurich supports strong students from ETH and from other universities, national and international, who want to take a Master's degree at ETH. It runs two programmes: the Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP), which covers the full study and living costs of the student, and the Master Scholarship Programme (MSP), where students receive a partial stipend and the offer of an assistantship.
See also E4D Continuing Education Scholarship Programme
University of Lausanne Master's Grants for Foreign Students
The University of Lausanne offers scholarships to international students who want to take a Masters degree there through the UNIL Master's Grants. The grant is CHF 1,600 per month from 15 September to 15 July, for a duration not exceeding the regulation minimum period of the programme.
EPFL Excellence Fellowships
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) offers a limited number of fellowships at Master level to students with outstanding academic records. Anyone applying to an EPFL Master's Program is eligible. For external applicants, each fellowship consists of a financial package of CHF 16,000 per academic year plus reservation of a room in students accommodation.
Graduate Institute Geneva Scholarships
The Institute invests considerable resources in financial aid, with the goal of attracting talented scholars from around the world, regardless of origin and financial ability. Financial aid may take these forms: a full scholarship in the amount of CHF 20,000; a partial scholarship in the amount of CHF 10,000; tuition reduction or teaching/research assistantship. For the most highly ranked PhD students, a 4-year package combining 2 years of full scholarship and 2 years of teaching assistantship is also offered.
University of Geneva Excellence Master Fellowships
The University of Geneva Faculty of Science, with several sponsors, has set up an Excellence Fellowship Program to support outstanding and highly motivated candidates who intend to pursue a Master of Science in any of the disciplines covered by the Faculty. The Excellence Fellowship consists of a grant amounting to CHF 10,000 to CHF 15,000 per year.
IMD MBA Scholarships
IMD offers a number of scholarship programs for international students from different countries and backgrounds. Each scholarship program awards around CHF 25,000-50,000.