PhD Degree/Fellowships Switzerland
EPFLglobaLeaders Fellowship Programme at EPFL, Switzerland
EPFL
15 April 2021, 17:00 CETDetails
Switzerland's list is dominated by university excellence awards, not a national programme. Of 20 scholarships across 15 hosts, 16 are Master's level, 4 PhD, 2 Bachelor's and 2 Postdoc. EPFL and the University of Geneva each appear twice, and IMD carries four MBA awards. Only 3 have a deadline still ahead, so most dates need rechecking before you plan.
| Deadline | Scholarship | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 2026 | UNIL Master's Grants for International Students at University of Lausanne | Masters Degree |
| 17 Nov 2026 | Geneva Academy Scholarships for LLM and Master's in Human Rights | Masters Degree |
| 30 Nov 2026 | ETH Zurich Excellence Masters Scholarships (ESOP) | Masters Degree |
EPFL
Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Initiatives of Change
Geneva Academy
University of Geneva
EPFL
ETH Zurich
University of Lausanne
University of Geneva
University of St. Gallen/Starr International Foundation
SCS Foundation
educations.com
IMD
IMD
IMD
Swiss Government
Nestle/IMD
University of Bern
EU CORDIS
Most awards here come from the institutions themselves and reward top grades. EPFL Excellence Fellowships pay CHF 10’000 per semester and reserve a student room. ETH Zurich ESOP gives CHF 12,000 per semester plus a tuition fee waiver. University of Geneva Excellence Fellowships pay CHF 10,000-15,000 per year. UNIL Master's Grants pay CHF 1,600 per month for ten months a year and require C1 in French or English.
IMD accounts for four MBA awards. IMD MBA Diversity Scholarships are worth CHF 30,000 and follow admissions. IMD Emerging Markets Scholarships pay CHF 20,000-60,000 to citizens of developing countries. Nestlé Scholarship for Women at IMD gives CHF 25,000. Outside business, the Alfred Werner Scholarships pay CHF 30’000 to chemistry students in the top 10% of their undergraduate programme.
The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships pay CHF 2,450 per month plus health insurance, a CHF 600 rental deposit grant, a half-fare travel card and a return flight allowance, but not tuition. They are for PhD and Postdoc researchers from more than 180 countries. EPFLglobaLeaders adds EUR 1,935 monthly to a doctoral salary. Only 3 of the 20 awards have a deadline ahead, including ETH Zurich ESOP on 30 November 2026, so verify every other date.
Only 3 of the 20 listed awards do. ETH Zurich ESOP closes 30 November 2026, the University of Geneva Excellence Fellowships close 28 February 2026, and the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships vary between September and December 2026.
Yes. Of the 20 listed, 16 are Master's level, 4 PhD, 2 Bachelor's and 2 Postdoc. Bachelor's funding is limited to EPFL Excellence Fellowships and the University of St. Gallen awards.
Not always. UNIL Master's Grants accept C1 in French or C1 in English. Many Master's courses in Switzerland are taught in English and tuition fees are minimal, as the Alfred Werner listing notes.
CHF 2,450 per month for basic living costs, health insurance, a one-time CHF 600 rental deposit grant, a half-fare travel card and a return flight allowance from non-EU/EFTA countries. Tuition and semester fees are not covered.
Check each award's own page before you apply, because most listed deadlines have already passed.