Fully Funded Scholarships in Switzerland 2027 for International Students

This guide covers the 5 scholarships in Switzerland that ScholarshipClaude lists for 2027: 4 fully funded and 1 with partial funding. For each one you will find what it pays for, who can apply and the deadline, with a link to the full page. The list was last updated on 8 October 2026.

The nearest confirmed deadline is CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, on 16 October 2026. Scholarships with expected dates are based on the previous cycle and will be confirmed when the new call opens.

How scholarships work in Switzerland

Switzerland offers the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for doctoral and research stays, and its universities run their own merit awards, such as the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship for master's students. Living costs are high, so check what each award pays toward living expenses.

Scholarships in Switzerland 2027 at a glance

Fully funded scholarships in Switzerland for international students

CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland

CERN, the European particle physics laboratory near Geneva, takes students in applied physics, engineering and computing for a paid training placement of 4 to 12 months. Technical students receive a monthly net allowance of 3,486 Swiss francs and are covered by the CERN health insurance scheme.

What it covers:

• Monthly net allowance of 3,486 Swiss francs
• CERN health insurance (your contribution is deducted from the allowance)
• Family supplement, depending on your circumstances
• Travel expenses to Geneva when you join, depending on your circumstances

Who can apply:

• National of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State
• CERN currently cannot consider Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot, Croatian and Turkish nationals
• At least 18 months (3 semesters) of studies completed in your field at the time of selection

Level: Bachelor's & Master's. Deadline: 16 October 2026. Full details and how to apply.

CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland

CERN, the European particle physics laboratory near Geneva, takes students in administrative fields for a paid placement of 4 to 12 months. The Administrative Student Programme 2027-1 is open until 16 October 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time, with an ideal start date of 1 April 2027. Students receive a tax-free monthly allowance of 3,486 Swiss francs.

What it covers:

• Monthly allowance of 3,486 Swiss francs, tax free
• 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks of annual closure
• CERN health insurance (your contribution is deducted from the allowance)
• Family supplement, depending on your circumstances

Who can apply:

• National of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State
• CERN currently cannot consider Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot and Croatian nationals
• At least 18 months (3 semesters) of studies completed in your field at the time of selection

Level: Bachelor's & Master's. Deadline: 16 October 2026. Full details and how to apply.

ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship

The Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP) at ETH Zurich supports outstanding students who join a master's programme at one of the world's leading universities for science and technology. Scholars receive a grant for living and study costs each semester and a full tuition fee waiver for the regular length of the programme (three or four semesters), together with mentoring and the network of the ETH Foundation. The grant is CHF 12,000 per semester and rises to CHF 13,500 per semester from autumn semester 2027. ETH plans to award about 60 scholarships for the 2027/28 academic year.

What it covers:

• Grant for living and study costs: CHF 12,000 per semester, rising to CHF 13,500 per semester from autumn semester 2027
• Full tuition fee waiver
• Mentoring and the network of the ETH Foundation

Who can apply:

• Excellent bachelor's results (top 10% of your programme)
• Applying for a consecutive master's programme at ETH Zurich
• Not already enrolled in an ETH master's programme or holding a master's degree

Level: Master's. Deadline: 30 November 2026. Full details and how to apply.

St. Gallen Symposium Global Ideas Competition

The St. Gallen Symposium runs a Global Ideas Competition for young people. Those who qualify take part in the Symposium in St. Gallen, Switzerland, as Leaders of Tomorrow, with all expenses covered, alongside about 200 young participants and 600 senior leaders. The three best ideas share a prize fund of 20,000 Swiss francs.

What it covers:

• All-expenses-covered participation in the St. Gallen Symposium for those who qualify
• A prize fund of 20,000 Swiss francs shared by the three best ideas
• Membership of the Leaders of Tomorrow community

Who can apply:

• Enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master's level or higher) at a regular university, in any field
• Born in 1997 or later
• Individual work only

Level: Short Programme. Deadline: 1 February 2027. Full details and how to apply.

Partial scholarships in Switzerland

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland

The Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS, also called ESKAS) to support research cooperation between Switzerland and more than 180 countries. For 2027–28 there are research scholarships (a research stay of 6 to 12 months for researchers doing a PhD outside Switzerland), PhD scholarships (12 months, renewable up to 36 months) and Master in Arts scholarships for a limited number of countries. Postdoctoral scholarships are not on the 2027–28 list. All scholarships start on 1 September 2027.

What it covers:

• CHF 2,450 per month for the basic living costs of one person (it is not a salary)
• Health insurance premiums for scholars from non-EU and non-EFTA countries
• Return flight allowance for scholars from non-EU and non-EFTA countries; the amount depends on your country of origin
• One-time grant of CHF 600 for a rental deposit

Who can apply:

• Master's degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (30 June 2027 for ETH Zurich)
• Born after 31 December 1991
• A letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland; applications without one are not considered

Level: PhD. Deadline: 31 October 2026. Full details and how to apply.

Scholarships in Switzerland: documents and how to apply

CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland

Check the nationality rule before you apply. You must be a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State, and CERN states that it currently cannot consider applications from Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot, Croatian and Turkish nationals, because the ceiling under their membership agreements has been reached. The current round is reported to close on 16 October 2026, which matches CERN's Administrative Student Programme; confirm the date in the vacancy notice.

More eligibility rules:

• PhD students and PhD holders are not eligible
• You stay enrolled as a full-time student during the placement
• Good knowledge of English or French

Documents:

• CV in English or French (required)
• Academic reference letter (optional)
• Academic transcript (optional)
• Any other document you think is relevant to your application (optional)

Application steps:

1. Check the nationality and study rules first
2. On the CERN careers site, open the 2027-1 Technical Studentship vacancy for your field: applied physics; material and surface science; general and civil engineering; IT, mathematics and robotics; electrical or electronics engineering; or mechanical engineering
3. Click Apply now and complete the online application. CERN says to allow about 15 minutes
4. Upload your CV, plus a reference letter and transcript if you have them
5. Submit before 16 October 2026 at 23:59 Geneva time
6. CERN reviews applications and may invite you to an online interview with the hiring manager

Duration: 4 to 12 months. Open to: Nationals of CERN Member States and Associate Member States (Pakistani nationals currently cannot be considered). Go to the CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland page.

CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland

Check the nationality rule before you apply. You must be a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State, and CERN states that it currently cannot consider applications from Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot and Croatian nationals, because the ceiling under their membership agreements has been reached.

More eligibility rules:

• PhD students and PhD holders are not eligible
• Good knowledge of English or French
• You stay enrolled as a full-time student during the placement

Documents:

• CV in English or French
• Academic record
• Any other document you consider relevant to your application

Application steps:

1. Check the nationality and study requirements first
2. Open the vacancy on CERN's recruitment site and start your application
3. Upload your CV and supporting documents
4. Submit before 16 October 2026, 23:59 Geneva time

Duration: 4 to 12 months. Open to: Nationals of CERN Member States and Associate Member States (Pakistani nationals currently cannot be considered). Go to the CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland page.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland

Eligible host institutions include the universities of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, St. Gallen and Zurich, Università della Svizzera italiana, ETH Zurich, EPFL, the ETH Domain research institutes (PSI, WSL, Empa and Eawag), the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) and the Swiss universities of applied sciences.

More eligibility rules:

• A detailed research plan with a timeline of milestones and activities
• Research scholarships are for researchers doing their PhD outside Switzerland; PhD scholarships are for a full PhD in Switzerland
• If you already live in Switzerland, your date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026
• Not eligible: anyone who has already held a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, a fourth application after three unsuccessful ones, or anyone living in Switzerland since more than 13 months before the start
• Only one application is allowed: one host university, one scholarship type and one research project

Documents:

• Complete CV with your education, degrees, awards, positions, publications and teaching experience (required)
• Letter of motivation, maximum 2 pages (required)
• Research proposal on the FCS form, maximum 5 pages including a summary for non-specialists; you download the form inside the online application (required)
• Letter of support from your academic supervisor at a Swiss institution (required)
• Short CV of that Swiss supervisor, maximum 2 pages (required)
• Email addresses of two different professors in your field; the system asks them to upload a recommendation letter on the FCS form (required)
• Copies of certificates and transcripts from your previous universities, with certified translations if they are not in English, French, Italian or German (required)
• Copy of your passport; dual citizens submit both passports (required)
• Short CV of your supervisor at your home university (research scholarships only)
• Confirmation of admission to the graduate school (PhD scholarships at graduate schools only)
• Copy of your residence permit or registration confirmation (only if you already live in Switzerland)

Application steps:

1. Check the scholarship types and the deadline for your country in the country list on the official page
2. Find an academic supervisor in Switzerland who supports your project; this can take weeks or months
3. Check your eligibility and register in GO ESKAS (Grants Online), the official application portal
4. Prepare your application in GO ESKAS and upload all documents; do not send anything by email or on paper
5. Enter the email addresses of two professors, who upload their recommendation letters in the system
6. Submit before your country's deadline: Pakistan by 31 October 2026
7. Applying is free, and decisions come by the end of May 2027 at the latest

How applications are assessed:

• The candidate: academic profile, research capacity and motivation
• The research project: originality and methodological soundness
• The academic context: quality of supervision and potential for future academic cooperation

Duration: 1 year (research) or up to 3 years (PhD). Open to: Citizens of 183 eligible countries (deadline differs by country; Pakistan: 31 October 2026). Go to the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland page.

ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship

More eligibility rules:

• Apply in the first application window (1 to 30 November 2026)

Documents:

• All documents for the ETH master's application on eApply, including your CV (required)
• Pre-proposal for your master's thesis, written by you and following ETH's pre-proposal guidelines (required)
• Names of two professors as referees, who upload a reference letter after an email from the system (only if your master's programme does not already ask for references)
• A phone number in your CV where ETH can reach you in February

Application steps:

1. Choose an eligible ETH master's programme (MAS programmes are not included)
2. Apply through eApply between 1 and 30 November 2026 and add the ESOP application
3. Upload all master's admission documents and your thesis pre-proposal
4. Submit well before the closing time on 30 November: ETH's page shows 11:59 and 12:59 Central European Time, so do not wait for the evening
5. Be reachable for a possible phone or video interview in February 2027
6. The admissions committee of your master's programme evaluates the application, and the Rector of ETH Zurich makes the final decision
7. Decisions are communicated by the end of March 2027

How applications are assessed:

• A very good bachelor's result, in the top 10% of your programme
• A pre-proposal for your master's thesis, written by you
• Applications are evaluated by the admissions committee of each master's programme
• The selection process may include a phone or video interview in February

Duration: Regular duration of the master's programme (3 or 4 semesters). Open to: All nationalities. Go to the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship page.

St. Gallen Symposium Global Ideas Competition

Your submission has a written part of no more than 1,000 words in four sections: you identify a real problem, support it with evidence, propose a partnership that could solve it and show how it would work. There is also a video explainer. Entries are assessed anonymously. The closing date and eligibility rules are on the official page, so no date is shown here.

Documents:

• Copy of your passport or national ID (required)
• Confirmation of matriculation, valid on 1 February 2027 (required)
• Anonymous Solution Brief of no more than 1,000 words, on the official template (required)
• Video Explainer of no more than 3 minutes (required)
• Any use of AI tools must be declared

Application steps:

1. Read the competition rules and eligibility on the official page
2. Identify a real problem and gather evidence
3. Write your submission and record the video explainer
4. Sign up and submit before the closing date on the official page

Duration: Symposium of a few days in St. Gallen. Open to: See the official page. Go to the St. Gallen Symposium Global Ideas Competition page.

Scholarships in Switzerland by study level

• Bachelor’s: CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland.
• Master’s: CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship.
• PhD: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland.

Application timeline

Plan your applications in deadline order:

• 16 October 2026: CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland
• 16 October 2026: CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland
• 31 October 2026: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland
• 30 November 2026: ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship
• 1 February 2027: St. Gallen Symposium Global Ideas Competition

What the scholarships in Switzerland ask you to submit

Across the 5 scholarships in Switzerland on this page, this is how many ask for each document:

• CV or résumé: 4 of 5 (guide: academic CV template)
• Motivation letter, personal statement, essay or study plan: 1 of 5 (guide: statement of purpose guide and motivation letter template)
• Recommendation or reference letters: 3 of 5 (guide: how to get strong recommendation letters)
• Research proposal or research plan: 2 of 5 (guide: research proposal template)
• Transcripts or degree certificates: 3 of 5

2 of them mention an interview in their selection process: CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship. Our scholarship interview tips cover how to prepare.

Frequently asked questions

Which scholarships in Switzerland are fully funded?

Among the scholarships we list: CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, CERN Administrative Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship, St. Gallen Symposium Global Ideas Competition.

Which scholarships give partial funding?

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027–28 in Switzerland.

Which deadline comes first?

CERN Technical Student Programme 2027 in Switzerland, on 16 October 2026.

See every active scholarship for this country on the scholarships page, and read how to find fully funded scholarships for more options.