ELIGIBILITY:

Target Group:

Highly qualified early-career researchers from all academic fields who are pursuing a PhD in their home country, including young medical doctors. A-Z list of all countries and territories

Priority will be given to individuals who have not previously studied or conducted research in Switzerland (see eligibility criteria for exceptions).

Criteria:

Master’s degree or equivalent completed by 31 July 2027 (for ETH Zurich: 30 June 2027).

Date of birth after 31 December 1991.

Detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities.

Applicants must have a letter of support from an academic supervisor in Switzerland (including a short CV).

If the applicant already resides in Switzerland, the date of entry must not be earlier than 1 August 2026 (submit a copy of the registration confirmation or residence permit).

Selection Criteria:

Academic profile, research competence, and motivation

Originality and methodological quality of the project

Quality of supervision and potential for future collaboration

Duration:

Maximum of 12 months (6 months at minimum)

No extensions possible

Start date: 1 September 2027

Key Elements of the Scholarship Application

Complete CV including educational background, degrees, awards, positions, publications, teaching, and practical experience.

Letter of motivation (max. 2 pages): reasons for staying in Switzerland and the significance for future career and professional plans after the scholarship.

Research proposal: a detailed research plan with a timeline specifying key milestones and activities. To be submitted on FCS/ESKAS form (max. 5 pages including a summary for non-specialists). The form can be downloaded in the online application.

Letter of support from an academic supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution.

Short CV (max. 2 pages) from this academic supervisor.

Academic supervision required: An academic supervisor at a Swiss university is required for all scholarship applications (research fellowships, PhD scholarships). Each applicant must find a supervisor in Switzerland to endorse the proposed research project and write a letter of support. Scholarship applications without an academic supervisor will not be considered. This also applies to graduate schools (doctoral programmes).

It is the responsibility of each individual scholarship applicant to find a suitable academic supervisor.

Suitable supervisors: professors and laboratory group leaders. For PhD scholarships, supervisors must be authorized to supervise doctoral theses.

At universities of applied sciences, a doctorate requires two academic supervisors. One of them must be authorized to confer doctorates at a traditional university.

BENEFIT:

Research fellowships, PhD scholarships, and art scholarships: CHF 2,450 per month to cover basic living expenses of one person.
Please note: This scholarship is not a salary.
No funding is provided for fieldwork and participation in conferences.

Additional benefits:

Health insurance: FCS covers the premiums for compulsory health insurance for scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries. Scholarship holders from EU/EFTA countries must cover these costs themselves.

One-time grant of CHF 600 for rental deposit.

Half-Fare Travelcard for public transport

In addition, the coordinating body organizes excursions and activities for federal scholarship holders.

Return flight allowance: Scholarship holders from non-EU/EFTA countries receive a return flight allowance (amount determined by country of origin). This allowance may be used up to two months after expiry of the scholarship exclusively for the purpose of returning to the country of origin.