Fully Funded Scholarships in Switzerland
There are 13 active fully funded scholarships for international students in Switzerland worth up to €90k, from 12 providers. Compare eligibility, awards, and deadlines below and apply before they close.
full fundingCERN Administrative Student Programme
Open to nationals of CERN Member or Associate Member States who have completed at least 18 months of a bachelor's or master's degree in an administrative (non-STEM) field and remain registered as full-time students throughout the placement. Applicants must be available for a stay of 2 to 12 months and be proficient in English or French. Students in STEM or engineering disciplines are not eligible for this administrative programme.
full fundingCybersecurity and Cyber-Defence (CYD) Fellowships
Open to Master's, PhD, and Postdoctoral candidates of all nationalities pursuing or planning to pursue research in cyber-defence in Switzerland. Master Thesis Fellowship applicants must be enrolled Master's students at a Swiss institution; Doctoral Fellowship applicants need a Master's degree and admission to a Swiss PhD programme; Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants must hold a completed PhD with a strong publication record. All candidates need strong academic performance and a research proposal aligned with cyber-defence goals.
full fundingCYD Doctoral Fellowships
Open to applicants of all nationalities who are enrolled, or plan to enrol, in a PhD programme at a Swiss university and have a confirmed endorsement from a Swiss professor who will supervise the doctorate. All PhD stages are eligible, though early-stage applicants are preferred, and there is no age restriction. Research must fall within cyber defence, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, cybersecurity, cryptography, computational and data science and engineering, systems security, or security technologies.
full fundingUN OHCHR Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent
Open to people of African descent currently living outside Africa who have at least 4 years of work experience related to the rights of people of African descent. Applicants need a good command of English, must be available for the entire duration of the programme in Geneva (historically about three weeks in November-December), must be able to obtain a visa to Switzerland, and must be actively involved in promoting and protecting the human rights of people of African descent.
full fundingUniversity of Basel NOMIS Fellowships
Open to junior and senior scholars of any nationality who hold a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree, have published either one scholarly monograph or three peer-reviewed articles or book chapters, can propose a research project on the theme 'Images as Models', and are fluent in German or English.
full fundingOHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme
Open to indigenous individuals from any country who self-identify and are recognised as indigenous, are nominated and endorsed by an indigenous organisation or community, have a good working knowledge of at least one programme language (English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese), and are actively engaged in indigenous rights advocacy. There are no age or formal education requirements.
full fundingCERN Research Fellowship in Theoretical Physics
Researchers who hold (or are about to defend) a PhD in theoretical physics with no more than six years of research experience after the PhD. Open to nationals of CERN Member and Associate Member States, with a limited number of places under the Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme. Current CERN staff members are not eligible.
full fundingETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme (ESOP)
For outstanding students applying for a master's degree at ETH Zurich, across departments. ESOP provides a study and living allowance plus a tuition-fee waiver; you apply for the scholarship at the same time as the master's application.
full fundingExcellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP)
For students with an excellent academic record applying for a master's programme at ETH Zurich, of any nationality. The scholarship is merit-based; you apply for it as part of your ETH master's admission application, by the December deadline, and selection is by ETH.
full fundingUniversity of Basel PhD Positions in Advanced Data Management
Open to candidates worldwide who hold an MSc in Computer Science or a related field with software-development experience, show a clear interest in research toward a PhD in advanced data management, have practical or theoretical expertise in databases, multimedia data management or information retrieval, are proficient in English, and can work effectively in a team.
full fundingIUCN Leaders Forum Youth Programme
Open to young changemakers who are creating or implementing innovative projects for nature conservation or biodiversity action in their communities. Applicants should be able to present their projects to global leaders and contribute to nature-positive solutions; no specific degree is required, though relevant study or work in conservation strengthens an application.
full fundingNCCR Automation Fellowship
Open to Master's students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities who are enrolled in a relevant education or research programme outside Switzerland, maintain affiliation with their home institution during the fellowship, and have not previously studied or worked at the host institution. PhD and postdoctoral applicants must continue to receive a salary from their home institution.
full fundingWHO/TDR Research Capacity Strengthening Grants
For researchers and institutions in low- and middle-income countries working on infectious diseases of poverty, who apply through specific TDR calls for training grants, fellowships, or capacity-strengthening schemes. Eligibility and deadlines are set per call; this is research/training funding rather than a single degree scholarship.
Frequently asked questions
How many fully funded scholarships are available in Switzerland?
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13 active scholarships are listed on this page, updated regularly.
Can international students apply for scholarships in Switzerland?
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Yes — these scholarships are open to international students; check each one's eligibility and deadline.