Switzerland Scholarships For International Students 2027

Studying in Switzerland can be very expensive for international students. Many scholarships are limited and competitive. Living costs mean that “The university offers a monthly grant of CHF 1,600; however, this still does not fully cover the costs” (UNIL Guide). The following are all upcoming deadlines:

Swiss Government scholarships all have individual deadlines depending on the country. Some will close this month. ETH Zurich closes on 30th November 2026, while EPFL closes on 15th December 2026. The main merit award for master’s students at one of the largest universities in Switzerland has already closed. These dates have been verified in November 2026. Please note that these dates change every year, so always check the official website.

What Do Swiss Scholarships Typically Offer?

Living Expenses: CHF 2,450 per month from the Swiss Government. ETH Zurich offers CHF 13,500 per semester. EPFL offers CHF 10,000 per semester for up to four semesters.

No Tuition Fees: ETH includes a full tuition fee exemption. EPFL does not. “Tuition and rent fees still apply” (Guide).

Accommodation Assistance: EPFL provides a dedicated residence room for external winners.

Most of the scholarships are partially funded.

Scholarship Deadlines

ETH Zurich – Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP)

Application period: 1st–30th November 2026. The time is different on different pages. Check the official website.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Different deadlines for each country. For example, Haiti: 10th November 2026, Bosnia: 20th November 2026, and Vietnam: 24th November 2026.

EPFL – Master Excellence Fellowships

The master’s application must be submitted and paid for by 15th December 2026.

Geneva Graduate Institute – Financial Aid

Application deadline: 14th January 2027 (Secondary Source).

University of Geneva – Excellence Master Fellowships

Expected deadline: 28th February 2027. Last year’s deadline was 28th February 2026.

UNIL – Master’s Scholarship

Deadline: 1st November 2026. Plan for next year.

Open/Will Be Open Soon

1. ETH Zurich – Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Programme (ESOP)

Master’s scholarship for regular master’s programmes. Awarded with the admission application.

Deadline: For the Autumn 2027 start date, apply between 1st and 30th November 2026. Applicants are usually notified by the end of March 2027. The time differs between sources, so apply by midday. There is no second chance in April 2027.

Offer: Approximately 60 awards per year. CHF 13,500 per semester. Full tuition fee waiver for the standard duration of your master’s programme. In previous years, this was CHF 12,000, so older pages are outdated.

Requirements: You need excellent bachelor’s grades (Top 10%), a letter of motivation, a pre-proposal for your master’s thesis, and two letters of recommendation from professors. Apply within your master’s eApply file.

2. EPFL – Master Excellence Fellowships

Fellowship for master’s students joining EPFL.

Deadline: You must submit and pay for your master’s application by 15th December 2026 as an international applicant. The general second deadline of 31st March 2027 does not count. Results for Round 1 will be announced at the beginning of April.

Offer: CHF 10,000 per semester for up to four semesters. Additional costs for tuition and rent apply.

Select the fellowship option and tick the box. It is not available to those who already have a master’s degree or are currently enrolled in an EPFL master’s programme.

3. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Scholarships for research fellowships, PhD programmes, and some arts scholarships, depending on the country. These are aimed at researchers rather than students pursuing taught master’s programmes.

Deadline: Opened on 20th August 2026. Starts on 1st September 2027. Different deadlines apply for each country. For example, Haiti: 10th November 2026, Bosnia: 20th November 2026, and Vietnam: 24th November 2026. Pakistan has different dates listed across websites, showing 29th September and 31st October. Never copy dates from other countries. Results will be finalised by the end of May 2027.

Offer: CHF 2,450 per month. This is intended to cover basic living costs for one person.

Requirements: To apply for a Research Fellowship, you need a master’s degree or equivalent qualification and an academic supervisor in Switzerland. Postdoctoral scholarships will not be offered from 2027/28. There is no application fee.

4. Geneva Graduate Institute – Financial Aid

Scholarship for master’s students. Offers reductions in tuition fees for international studies and development programmes.

Deadline: 14th January 2027 (Secondary Source). Recommendation letters must be submitted by 22nd January 2027. Check the official website.

Offer: Full or partial scholarships. The amount depends on financial need and merit.

You must apply for Financial Aid when submitting your admission application. No master’s financial aid applications are accepted after the deadline.

5. University of Geneva – Excellence Master Fellowships

Fellowship for Master of Science students in the Faculty of Science.

Deadline: The last published date was 28th February 2026. If the same pattern continues, the next deadline should be 28th February 2027. Check the live page.

Offer: CHF 10,000–15,000 per year. No teaching responsibilities. “This does not directly cover tuition fees” (Guide).

You must apply for admission to UNIGE first. It is not available to those who have already started a master’s programme in the Faculty of Science.

Will Be Closed for 2027. Plan for Next Year

6. UNIL – Master’s Scholarship

Master’s scholarship for the University of Lausanne.

Deadline: Applications for 2027/28 closed on 1st November 2026. The deadline is 1st November every year before the year you want to start. The next intake should have a deadline of 1st November 2027.

Offer: CHF 1,600 per month for the minimum statutory duration of your master’s programme. Around 10 awards are offered per year. Waiver of standard registration fees. You still have to pay CHF 80 per semester.

There is an application fee of CHF 200, and you need a C1 level in the language of instruction.

Finding the Correct Scholarship

Level: ETH, EPFL, UNIGE, and the Graduate Institute all offer scholarships for master’s students. Swiss Government scholarships are mainly for research and PhD programmes.

Subject: Only available for Faculty of Science programmes at UNIGE. ETH and EPFL focus on science, engineering, and related fields.

Country: Swiss Government scholarships have different deadlines and availability depending on the country. Check your country’s embassy page.

Grades: ETH requires students to be in the top 10% of their bachelor’s class.

3 Common Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Application

1. Thinking the University of Zurich Has an Excellence Award

UZH states that it can only offer support to international master’s students with a Swiss bachelor’s degree. Some scholarship websites list UZH awards that do not apply to you.

2. Missing the Early Deadlines

The fellowship at EPFL requires an application in December. ESOP at ETH requires an application in November. Spring master’s deadlines do not count.

3. Copying Deadlines from Other Countries

Swiss Government scholarships have different deadlines depending on the country. Deadlines already differ for Pakistan.

Conclusion

The closest deadlines are the Swiss Government scholarship deadline for your country, which may be this month; ETH Zurich on 30th November 2026; EPFL on 15th December 2026; Geneva Graduate Institute on 14th January 2027; and Geneva Science on 28th February 2027. Email two professors today to get references submitted by 20th November.