2024-2025 competition is closed. 2025-2026 competition will open in April 2024. 

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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Switzerland

10 Fulbright/Swiss Government Open Study/Research Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
September Start
Grant Length
12 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

Up to 10 Fulbright/Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are available for research or a Ph.D. degree program in all disciplines, and for a first master's degree program in the Arts.

All U.S.-based applicants for the Fulbright/Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships will first apply for the scholarship through the Fulbright Program. Once the first phase of the selection process has been completed, the semi-finalists will be required to complete an additional application in paper form and submit this to the Swiss Federal Commission for Scholarships (FCS) in December 2023, according to the instructions at this link.

Both Fulbright and Swiss Government/Federal Commission for Scholarship (FCS) grant rules/eligibility apply.

Grant Length
12 Months
Grant Period
September Start

Grant Length: Maximum of 12 months of full-time research or study. The grant is not renewable.

The academic year in Switzerland is divided into two semesters. Classes are held starting in the fall from the third week of September 2024 to the fourth week of December, and in the spring from the third week of February 2025 to the first week of June.

Orientation
Pre-Departure Orientation

All grantees are required to attend a pre-departure orientation in June or July as a condition of their grant.  The event is organized by IIE, virtual or in-person.

Candidate Profile

The Fulbright program in Switzerland offers academic research scholarships to excellent students who have a clear research goal. Applications within the framework of a cooperative program between the candidate's home academic institution and an academic institution in Switzerland have some priority. Candidates with the intention of pursuing an academic career (i.e. doctoral candidates) will be given priority.

Applicants proposing to pursue master's programs in Switzerland are ineligible for consideration, except in the Arts.

Applicants must be born after December 31, 1988.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are eligible
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
12 Months
Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Recommended - Intermediate

German, French, or Italian language proficiency is recommended, though not required. However, depending on your research project, a fluent command of one of the national languages may be required. At Swiss universities, a number of courses at the master's level and higher are held in either English, or bilingually in English and the local national language. For all candidates, a working knowledge of the local Swiss national language is recommended to facilitate community engagement and a well-rounded experience.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
Yes
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
Letter required at deadline

Graduate degree enrollment will only be considered for applicants proposing to enroll in a Ph.D. program, except for students in the Arts, who may apply for a first master's degree program.

___________________________________________________________________________

Candidates are responsible for arranging their own affiliations with a host professor who is willing to supervise their research at one of the 12 public Swiss universities. Applicants must include a letter of affiliation with their application. 

In general, a bachelor's degree is sufficient for conducting research at Swiss universities, with two exceptions: research candidates applying to ETH Zurich or the University of Basel must have completed a master's degree. Bachelor's and/or master's degrees must be conferred by June 30, 2024. Applicants may only apply to one Swiss public university in their grant application.  Additional information on Swiss public universities may be found at http://www.swissuniversities.ch/en/.

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition not covered in grant benefits

The scholarship does not include tuition or any other study fees. At present, some universities waive tuition fees for scholarship holders, but often require payment of tuition for postgraduate courses. If tuition is not waived, the grantee must arrange payment. Tuition at Swiss universities is low in comparison to the U.S.

Housing Arrangements

No housing arrangements are provided, but the Reception Service at some host universities may offer assistance in finding a room in the University housing. 

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Arts candidates

Up to two grants are available for candidates in the fine arts, music, and performing arts through a worldwide competition. Applications in the Arts may be accepted for the first master's study at a recognized Swiss art or music school, which may include Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences.

Grantees may study at any cantonal university of applied sciences or recognized music academy, conservatory, or art school. Some music academies and conservatories may require an audition in Switzerland before admission is finalized. The applicant must receive written confirmation from a professor at the chosen educational institution that the study project is feasible at that institution, or that admission for a specific master's program will be granted.

Applicants in the Arts must be at the bachelor’s degree level. Arts applicants with an MFA or any other Master's degree are not eligible to apply.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EUR@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/scholarships_eng
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships: sgs@sbfi.admin.ch