Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (PhD & Research): How to Apply
- Country
- Switzerland
- Institution
- Swiss public universities and institutions (via SBFI/ESKAS)
- Value
- CHF 2,450 monthly stipend plus programme benefits — confirm details on the SBFI country page
- Level
- phd
- Eligibility
- International Students
- Field
- Any/All fields of study
About
Quick answer: The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships fund PhD-level and postdoctoral research fellowships in any discipline at Swiss universities, with a monthly stipend of CHF 2,450. Nigeria is among the 183 eligible countries, and applications are routed through the Embassy of Switzerland in Abuja — not directly to the Swiss government.
For the 2027/28 cycle, the SBFI publishes each country’s application pack and deadline from 20 August 2026. Nigeria’s exact deadline is not out yet — check the SBFI country list (or the Swiss Embassy Abuja website) from that date. Recent cycles for Nigeria have closed in late November.
Eligibility
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) completed before the start of the fellowship.
- Aged 35 or under at application.
- A research proposal endorsed by a Swiss host professor — you need a letter of support from an academic at your target Swiss university before applying.
- Application is free; the SBFI itself warns against anyone charging fees for these scholarships.
Additional Information
How to apply: (1) identify a Swiss professor in your field and get a supervision/support letter; (2) download Nigeria’s application pack from the SBFI page when the 2027/28 documents appear (from 20 August 2026); (3) submit your dossier as instructed — for Nigeria this goes through the Swiss Embassy in Abuja. Selection runs through the Federal Commission for Scholarships (ESKAS), with results around May.