Swiss Government scholarships for university, fine arts and music schools for foreign students for the academic year 2012-2013

Costa Rica

1. Types of scholarship:

   University scholarships: University scholarships are open to students from all countries mentioned in the list, but are intended exclusively for postgraduate studies at one of Switzerland's 10 universities or 2 federal institutes of technology.

   Arts scholarships: No scholarships available.

   University of applied sciences scholarships: No scholarships available.

2. Eligibility
   • Candidates must hold a university degree (Bachelors/Masters) on commencement of the scholarship.
   • Candidates must be able to demonstrate their academic abilities and what they aim to achieve.
   • Candidates must contact the institution and/or the professor supervising their period of research. Universities may request supplementary information and/or set certain additional conditions to determine whether or not you qualify for admission.
   • Candidates must be under the age of 35 (born on or after 1.1.1977).
   • Candidates must be suitably proficient in the language of instruction (French, German, Italian or English). A language test is required.
   • Candidates who have already embarked on the first year of a Masters programme at a Swiss university or UAS are no longer eligible for a Swiss government scholarship (with the exception of arts scholarship holders who do not have to be in Switzerland for more than one year). Such applications will not be considered by Swiss diplomatic representations.
   • Swiss government scholarships may not be combined with other scholarships or awards.
3. Length and amount

   Scholarships are provided for a nine-month academic year. Scholarships for postgraduate or Masters programs lasting up to 2 years (3 or 4 semesters) may be extended depending on results from the first year.

   Scholarships consist of monthly payments of:

   CHF 1920.-	for postgraduate students
   CHF 1920.-	for fine arts and music students

   The Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students does not cover the cost of academic and/or term fees. Generally-speaking, the universities and the Zurich Federal Institute of Technology exempt holders of Swiss government scholarships from term fees (~CHF 600 per term), but not necessarily from Masters programme enrolment fees. In the event that these fees are not waived, it is up to the scholarship holder to arrange payment.

4. Awards

   Technically, the scholarships are offered to the government of the student's country of origin and not to the student. Applications are subject to preliminary selection by the relevant national authorities and/or the Swiss diplomatic representation. The Swiss diplomatic representation then passes on the short-listed applications to the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) which subsequently takes the final decision. The FCS is composed of academic staff drawn from Swiss universities. Scholarship awards are made on the basis of academic and scientific excellence. The results will be communicated at the end of April 2012 / Mai 2012.

5. Application procedure
   1. If you fulfil the eligibility requirements contact the Swiss diplomatic representation in your country of origin or the national authority in charge of scholarships.
   2. The diplomatic representation will provide you with all the necessary information regarding the procedure including application forms and a list of required documentation.

Please consult the frequently asked questions (FAQ) for specific information.
 

Contact for application:

Swiss Embassy / National Authority: http://www.eda.admin.ch/sanjose