Senegal Ministry Invites Foreign Students to Swiss Scholarships
On October 15, 2026, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Senegal invited foreign scholarship applicants to apply for the Swiss Excellence Scholarships for the 2027–2028 academic year, leral.net reported. This program concerns the academic year 2027–2028 and aims to allow students originating from different countries, including Senegal, to pursue their higher education on Swiss territory. According to the ministry’s press release, this announcement is part of the academic cooperation between Switzerland and partner countries that wish to offer their nationals training opportunities abroad.
Opening the 2027–2028 Academic Call for Applications
The announcement issued by Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education serves as an informational relay for local students and researchers aiming for academic mobility in Switzerland. The program is funded by the Swiss Confederation and traditionally targets foreign students wishing to conduct research or pursue a university curriculum in Swiss institutions. According to the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI), the scholarship offer is currently open to 183 countries.
Applicants must have completed a master’s degree as a prerequisite. The scholarship types are split into research fellowships and arts grants. Research fellowships are available to post-graduates holding a master’s or Ph.D. degree in any discipline, provided their application is supported by an academic supervisor in Switzerland. It is possible to obtain a scholarship for any university and university of applied sciences in Switzerland, or for one of the two federal institutes of technology, or one of the four research institutes of the ETH Domain. Meanwhile, arts grants support foreign art students seeking their first master’s degree in Switzerland, though that specific offer is restricted to certain countries only.
CFBE Evaluates Scholarship Applications Based on Three Criteria
While the Senegalese ministry’s initial announcement on October 15, 2026, did not detail eligibility conditions, study levels, or strict deadlines, the underlying Swiss framework establishes clear operational parameters. The SBFI opened the application window on August 20, 2026, directing candidates to prepare dossiers covering specific country offers.
Once compiled, candidates submit their dossiers to Swiss embassies. The Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (CFBE) evaluates these applications based on three criteria: the candidate’s academic profile, the quality of the research project or artistic work, and synergies favoring future research cooperation. Funding for successful applicants provides CHF 2,450 per month up to a maximum applicant age of 35.
CFBE Communicates Scholarship Awards by the End of May
The CFBE communicates scholarship awards for the upcoming academic year to candidates no later than the end of May. As of October 2026, the Senegalese ministry’s notice remains the primary official domestic reference for the 2027–2028 cycle, with further administrative details expected to be published on the ministry’s official platform.
Looking ahead to subsequent academic periods, the SBFI has scheduled the launch of the call for applications for the 2028–2029 academic year to go online starting in August 2027.