FAQ – Supervising Professors and Administrators

No, the Federal Commission for Scholarships informs the applicant of the scholarship award directly. At the same time the FCS sends a copy of the scholarship award to the Swiss authority abroad and to the Migration Office in Switzerland.

Afterwards the future scholarship holder has to submit the visa application to the Swiss representation in his/her home country.

No, no work permit is required for scholarship holders. However, if in addition to the scholarship an employment at the institute is anticipated, the institute has to take care of the necessary work permit.

For PhD fellows, additional funding by the host institute is mandatory from HS 2022 onwards. The additional funding must cover the difference between the FCS scholarship and the minimum salary for SNF doctoral students. Detailed information on the amount of the differential payment and on the employment of doctoral students with a federal scholarship can be found in the fact sheet "FCS Scholarship Holders".

For research and postdoctoral fellows, additional payment is not mandatory but is possible.
In any cases, the total amount of the scholarship and payment by the institute must not exceed the SNF-scale for the position in question (see here). The institute takes care of the application for the necessary work permit and so forth. A copy of the employment contract (Anstellungsverfügung) has to be submitted to the advisory service at UZH.

As a rule the scholarship term begins on 1 September. Well-founded exceptions might be considered by the FCS.

Scholarship holders who are registered at UZH can apply for a room at the Housing Office of UZH/ETH in accordance with their rules (e.g. age limit).
For postdoctoral fellows all possible support in finding adequate accommodation is offered by the advisory service. Please note that no guarantee can be given.
Scholarship holders who intend to come with their family need to look for accommodation by themselves. 
Any kind of support by the institute in finding accommodation is highly appreciated.

Scholarship holders from EU countries have to take care of their health insurance, be it through the European Health Insurance model or a private health insurance of their choice.

Scholarship holders from all other countries will be covered for the mandatory Swiss health insurance through FCS.