PLAN AHEAD : DAAD Germany: SERI Switzerland Fully Funded Scholarships 2026

Prepare Now & Apply

Early Notice 

SECTION I – FOR GERMANY for 2026 Session

PhD, Post Doctorate, Research Exchange Fully Funded Scholarships by DAAD Germany & Germany Embassy in Pakistan

1. PhD in Germany
2. 03 to 06 Months Short Term Research Visits for Master Degree Holders, current PhD Students in Pakistan, and Post Doctoral Seekers to German Universities
3. One Year Long Term Duration Research Visits for Master Degree Holders and current PhD Students in Pakistan to German Universities

• You can apply for a full PhD under this scholarship.
• You must have 18 years of education completed to apply.
• Almost every field is eligible.

• For Masters/MPhil completed students, current PhD students in Pakistan, and Post Doctoral Seekers.
• Duration: 03 to 06 months of short-term research.
• For Masters/MPhil students: Use this grant if you think a professor will not accept you for the full PhD scholarship. This grant can help you gain funded experience at a German lab; if the professor likes your work, he might later find another grant for your PhD, or you can later apply for a full PhD elsewhere.

• For Masters/MPhil completed students and current PhD students in Pakistan.
• Duration: One year of long-term research.
• For Masters/MPhil students: Use this grant if you are not accepted for the full PhD scholarship. It gives you a chance to prove your work for one year; if a professor likes your work, he might later find another grant for your PhD, or you can use this grant to gain funded experience at a German lab and later apply for a PhD elsewhere.

1. Find a German supervisor and email them to get an acceptance letter.
2. Finalize your research proposal with your German supervisor.
3. Visit the DAAD portal website (google it).
4. Start your application. (Guidance videos can be found on the DAAD Pakistan Facebook page or YouTube)
5. IELTS is a must – search keywords in this group to get further information.

• Read guides, especially those from USA or Canadian universities, to find the best approach.
• Example guides:
  1. https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+contact+professors+guide&oq=how+to+contact+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0i512l5j69i60.3225j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8  

SECTION II – FOR SWITZERLAND 2026-2027 Session

PhD, Post Doc, & Research Exchange Scholarships in Switzerland (Pakistani Quota by Swiss Govt.)

• Search on the SERI website using your country name/passport country and follow the details accordingly.
• If you want to apply, start preparing today.

• Every year, Pakistan does not get its fair share of PhD, Post Doctorate, and Research Exchange (in any major/field, including Medical) Scholarships at Swiss Institutes offered by the Swiss Government under the SERI Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists.
• The key requirement is the acceptance letter from a Swiss professor at a designated Swiss University for PhD, Post Doc, or Research Exchange (for candidates with 18 years of education), and for Pakistani medical doctors at certain Swiss Medical Hospitals, along with a strong profile.

• Most times, professors have already accepted another student from another country because you might be late in emailing and impressing them, or you do not spend enough time understanding the professor’s profile and relating your work to it.
• Do not send low-quality, copied emails to Swiss professors as you might to Chinese professors. Bombarding Swiss professors with low-quality emails or emails that only list your qualifications may not only lead to rejection but also create a bad impression of Pakistani students.

• It is recommended that those with very strong profiles and contacting professors for this scholarship should initially avoid mentioning the scholarship.
• Try to gain acceptance from the Swiss professors without mentioning the scholarship first, as this might earn you a higher stipend and possibly a longer-term contract.
• Mention the scholarship only if you do not get a positive response without it.

• Deadlines for the 2026-27 intake will be around the end of September 2025, with the applications opening in August 2025.
• What you need to do now:
  1. Check the requirements from the previous year and fulfill them for this year 2026 (English IELTS/TOEFL scores, etc. are a must).
  2. Contact professors immediately. Even if they say their labs are full, ask if they can accept you in July or August 2026, so that you can apply earlier than others.
  3. Prepare and upgrade your profile, relating it effectively to the Swiss professor’s work, as Swiss professors are very particular about quality and relevance.

• The duration of a PhD in Switzerland is 5 years, but the funding for a PhD is for 3 years. Thus, your professor must arrange additional funds for the extra two years. Please check these modalities carefully before applying.
• For Post-doctorate, research exchanges, or medical exchanges, this duration issue does not apply.

1. http://redbus2us.com/4-tips-to-email-professors-for-graduate-school-admission-in-usa/
2. http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/19708/how-to-start-an-official-email-to-a-professor
3. https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-write-the-first-email-to-a-professor-that-may-accept-me-as-his-graduate-student
4. https://uvasrg.github.io/prospective/

• https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+contact+professors+guide&oq=how+to+contact+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0i512l5j69i60.3225j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
• https://gradwinner.com/articles/find-top-professors-for-ms-phd

2.23 MB