Scholarships and programmes in Switzerland for Africans 2027

Switzerland hosts four programmes that African applicants can target in the 2027 cycle, and none of them is listed as fully funded. The only one that leads to a Swiss degree is the University of Lausanne Master's Scholarship 2027/2028 in Switzerland, which pays CHF 1,600 a month. The other three serve different people: a leadership fellowship for working professionals, a robotics competition for young people and internships at the World Health Organization in Geneva.

• Master's scholarship at the University of Lausanne: CHF 1,600 per month, deadline 1 November 2026
• Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships: 12 months, 3 places, open to all African countries, deadline 20 November 2026
• Robotics for Good Youth Challenge: applications open 1 October 2026, video submissions close 1 April 2027
• WHO internships in Geneva: rolling postings, each with its own deadline
• Language: C1 in French or English for the Lausanne scholarship

Which programmes in Switzerland accept African applicants?

The four come from four different funders. Each one fits a different stage of life.

A bachelor's graduate who wants a Swiss master's should start with the University of Lausanne. Someone already working in economics, public policy or governance who wants a year inside an international institution should read about the fellowship run by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Students in health, the social sciences or management who want work experience rather than a degree should follow WHO postings for internships, and young people who build robots can enter a competition run by the International Telecommunication Union by sending a video from home.

Eligibility is broad. Three of the programmes accept all nationalities, and the fellowship is open to all African countries.

The catch lies elsewhere. Three of the four expect you to live in Switzerland, or in another host country, for the whole placement or degree, and only the robotics challenge is built for remote participation.

University of Lausanne Master's Scholarship: CHF 1,600 a month

The University of Lausanne Master's Scholarship 2027/2028 in Switzerland is the only degree award in this group, and the programme to read first if you are looking for Swiss scholarships that lead to a master's. Any nationality qualifies. So does any field, and the award covers the academic year 2027/2028.

The scholarship pays CHF 1,600 per month for the minimum statutory period of the master's programme you are admitted to. That is a stipend, not a package.

The university is unusually candid about the limits: the amount does not cover the full cost of living in Switzerland, so the scholarship does not constitute full funding. Read that sentence twice. It decides whether this award can work for you, and it is easy to skim past on the way to the application form.

The online application for 2027/2028 is already open, and the deadline is 1 November 2026. No other Swiss programme here closes earlier, so this file goes to the top of your calendar.

Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships: 12 months at the International Trade Centre in Geneva

The Mo Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships 2027 for Emerging African Leaders rank among the most selective fellowships open to Africans. There are 3 places for the whole continent.

Fellows spend 12 months in the executive offices of host institutions. The Swiss post is at the International Trade Centre in Geneva, and the other two placements are in Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. A strong file therefore shows why your experience suits policy work inside an international institution, not only why you would like to live in Geneva.

The fellowship targets professionals in economics, public policy and governance. It is a working year rather than a study programme, written for people who are already building a career in those fields rather than for students still completing a degree. Applications are open until 20 November 2026.

WHO internships in Geneva and the ITU robotics challenge

The WHO Internship Programme in Geneva for Students has no annual round. Internship opportunities are posted on a continuous basis, each with its own requirements and application deadline, so you check the internship page regularly and apply to specific postings rather than to the programme as a whole.

Undergraduate, master's and PhD students can apply in health and medicine, the social sciences, or business and management. Every intern receives medical and accident insurance from the World Health Organization for the duration of the internship. Since January 2020 the organisation has also provided a living allowance to eligible selected interns who need financial support. Treat that allowance as conditional.

For younger applicants, the route into competitions is the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge 2026-2027 by ITU, and it is the one option here that you can enter from home. It accepts all nationalities at any level and suits engineering, computer science and IT. Applications open on 1 October 2026. Video submissions close on 1 April 2027, and the event itself takes place in Switzerland from 22 June 2027 to 25 June 2027.

Can you live on the Lausanne stipend? Costs and the C1 language rule

Start with the gap. CHF 1,600 a month is real support, but the University of Lausanne says plainly that it does not cover the full cost of living in Switzerland. Before you apply, draw up your own monthly budget for rent, food, health cover and transport in Lausanne, then decide where the difference will come from. Read the general conditions of the scholarship on the official page before you count on any other award or income. An offer you cannot finance is not an offer.

The WHO internships follow the same logic. Insurance is covered for everyone, but the allowance goes only to eligible interns who need financial support, so budget as if you will pay your own way.

Language is the second filter. Lausanne requires a minimum of C1 in French or English under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, so a certificate below C1 does not meet the rule. Match the certificate to the language your master's is taught in, and book the test before you work on anything else in the file, because a language certificate cannot be produced at the last minute.

For WHO, you must be fluent in at least one of the working languages of the office of assignment. Check each posting.

Application deadlines in order

• 1 November 2026: University of Lausanne Master's Scholarship 2027/2028 in Switzerland
• 20 November 2026: Mo Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships 2027 for Emerging African Leaders
• 1 April 2027: Robotics for Good Youth Challenge 2026-2027 by ITU, video submissions, with applications open from 1 October 2026
• Rolling: WHO Internship Programme in Geneva for Students, each posting with its own deadline

The first two deadlines fall less than three weeks apart. A professional with a bachelor's degree could prepare both, but the files ask for different things, so finish Lausanne first: it closes earlier and depends on a language certificate you cannot rush. No closing time is given for any of these dates. Submit a day early.

The robotics challenge leaves more room, yet planning, building and filming a convincing video usually takes longer than a first-time entrant expects, so fix an internal date well before the official one. For WHO, set a weekly reminder to check new postings.

FAQ: scholarships in Switzerland for African students

Are there fully funded scholarships in Switzerland for African students?

Not among these four. The University of Lausanne scholarship pays CHF 1,600 a month and states that this is not full funding, and none of the other three is described as fully funded either.

Do I need French to study in Switzerland?

Not for the Lausanne scholarship. It accepts C1 in French or in English, and the right language depends on the master's you choose.

When is the University of Lausanne scholarship deadline?

The deadline is 1 November 2026, for master's programmes starting in the academic year 2027/2028.

Can I apply from any African country?

Yes, for all four. Three accept every nationality, and the Ibrahim fellowship is open to all African countries.