ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships 2024: Asia-Pacific – Call For Applications Open!

• Think about the field in which you wish to deepen your research and look for prospective supervising professors who work in that field.
• Write to them and enquire if they’d be interested in taking you on in their cohort. It can take several weeks to find your host professor, so we recommend starting as early as possible and writing to as many relevant professors as possible.
• Ideally, your email to them should include:
  • Details about why you would like to work with a particular professor and what about their work interests you.
  • Details about your skills and competencies that are relevant to the work in the chosen field.
  • Details about your past experiences and how they are relevant to your current research interest.
  • Details about how you plan to contribute to and elevate their research.
  • Details about why you would make a good fit.
  • Your CV and a proposal/short summary of the research you would like to undertake under their supervision.
  • Applicants are responsible for finding a host professor at a Swiss university as well as for clarifying the scope of a research project before submitting their applications for the ThinkSwiss Scholarships.
  • If you are struggling to identify appropriate professors, reach out to faculty at the university you are currently enrolled in and enquire if they know of suitable professors you could work with. Where possible, request your faculty members to introduce and recommend you to prospective professors.

Application Procedure

The application and all supporting documents must be uploaded on the online application form in PDF format by 16 February 2024. In order to be considered for this scholarship, each application must contain:

1. A cover letter outlining your research project (ex. an overview of the tasks and milestones of your project that you agreed on with your host professor) and explaining why you should be awarded the ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship.
2. A Curriculum Vitae (no more than two pages).
3. A copy of your current university transcripts (we accept photocopies of official transcripts issued to the student).
4. A letter of acceptance from the professor and/or hosting institution in Switzerland. Please request a confirmation letter on the university/institute letterhead from the host professor.
5. A letter of recommendation from a current professor who can attest to the applicant’s abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are non-Indian, non-Australian or non-Singapore citizens eligible to apply for the programme? All enrolled students at accredited Indian, Australian and Singapore universities are eligible, but the ability to participate will depend on obtaining a visa, if necessary.
2. How do I find a hosting institution and/or a professor in Switzerland? Finding a professor in Switzerland is part of the due diligence process that the applicant must conduct on his/her own. For a comprehensive list of universities, please click on this link.
3. Are there any language requirements? For a research stay in Switzerland, foreign language skills are not required, as the working language will generally be English. Knowledge of any Swiss national language would, of course, be helpful for daily life.
4. Do I need the acceptance letter from the professor in a specific format? Please request the host professor for a confirmation letter on the university/institute letterhead. Upload the PDF version of the same with your application. Please also ask your host professor to mention the exact duration of your research stay in Switzerland in your acceptance letter. A copy of the email is not sufficient proof of acceptance.
5. If I get a host letter from a professor, does it ensure my selection for the scholarship? Receiving an acceptance letter from the host institution professor is an application criterion, not a selection criterion.
6. Can the scholarship also be applied to projects at public research institutions or private higher education institutions? The scholarship supports research at public universities and public research institutions. However, we do not support research stays at private higher education or research institutions.
7. Are past projects, Cumulative Grade Point Average/CGPA or publications part of the evaluation criteria? Yes, the above points are part of the evaluation, so your CV and transcripts should reflect the same.
8. My research project is longer than three months; will the scholarship duration be extended? ThinkSwiss scholarships cover a maximum duration of 90 days. We cannot extend the length of the scholarship support. Students are free to organise additional funding from other sources for a longer research stay.
9. How do I find a host institute and professor? Please refer to this video for further guidance.

ThinkSwiss Regulations

Notification to awardees All ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship awardees will be notified by 15 March 2024, and you must accept the scholarship by 31 March 2024.

Timeframe of your stay The applicant is free to schedule research anytime between 1 April 2024 and 31 December 2024. The start date of your research internship cannot be later than 1 November 2024. Please be aware that in Switzerland, the semester break is approximately from June to mid-September, and during this time, universities are less busy.

Payment of the scholarship The ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship provides a prorated amount according to the length of your stay — a minimum of two months or a maximum of up to three months. The students will get a stipend of 60 CHF/day from the start to the last day in the university, +2 days for arrival and departure up to a maximum of 90 days (CHF 5’400 maximum). Please note that this amount covers only a portion of the average student’s living expenses and that you will be asked to prove sufficient financial means to the Swiss Cantonal authorities before a visa can be issued (see information on visa below). The whole amount of the scholarship money will be transferred to the bank account of the recipient shortly after his/her arrival in Switzerland.

Additional funding Please note that research internships at Swiss host institutions are usually unpaid. Since ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship does not cover all expenses (see above), we permit additional funding next to ThinkSwiss as long as the process of acquiring additional funds does not delay the timeframe of your stay.

Obligations as a ThinkSwiss Awardee By accepting this scholarship, you agree to participate in our ThinkSwiss online platform with:

1. One blog post to share your experiences during your research stay in Switzerland.
2. Share photographs from visiting labs, preferably with you present in the picture (showing the quality of labs, research work), photos of interactions with students/professors (networking pictures, showcasing diversity), Photos of campus, Photos of the city you are living in (showing life in the cities in Switzerland).
3. After your return to your respective country, you also agree to carry out at least one activity as a “student ambassador” (make a presentation to fellow student community or promote the next ThinkSwiss call on social media, etc.).

Obtaining admission to the Host University Please note that obtaining the scholarship does not mean you have acquired a special status, and you must comply with the host university’s policies regarding admission. Each recipient is in charge of contacting the international office of his/her host university in Switzerland to finalize his/her registration and learn more about the specifics of status at the host institution. Please coordinate and stay in touch with your host professor.

Multiple applications If you are granted a ThinkSwiss research scholarship, you cannot apply a second time. However, if your first application was not successful, you are allowed to apply again.

General Information

If you are awarded the ThinkSwiss scholarship, please check with the international department of the host university and inquire about registering with and accepting guidance from them in regard to student services available, housing possibilities, and other amenities that may be offered by the host universities.

Visa

While applying for your visas to Switzerland, please follow the process mentioned on the Swiss Embassy (VFS Global for India) website for the necessary visa and apply with sufficient time in hand. This office cannot influence the visa process.

Please note: The conditions for your visa approval are determined by the Canton (State) in which your research institution is placed. In the process of granting your visa, the respective Cantonal authorities will ask you to prove that you have sufficient financial means to sustain yourself during the time of your stay, and each of them varies in its regulations. The ThinkSwiss Scholarship (1’600 CHF/month) is generally not accepted as sufficient proof because the amount of money deemed sufficient varies between 1’500 and 2’200 CHF per month depending on the Canton.

Housing

Students are responsible for their own housing, but contacting the international/housing office of the host University for Recommendations is a good place to start.

Insurance

Please note that the scholarship does not provide health, accident, or liability insurance. Applicants must make sure that they have insurance coverage for their stay in Switzerland, and it is the sole responsibility of the student to obtain this coverage.

Transportation

It is highly recommended that you use public transportation in Switzerland since there is a very convenient system that takes you almost everywhere! We strongly suggest you experiment with it! If you plan to travel around Switzerland, it generally makes sense to buy a half-fare travel card. If you are younger than 25, you can also consider the Night GA Travelcard. Usually, you need to purchase these cards for a period of one year, but often, you can resell them and get a part of your money back. Please check with a salesperson at one of the SBB counters you can find in most of the bigger train stations in Switzerland.

Thank you for your interest in ThinkSwiss!

APPLY ONLINE HERE

Editor’s Note: ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships 2024: Asia-Pacific – Call For Applications Open! Please ensure you are subscribed to the Biotecnika Times Newsletter and our YouTube channel to be notified of the latest industry news. Follow us on social media like Twitter, Telegram, Facebook and Instagram. ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships 2024: Asia-Pacific – Call For Applications Open!