Geneva Graduate Institute · Application cycle 2027/2028

Geneva Graduate Institute PhD Financial Package 2027/2028

Applications open Partially funded?

About this scholarship

Four years of financial support for PhD students at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland, for the September 2027 intake. You do not make a separate request, because funding is decided with the admission application. The number of packages is limited, and in 2026/2027 acceptance rates ran from 4 to 19 percent.

Funding type

Covers: a scholarship of CHF 20,000 a year for 4 years, paid as CHF 2,000 a month from September to June. Tuition is reduced: CHF 3,000 in the first year and CHF 1,000 a year after that. The Institute gives 6 packages per department, 30 a year. Every PhD student enters with one of three kinds of funding: the Institute package, a research assistant contract on an externally funded project, or outside funding that covers four full years. PhD students may take limited, documented paid work next to the package.

Tuition fees: Partially covered
Living costs: Partially covered
Travel: Not specified
Insurance: Not specified

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities: All nationalities
Residence condition: No residence condition

A master's degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited university, or one received before you enrol A thesis proposal that falls within the expertise of the programme's professors. You do not need to name a supervisor when you apply For the PhD in Economics, a GRE result is mandatory There is no minimum grade average. Applications are compared with each other One application per cycle, to one programme. You choose your funding route when you apply, and you cannot combine routes

Minimum grade: Not stated
Work experience asked for: Not stated
Return condition: Return condition not stated
How to apply: Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test required IELTS TOEFL iBT Cambridge English Waiver possible

English at level C1 is required: TOEFL iBT 100 or more with at least 19 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 24 in Writing, or IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each part, or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with 185 in total and at least 180 in each part. No certificate is needed if you did one full year of university study in English. An offer can be conditional on the certificate by 30 May. French is not required.

University admission details

Admission included in application?

Applications open on 1 October 2026. For Institute support or outside foundation support, the deadline is Thursday 14 January 2027 at midnight Geneva time. Referees' letters are due by 22 January 2027. You cannot combine funding routes. The application fee is CHF 100 and cannot be waived. If banking sanctions stop you paying online, contact the Admission Office for another arrangement. Do not give financial details in a PhD application. The rules for the thesis proposal differ between programmes, so read the proposal guide on the Institute's site.

Required documents

Thesis proposal in English or French Master's dissertation or an extensive research paper, with a translated summary if it is not in English or French Motivation letter of up to 800 words, and a CV Official transcripts and diplomas, a copy of your passport, and your English certificate Details of two or three referees, and a GRE result for Economics

Application steps

Choose the PhD programme that fits your topic and write the thesis proposal following the Institute's guide. Create an account when applications open on 1 October 2026. Choose Institute or outside support as your funding route, and upload the documents. Pay the fee and enter your referees, then submit before 14 January 2027.

Requirement checklist

Online admission application Required

You choose your funding route in it: support from the Institute or an outside body, which has the 14 January 2027 deadline. Do not give financial details.

Thesis proposal Required

In English or French, with a provisional title and a description of the topic. The length depends on the programme (in the 2026/2027 guide, for example, 2,500 words in Anthropology and Sociology and three pages in Economics). Read the current guide.

Master's dissertation or a long research paper Required

If you did not write a dissertation, give an extensive research paper from your master's. If it is not in English or French, add a translated summary of about 5 pages.

Motivation letter and CV Required

The motivation letter is up to 800 words in English or French.

Two or three referees Required

They send their letters from their institutional email by 22 January 2027.

GRE result Conditional?

Mandatory for PhD in Economics applicants.

Scholarship contacts

Admission Office: [email protected]

Scholarships Office: [email protected]

Universities and contacts