Introduction
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This page only contains information on scholarship grants to Switzerland.
For scholarship grants to Japan, kindly refer to the website of the SJCC.
The Scholarship Fund represents an important long-term activity of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan and the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The fund was established on 1st October 1988 initially supporting young Swiss to add a Year in Japan to their education. Over this time period, the scholarship fund has successfully awarded over 225 scholarships to Swiss residents that have spent a year in Japan. They are the best ambassadors of the scholarship program, contributing also today to the ongoing success of the scholarship fund. From 2020 onwards, the scholarship fund supports as well young Japanese residents in their efforts to learn more about Switzerland, its culture, languages, social and business environments.
A Year in Switzerland
The Fund offers financial and other pertinent assistance to qualified graduates and professionals who are willing to add a “Year in Switzerland” to their education. The purpose of this commitment is for them to further improve their language skills (German, French, Italian, or Romansh) during a 3-6 months intensive language training at a local language school and to gain in-depth experience of working as an intern with Swiss colleagues for 6-9 months in Swiss or local subsidiaries of international companies.
Building Bridges
The Chambers strongly believe that such an extensive and unique learning experience of one national language of Switzerland and way of life will have lasting benefits for the participants in this program. It will enable them to help building bridges and better understanding between the two cultures. In summary, their efforts will eventually make lasting contributions towards the development of even closer economic relations and friendship between our two nations – the ultimate objective of the Chambers’ activities.
Typical Profile of a Scholarship Recipient
Profile
- • Female or male graduate from university or qualified professional with apprenticeship
- • Age less than 30 years (formal age limit: 32 years when leaving for Switzerland)
- • Resident of Japan
Background
- • Already has basic knowledge of 1 Swiss national languages before departing.
- • Has a background in business administration, economics, engineering, informatics, international law or similar areas of study.
- • Well-balanced and positive personality with clear goals
- • Displays an entrepreneurial spirit and risk tolerance
For further details on how to apply and necessary documents, please refer to the application procedure below:
Since the establishment of the SJCC-SCCIJ Scholarship Fund in 1988, more than 250 young talents have benefited from this unique career development program. The excerpts below, taken from their reports, provide a glimpse into their experiences, personal growth, and daily lives in Switzerland and Japan.
In 2026, following the exceptionally high number of applications and the strong interest shown in the “A Year in Switzerland” scholarship program, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions into this FAQ section.
We kindly encourage all applicants and interested candidates to review this FAQ carefully, as it serves as the primary source of information regarding the program, application process, eligibility criteria, and practical arrangements.
Should your question not be addressed in the FAQ, you may contact us via the email address provided below. However, we kindly ask that you consult the FAQ first, as most inquiries are already answered there.
Inquiries
Before contacting us, please carefully review the FAQ section, which serves as the primary source of information regarding the Swiss-Japan Scholarship Fund. Most questions are already addressed there. If your question is not covered in the FAQ, you may contact us at info@sccij.jp (subject: “Year in Switzerland”).
