How on earth are PhDs funded in Switzerland? There is distinct lack of information about.
back story.
I'm really hoping to move to Switzerland this year. I have Aunties and Cousins in Basel, Valais and I met a Swiss girl that was working in Manchester (where I live) for 3 months over summer. She's now moved back to Switzerland and we've been travelling back and forth since.
I'm just finishing my masters in Applied Quantitative Methods and I hope to go on and do a PhD but I'm struggling navigating the endless websites.
I intend on learning the regional language this summer and I have enough funds to do a 3 week 30 hour a week course to kickstart me, along with living in a household which speaks the language of the region. I don't want to shell out for a language course just yet, I don't know where I'll end up.
Failing a PhD I'm happy to work in any old job while I learn the local language.
Easiest route---look through the professors and their research, find a few you like, email them your interest. They'll tell you right away if they will fund you or not!
University scholarships topic has been discussed a few times on EF. Searching EF on "scholarship" shows 33 threads. Might wish to look through the ones that appear relevant:
-a short introduction part > your intent, interests, etc., (here, focus on answering What? Why? How? in clear terms) > dedicate a small section for "why you want to study there and with that professor"
Usually professors have their own research grants which usually have funding for students included.
I know a few people who have also used these scholarships for foreign students. The stipend is lower than having local funding, but by the time you add in all the benefits (little tours, free health insurance, demi-tarif etc) to evens out.
one model is that you are funded as an employee at a particular chair. For this, you need to contact the specific professor who occupies the chair. You work 50-60% for the chair - teaching, grading, research and the rest is your own work.
Really, the best thing is to find a faculty member you'd like to work with and contact him/her. They should give you more details about the process, and possibly suggest other programs If you're not a good fit.
What area is quantitative methods? Business? Math?
Many PhD programs are partially/mostly in English.
There aren't so many websites to go through, actually - this is a small place. Check out departments of your interest and see what is being offered by the future supervisors. Then contact them whether you can apply, see if their area matches with your research.
Not sure what is that? Is it something related to finance/economics?
There isn't much chance for you directly apply for funding from Swiss Government or Univ/Institution. Usually there are more chance for post-doc since they are more independent.
As mentioned by others, the best way would be directly contacting professors who might be interested in you. If so, it is their job to find money for you.
as long as you can find a professor who accept you as a PhD student, most of the case they have money and pay you salary and fund your research, as least from the beginning, of course, in the later stage, you can apply funding yourself or with your professor. But as far as I see, if a professor has the intention of accepting a phD student, they usually has money. If you want to apply for a phd position, look through all the websites of the professors you interested and contact them.