Public financial assistance is available, which may be granted to all students (whatever their canton of residence), or which may be specific to the canton or to the field of study.

Different types of assistance are available:

• The CRUS (Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities) grants State Bursaries (non-recoverable payments available from around forty countries, aimed at university and postgraduate students) and a Special Bursary for foreign institutions (an occasional non-repayable award allocated by various universities and other foreign institutions).
  
• Erasmus mobility grants are also available (non-recoverable payments granted in connection with official exchange programmes) and Leonardo complementary mobility grants (non-recoverable payments in connection with official exchange programmes, to supplement a contribution from a company).
  
• The Swiss Federal Commission for Scholarships also provides university student scholarships.
  
• The University Agency of La Francophonie (UAF) offers financial assistance to help the mobility of students, teaching staff and researchers in connection with action programmes at university-level establishments which are members of the AUF. The objective is to promote cooperation and development within the French-speaking world. The HES-SO is a member of the AUF.
  
• The HES-SO may also provide financial and logistical support to students undertaking courses of study who wish to undertake a part of their studies abroad (international exchanges).
  

Specific bursaries

Through the Federal Commission for Scholarships, the Swiss Confederation offers grants to students to undertake postgraduate-level courses at Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS). Candidates should be holders of a higher education diploma (at least a bachelor’s degree). These grants are only allocated to students from certain countries and are not valid for studies undertaken whilst in employment, part-time studies or distance learning.

State Secretariat for Education and Research

Specific assistance by canton

	Berne Education Subsidies Department. There is also a fund for cases of hardship (subsidy granted in difficult social situations).
	Fribourg The Education Subsidies Department (Contact: bourses@fr.ch) offers student grants and loans for financing studies.
	Geneva The Department for Grants for Studies and Apprenticeships provides grants for studies, student loans, training incentive payments or exemption or reimbursement for education fees.
	Jura Educational Finance Department: student grants and student loans.
	Neuchâtel Grants Office: student grants and student loans.
	Valais Administrative and Legal Department: student grants and loans on trust.
	Vaud Cantonal Office for Grants for Study and Apprenticeships: grants and student loans.

Private financial assistance

In general, private financial assistance takes the form of independent funds from the geographical home region of the student, or connected with the canton of the college where they are studying.

For all students, whatever the canton in which they are studying

Fondation Pro Juventute
This foundation provides supplementary non-recoverable grants, in addition to the students’ own contribution to the financing of their studies.

Fondation Pestalozzi
This foundation provides student grants or loans:

• Student grants are non-recoverable payments for financing studies.
• Loans are a form of financial assistance granted during the period of study and repayable in regular instalments once studies are complete.