Swiss Research Institute Internships for International Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Switzerland, renowned for its high standards of living, cutting-edge research, and vibrant international environment, offers incredible internship opportunities for international students. Interning in Switzerland provides not only professional experience but also invaluable cross-cultural competence and industry insights. This article serves as a comprehensive guide for international students seeking internships at Swiss research institutions, covering various aspects from preparation and application to making the most of the experience.

The Allure of Interning in Switzerland

Switzerland's appeal as an internship destination stems from several factors:

High Standards of Living: Switzerland is known for its excellent quality of life, including a safe environment, high-quality healthcare, and efficient public services.
Industry Insights: With its vast network of Swiss and international NGOs as well as vibrant technology and finance sectors, the city of Geneva is a global player in humanitarian assistance, international relations, and human rights.
Cross-cultural Competence: Switzerland's multicultural environment provides an excellent opportunity to develop cross-cultural competence.
Professional Experience: Gain professional experience at a think tank, NGO, start-up, or private business in the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland.
Networking Opportunities: Build professional networks with experts at international institutions, think tanks, NGOs, and the corporate sector through an internship and field visits.
Research and Innovation: Researching renewable energy in Switzerland was an amazing experience as the country is focused on sustainability. The research I assisted was relevant and advanced. In the summer of 2024, I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct research at Campus Biotech, an architectural and intellectual marvel, in Geneva, Switzerland. During the week, I found myself contributing to cutting-edge work and discussing findings with scientists from all over the world. My lab was comprised of physicians, postdocs, and interns from all walks of life. We formed an international family of sorts. We compared notes on methodological approaches, lab culture, and career paths. Beyond the bench, we shared thoughts on the political, educational, and academic landscapes of our home countries. Research in Switzerland holds scientists to high standards, encouraging trainees to think independently and tackle complex problems. Many interns and fellow ThinkSwiss members are eager to continue project collaborations and pursue further studies at their host institutions

Preparing for Your Internship

Setting Goals

Interning in a country like Switzerland can be overwhelming, so it's important to set clear goals to stay on track. Define what you want to learn about your field of interest. Skills, learning, and memorable experiences-yes, these are key aspects of what you'll bring back home.

Visa and Paper Requirements

For internships over three months, a visa is usually needed, and your employer can help secure it. Engage with your host early regarding housing preferences and visa details for a smooth move.

Health and Wellbeing

A critical step in preparing for your study abroad program is planning how you will maintain your health and wellbeing. Health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Switzerland. Since the hospital and doctor costs are very high, it is important that you are sufficiently insured. We recommend taking out insurance from Swisscare as they are covering all necessary standarts to low costs. Accident security (during working hours and in your free time) is covered by your employer; together with the social securities it is directly deducted from your salaray.

Read also: Guide to Swiss Student Discounts

Accommodation

Housing in Zurich and Geneva is competitive due to high demand and a first-come, first-served process. In most of the cases, accommodation will be arranged for you and details provided before your departure.

Finding Internship Opportunities

Roche Internships for Scientific Exchange (RiSE) Programme

The Roche Internships for Scientific Exchange (RiSE) Programme invites PhD and medical students to gain insight into drug discovery and development at the Roche Innovation Center Basel, Switzerland. As an intern, you will perform your own exploratory research embedded in a research, clinical, or analytical team within drug development programmes. This immersive experience allows you to experience and apply Roche's state-of-the-art scientific technologies and take advantage of in-house learning opportunities. You will be closely mentored by a Roche scientist (and potentially a postdoctoral fellow or academic co-mentor) and become part of a global pharmaceutical research environment. The experience helps you build your scientific track record and can be used as a catalyst for your career path. You will also participate in the local community of Roche postdocs and other student interns, becoming part of the worldwide network of RiSE alumni. This is an internship with a duration of 12 months.

IAESTE Switzerland

To apply for an IAESTE internship you have to be between 18 and 30 years old, be a student of a university/university of applied sciences which IAESTE Switzerland has agreements with or be recently graduated (at the moment of applying for an internship you must have a valid student enrolment certificate or be graduated for max. 0.5 years). Keep in mind that in the host country there might be additional requirements (e.g.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships offer students studying in the United States and Canada research grants at a Swiss research institution of their choosing. The duration of the scholarship is for a minimum of two months and up to a maximum of three months at the rate of CHF 60/day to cover living expenses only.

SIT Study Abroad

SIT Study Abroad is committed to ensuring that international education is within reach for all students.

The Application Process

Roche RISE Programme

Students apply directly to specific job openings to work on specific projects rather than the RiSE program itself. These positions are published twice a year, typically during the spring and fall seasons.
If your qualifications match our needs, a recruiter will be in touch to initiate the interview process.
The program has no specific start date; the student and mentor can agree on the best start date.
You must be a postgraduate student enrolled in a programme for a PhD in natural sciences or a medical degree.
A recommendation letter (academically relevant) must be provided upon application
You will receive a monthly internship salary, with travel expenses, accommodation support, and reimbursed costs for Swiss work permit application.
Note for Non-EU/EFTA citizens: A certificate from your university stating that an industry internship is a mandatory part of the university curriculum is required.

IAESTE Switzerland Application Process

Please log in and complete your profile as per instructions available online, entering your priorities (you can choose up to max 5 priorities) and submit your documents as CV, list of subjects studied and the confirmation of payment of the registration fee.
Please check that you fulfil all requirements of the internship you want to apply for.
We will get in contact with you, once we receive your registration. If you have completed your registration, it is valid up to 1 year.
Once you submit the registration, we will review all registrations received for this internship offer and inform you if it will be assigned to you. To make this decision we will review your profile, CV and transcript of records and compare it with the employer requirements and also consider the other applicants. We will choose the most suitable applicant for the internship. The nomination is a compilation of documents based on which the employer makes the final decision whether or not to accept you.
The nomination should include the following documents: Student Nomination Form (provided by us), cover letter, CV, transcript of records (including the grading scale), proof of your language skills (IAESTE Language Certificate/TOEFL /other examination records), certificate of enrolment from the University (if required and available), letter of recommendation (highly suggested), work certificate (highly recommended, if available), and a scanned copy of passport.
For all architecture internships, a portfolio is also required.
We will check all your documents and provide you support and help if needd (e.g.
Once the nomination is completed, it will be shared with the receiving country and the employer. The receiving IAESTE committee or the employer might want to conduct an interview with you. If so, please inform us bout it.
Unless you were contacted by the receiving committee or employer directly, you should not contact them before acceptance.
Once the nomination has been shared with the receiving committee, you should receive the final decision in max. 5 weeks.
If you are accepted, the so called 'acceptance papers' are issued by the receiving committee and you should follow their instructions (e.g. regarding visa application, etc.). You should confirm on our international exchange platform that you wish to undertake the internship within 2 weeks.
If a visa or work permit is required, please keep in mind to start the process as soon as possible. All students are required to purchase insurance which covers the whole duration of the internship.

ThinkSwiss application process

A research project outline (e.g. an overview of the tasks and milestones of your project that you agreed on with your host professor, max. Recommendation letter from a professor at the university you are enrolled in. Not Sure Where To Begin? Write to them and enquire if they’d be interested in taking you on in their cohort. 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. You may also refer to this video.

Advice after acceptance

After acceptance, you will be provided with a 'survival booklet', containing a lot of useful infromation for the preparation of your stay in Switzerland. Details of what you should do on arrival will be provided, including a contact person. Your supervisor at work will guide you during the whole internship.

Making the Most of Your Internship Experience

Cultural Immersion

A homestay with a local family in the French-speaking canton of Vaud will enrich your cultural experience during the program. Located on the shores of Lake Geneva, the canton of Vaud offers a combination of countryside, small towns, and outdoor activities. Living with your homestay family offers you the opportunity to gain insight into local everyday life on the Geneva Lake Riviera.

Networking

So you will be able to communicate with all members and trainees that are currently in the city/country. We will organise some events or meetings during the week and/or weekend and inform you about them via the mentioned channels.

IAESTE Support

IAESTE supports you as intern during the internship by helping with the reception and also organising some social events. In case of any problems you can always reach us for some tips or in case of emergency.

Feedback

After the internship you'll be asked to complete a feedback form to help us to evaluate your internship as we are always trying to improve our performance and reach the highest standards. We are as well always happy to receive a personal written experience report, like this, future interns can read about your experiences and prepare themselves for their own adventures.

Exploring Switzerland

On weekends, it was easy to catch a train to the alps and embark on awe-inspiring hikes. My favorite places to visit were Lauterbrunnen and Seealpsee. On lazy or rainy weekends, I was able to easily visit several art museums, including the Kunsthaus in Zurich. On weekends, I fell in love with the Swiss mountains. With friends I met through the ThinkSwiss program, we climbed through the clouds, explored the inside of glaciers, and listened to the mesmerizing toll of cowbells as we traipsed through grassy meadows.

Benefits for Employers

We will be happy to support you in finding a well-qualified and perfect matching intern for your open placement(s). To offer an internship, we kindly ask you to prepare some information for us, as a detailed job description, containing information about major tasks and description of the projects the intern will work on. Please also do describe the eligibility criteria for the students, such as degree, language requirements and skills needed, field(s) of study or study level. You will also need to define the period you would like to host the intern. Please keep in mind that all IAESTE internships are paid, the minimum salary for the intern should be CHF 2'200.-/month. Specify whether you would like us to organise accommodation for the student or if you will arrange it. The 'accommodation service' is a service provided by our local committees and the costs are CHF 400.- (the money is used for cross-subsidization of the social programme of the interns coming to switzerland which is organized by our volunteers. Like this weekendtrips are offered to the interns for reasonable prizes). We will review all applications from foreign students for your offer and select the best suitable candidates for you. Our pre-selection safes you a lot of time and efforts as we will only provide you applications from students matching to your requirements and searched profile. If you have any additional questions regarding the students' nomination you can always contact us. After a student is accepted, he/she is contacted to begin arrival preparations and informed about the visa and work permit process, if needed.

The Broader Impact

Our Summer Research Internship Program in Switzerland represents a transformative bridge connecting exceptional students with the forefront of global scientific discovery. We meticulously pair emerging researchers and innovators with cutting-edge projects across Switzerland’s premier scientific, engineering, and computing research landscapes. Designed as a comprehensive developmental journey, the program provides unparalleled access to state-of-the-art laboratories, immersive exposure to sophisticated research methodologies, and meaningful collaboration with internationally recognized experts. At the heart of our mission lies a profound commitment to cultivating intellectual curiosity, advancing specialized technical and analytical competencies, and fundamentally preparing the next generation for impactful leadership roles within the global science and technology ecosystem. We offer more than just an internship; we provide a holistic platform for personal and professional growth within one of the world’s most respected research environments. This experience serves as a critical catalyst, empowering students to translate academic knowledge into tangible innovation while building a professional network that spans continents and disciplines. Through hands-on participation in consequential research initiatives, students gain not only technical proficiency but also the strategic thinking, collaborative ethos, and problem-solving acumen demanded by today’s most complex global challenges.

Success Stories

Story from the frontline "My time at Roche has been a journey of self-discovery in a truly supportive environment. I’m deeply grateful for the mentorship and kindness that helped me grow both scientifically and personally. Thanks to the ThinkSwiss program, I spent the summer in Winterthur, a city 20 minutes by train north of Zurich. I assisted research in the stability of perovskite solar cells and modules at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) School for Engineering. My coworkers were welcoming and my work on the identification of defects in solar modules felt productive.

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