About this opportunity
The Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship is now open for the 2027 and 2028 academic year, offering Afghan women who hold a university degree the chance to undertake a two year master's programme at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland.
The award provides CHF 25,000 per year across two years, making it substantial support for an eligible scholar studying abroad. Continuation into the second year is not automatic: the beneficiary prepares a report at the end of the first year and provides evidence of successful academic progress, and the scholarship is then renewed based on that review.
The scholarship was established in memory of Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada, a secondary school teacher of history and literature who graduated Magna Cum Laude from the State University of Milan with a degree in the History of Christianity. Her academic work on the condition of women included the book La Stregoneria, published by Mondadori in 1984 with historians S. Abbiati and A. Agnoletto. In 2005 she played a major role in establishing the Comitato Arghosha Faraway Schools, a charity focused on women's education in Afghanistan that supported the construction of 15 schools serving approximately 8,000 pupils from grades 1 to 12, of whom about 5,500 were girls, along with literacy courses for roughly 500 adult women and 28 university scholarships for talented girls at universities in Kabul.
There is one important feature of the process to plan around. Being selected for the scholarship is the first stage, not the last. The Steering Committee helps the successful candidate prepare an application file for the Geneva Graduate Institute, and that candidate must then apply to the Institute by 15 January with an English proficiency certificate and two academic references. The scholarship information states no age limit and frames
Eligibility
around being an Afghan woman with university level education rather than around any race requirement.
What you receive
- CHF 25,000 per year for two years of master's level study
- Enrolment in a two year master's programme at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland
- Study in a graduate institution focused on international affairs and development
- Steering Committee assistance in preparing the Institute application file for the selected candidate
- A pathway toward careers in academia, diplomacy, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and international corporate organisations
- Support designed around the educational circumstances of Afghan women
Who can apply
- Women applicants
- Afghan applicants
- Applicants who hold a university degree
- Applicants wishing to pursue master's level study, in areas connected to international relations and development
- Applicants able to prepare the required scholarship application documentation
- Applicants who, if selected by the Steering Committee, can complete the Geneva Graduate Institute admission process by its own deadline
- No age limit is stated, and the eligibility criterion is framed around being an Afghan woman rather than around race
Who should not apply
- Scholarship selection does not amount to admission. The selected candidate must still apply to the Geneva Graduate Institute and be admitted
- Renewal into the second year requires a report at the end of year one and evidence of successful academic progress
- The Institute's application stage requires an English proficiency certificate and two academic references, and the scholarship notes that the late application round does not apply
Documents to prepare
- Motivation letter explaining why you are applying, which Geneva Graduate Institute master's programme you want to pursue, why you chose the Institute, your financial needs and your plans after graduation
- Curriculum vitae covering your academic background, professional experience, skills and achievements
- Copies of your university diplomas and qualifications
- Official academic transcripts showing coursework, grades and the corresponding credit values
How to apply
- Read the scholarship details on the official provider page at https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/afghan-scholarships
- Collect your diplomas and official transcripts early, since certified academic records take time to obtain
- Write your motivation letter so it connects your educational background, the master's programme you have chosen, your career objectives and your financial need
- Submit the scholarship application through the official application form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKEZqbR66GDT-Cj6EefXqNNdk1WJrA_c6kWx1SEKI2c1bMvg/viewform by 11:59 p.m. (midnight) on 26 October 2026
- If the Steering Committee selects you, work with them to prepare your Geneva Graduate Institute application and submit it by 15 January with an English proficiency certificate and two academic references
Selection process
- The scholarship Steering Committee reviews applications, and is composed of representatives from the Association Arghosha, the Geneva Graduate Institute and people of Afghan origin or with links to Afghanistan
- The Committee contacts candidates regarding the scholarship decision
- The Committee then helps the successful candidate prepare their application file for the Geneva Graduate Institute
- The selected candidate submits a separate Institute application by 15 January, including an English proficiency certificate and two academic references
- Continuation of the scholarship into the second year is reviewed based on a report and evidence of academic progress
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Is there an age limit?
The scholarship information provided by the Geneva Graduate Institute states no age limit.
Does being selected guarantee admission to the Institute?
No. Scholarship selection and university admission are connected but distinct stages. The selected candidate must still apply to the Geneva Graduate Institute by 15 January and be admitted.
What is the second deadline about?
After the Steering Committee selects its candidate, that candidate must apply to the Geneva Graduate Institute by 15 January. That stage also requires an English proficiency certificate and two academic references.
Is the scholarship paid for both years automatically?
The award is made for two years, but continuation into the second year depends on the beneficiary submitting a report at the end of the first year and providing evidence of successful academic progress.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
