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Roxanna Abhari

“My name is Roxanna and I’m a Swiss medical student at the University of Oxford. I was thrilled to receive support from Swiss friends of Oxford University for a research project last year. I was a visiting researcher at the Nuffield Department in Population Health, where I worked on developing and validating risk prediction models for cancer. I’m extremely grateful for the support from SFOU and am excited to join this growing community.”

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Simone Fasciati

“I sincerely thank the SFOU Scholarship Committee for supporting me financially and enabling a very enriching, productive and enjoyable time as a DPhil student in Oxford.”

Michelle Hufschmid

“While completing my DPhil in History at Exeter College at the University of Oxford, I received a generous grant from the SFOU. I used the grant to deliver a conference paper on my research project entitled ‘The Crusade against the Staufer in Germany, 1246-51’ at the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds in summer 2019. The congress is the biggest research conference on the Middle Ages and the second largest in the world. It is interdisciplinary and attracts high calibre researchers from around the world. I received invaluable feedback on my paper from members of the audience; for example by Professor Len Scales, who after the submission of my DPhil served as my external examiner for my Viva.”

Anita Noll

“I would like to express my gratitude to the Swiss Friends of Oxford University for the contribution towards my Master’s education expenses in 2019. Studying at Oxford has been an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience for me. However, pursuing a full-time study programme away from home involves significant financial challenges. This scholarship was a great help for which I would like to thank you profoundly.”

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David Rytz

“Doing my DPhil in Engineering Science within the field of robotics I spend a lot of time writing software and analysing data. SFOU has helped me during the pandemic to purchase top-quality equipment for this purpose (keyboard, mouse, external monitor) which has been a tremendous help, especially during the pandemic as I had to work significant amounts of time from home. The quick response time and supportive setup is definitely something I got to appreciate over the course of my DPhil and I would recommend anyone who is eligible to get in touch with SFOU.”

Fabian Soltermann

“The SFOU bursary helped in one of the most critical moments of my DPhil. Having just arrived back home in Switzerland for Christmas celebrations, in late December 2018, I was confronted with unexpected news from Oxford: The publication of a competitor’s paper, showcasing results similar to mine, was imminent. The question “How to publish faster and better?”, was soon followed by “How to cover additional travel costs?”. The SFOU unbureaucratically solved the funding problem and provided the freedom to focus on my research. The resulting boost in productivity brought my paper in 1 month from submission to publication, coinciding with our competitor’s publication.”

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Joanna Witwicka

“My name is Joanna Witwicka and I completed my MSc in Educational Assessment at the University of Oxford (2020-2022). I am very grateful to SFOU for supporting me in funding my research trip to Ivory Coast in February 2022. My mission has been successful and allowed me to gain first-hand information on the actual post-pandemic and pandemic educational assessment practices in the country, and to produce valuable primary sources for my Master’s dissertation. I appreciate very much the most professional and kind assistance of SFOU and encourage other Swiss students at Oxford to submit their applications!”

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D. Böttich

Many thanks to the SFOU for their generous support of my research stay at the University of Oxford.

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David Brügger

“Thanks to the generous SFOU grant, I had the privilege of presenting my doctoral research on ancient Egyptian non-royal statuary from Deir el-Medina at an international Egyptological conference in Florence, Italy. This conference provided an unparalleled platform to share my findings and engage with esteemed scholars in the field. The feedback received was invaluable, affirming the significance and potential impact of my project. It was truly rewarding to showcase previously unpublished material and receive constructive insights that will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of my research. This experience not only enhanced my academic and professional development but also fostered new collaborations and academic networks. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity afforded to me and am committed to utilising the knowledge gained to contribute meaningfully to the field of Egyptology.”

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Ladina Schmidt

With the support of the Swiss Friends of Oxford University, I was able to fulfil one of the academic requirements for my offer of a PhD place at Oxford University. I am deeply grateful for their support even before I started my PhD!

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Abel Rassat

I am deeply grateful to the Swiss Friends of Oxford University for your generous support, which enabled me to travel to Oxford for a week in August 2025. This funding was instrumental in allowing me to advance my master’s thesis research and explore future academic opportunities at the University of Oxford.

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Niklas Viebig

Thank you for your kindness and for helping to make this unforgettable experience possible. Your contribution has been a significant help in allowing me to focus fully on my Master’s thesis at the intersection of atmospheric physics and modern software engineering, ensuring a level of immersion that would have been difficult to achieve otherwise.

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Iwona Fluda

I am sincerely grateful to Oxford Friends for their financial support, which enabled me to attend the first module of my Executive Diploma in AI for Business at Oxford. This opportunity means a great deal to me, both professionally and personally. Being part of the programme has already been an inspiring and transformative experience, allowing me to deepen my understanding of AI, engage with outstanding peers and faculty, and further strengthen my work at the intersection of creativity, leadership, and technology. I truly appreciate Oxford Friends’ belief in my journey and their contribution to making this possible.

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Sofie Beluhli

“My name is Sofie Behluli and I completed a DPhil in English at the University of Oxford (2017-2021). Attending international conferences is a vital aspect of an academic career because it allows you to disseminate your research results, get new ideas for future projects and network with excellent scholars in the field. In 2019 I wanted to attend the 8th ESCL Conference in Lille, France, and the generous financial support of the Swiss Friends of Oxford University made that possible. The SFOU also funded my brief research trip to Amsterdam and Delft, which I am thrilled to finally go on after 2 years in lockdown. I am very grateful to the SFOU for supporting my research and would recommend them to all eligible scholars.”

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Olivia Flett

“I received a grant from SFOU during the second year of my MPhil in Economics course whilst at the University of Oxford. This was to support research for my thesis, allowing me to conduct an experiment I designed and ran for this project. I’d like to, once again, thank SFOU for this enriching opportunity!”

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Dr Alberto Lazari

“I am absolutely grateful for the support provided by the Swiss Friends of Oxford University, which enabled me to attend one of the most prominent conferences on neuroimaging and brain stimulation in the world. There, I was able to present a poster, receive feedback on my research, and start new international collaborations. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity and would strongly encourage other Swiss students at Oxford to apply for an SFOU Scholarship, and to reach out to SFOU’s friendly and helpful staff for any advice on the application process.”

Angela Odermatt

“Many thanks again for the support of SFOU – it has truly been an incredible and insightful experience!”

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Anja Segmüller

“I am grateful for the support I received from the Swiss Friends of Oxford University in September 2020 for a study week on the Spanish Civil War. As part of my Foundation Certificate in History, I was able to study the topic closely through primary source material and the support of my tutors. The week helped me to develop a deeper understanding of the discipline and the extended essays I produced during and after the week were a valuable part of the programme. With the help of the Swiss Friends of Oxford University I was able to take part in this incredible week and travel to Oxford.” Thank you again for your support – the time in Berlin was great, I learned and experienced so much and it really contributed to my understanding of East German culture.

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Manuela Crivelli

“I am profoundly thankful to the Swiss Friends of Oxford University for enriching my academic experience and for enabling my participation in the international conference “Reimaginando futuros” at the University of Alcalá. It would not have been possible without your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

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Roxanna Abhari

I was extremely grateful to receive financial support from SFOU for my medical elective. After finishing my medical school finals at the University of Oxford, I was given a few months to explore a medical interest in a different healthcare setting. I spent three weeks in Zurich, Switzerland (my hometown) working at the Universitätsspital Zürich in the plastic surgery and gastroenterology departments, and then I spent 6 weeks in Colombia working in the Emergency Department and the Intensive Care Unit. I learned a lot about the Swiss and Colombian healthcare systems, and how they compare to the NHS, and I improved my medical Spanish and German. This trip would not have been possible without the support from SFOU, and I am eternally grateful!

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Francesco Fazzi

“In September and October 2021, I had the pleasure of attending two courses offered by the Department of Continuous Education, Oxford University: Clinical Vaccine Development and Biomanufacturing, and Human and Veterinary Vaccinology. The two courses were very valuable, especially during the current times of a global pandemic. I am very grateful to the Swiss Friends of Oxford University for having supported me financially in taking these courses, for which I received two certificates from Oxford University.”

David Rytz

Thanks to the support from the Swiss Friends of Oxford University, I was able to attend my first in-person conference since the pandemic—ICRA 2023 in London. This experience not only enriched my research but also allowed me to establish key connections that I hope will lead to future collaborations. I’m deeply appreciative of this opportunity!

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Lukas Zumbrunn

Thanks to your support of travel expenses, I was able to continue my work on my dissertation in the field of foresight in public administrations and was able to navigate through administrative challenges and reap the benefits of the whole academic year at the University of Oxford.

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Maria Monzon

Thanks to the Swiss Friends of Oxford University, I spent four months as a Visiting PhD at the Visual Geometry Group, University of Oxford, under the mentorship of Professor Andrew Zisserman and Dr. Amir Jamaludin, where I worked on SpineNet, a state-of-the-art deep learning system for automated spinal MRI analysis. During my stay I developed novel vertebral segmentation methods and a pairwise ranking framework for fine-grained ordering of spinal pathological severity. The SFOU Scholarship gave me access to world-leading researchers, exceptional clinical data resources, and a collaborative network that will continue to shape my doctoral research at ETH Zürich.

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Jana Dinger

I received a generous grant from SFOU, which supported me during my research stay at the University of Oxford. I had the opportunity to join the Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, where I analyzed the dynamics of ovarian cancer cells, and it was an amazing experience. The financial support provided made the challenges of moving to a new country, such as securing accommodation, covering travel costs, and adjusting to a new environment, much more manageable. I am very grateful for this support

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Scholarships