The biggest number on a PhD offer is not always the best package. A Swiss stipend has to pay Swiss rent; a Gulf fellowship may include housing and a flight; a Japanese scholarship may cover tuition but not an apartment. This table converts each stipend to monthly US dollars, then adds the extras.
| Programme | Where | Monthly stipend | Extras | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Government Excellence (ESKAS) | Switzerland | CHF 2,450 ≈ $3,050 | Health insurance, travelcard, CHF 600 deposit grant | 30 Nov 2026 |
| Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network | European Union | €3,400 gross ≈ $3,700 | Salary contract, travel and family allowances | Rolling, project-by-project |
| Gates Cambridge | United Kingdom | £20,000/year ≈ $2,200/month | Full fees, visa and travel allowances | 6 Jan 2027 |
| KAUST Fellowship | Saudi Arabia | $20,000–$30,000/year ≈ $1,670–$2,500/month | Free housing, relocation flight, full tuition | 7 Jan 2027 |
| MEXT Scholarship | Japan | ¥145,000 ≈ $960/month | Full tuition and airfare; housing not included | Embassy round, April–June 2027 |
| Chinese Government Scholarship | China | ¥3,500 ≈ $490/month | Full tuition, dormitory and insurance | December 2026–March 2027 |
The headline number is not the whole number
The Marie Curie figure is a gross salary, not a stipend. Tax and the country coefficient change what reaches you, but the contract usually includes pension and sickness cover. ESKAS is tax-free in most cantons and includes insurance for non-EU holders.
Europe: high cash, high rent
Switzerland and the UK pay the most, and both charge for it. A room in Zurich or Cambridge can take half a modest stipend. Check the rent for the city, not the country average.
Asia: lower cash, bigger package
KAUST is the outlier: lower cash, but free housing and a relocation flight remove the two largest costs. MEXT and CSC pay less, but tuition is covered and campus housing is often cheap.
How to compare two offers
Add the cash, subtract rent, insurance and travel, then divide by guaranteed months. A three-year contract can beat a one-year award that must be renewed. Check whether tuition and summer months are covered.
Which one should you target
For maximum savings, compare ESKAS with KAUST after housing. For a salary contract with employment rights, target a Marie Curie network. For academic prestige, Gates Cambridge is hard to beat. Build your ScholarMatch profile, browse PhD scholarships, and read the 2027 funded PhD routes before you apply.