ETH Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026

About ETH Postdoctoral Fellowships 📚

The ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship programme (ETH Fellows) supports incoming postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich. This prestigious programme is designed to foster young researchers who have already demonstrated scientific excellence in the early stages of their careers.

Key Highlights:

• Sponsor Organisation: ETH Zurich Grants Office
• Approximately 40-50% of fellows secure a professorship within a few years after the fellowship.

Benefits of ETH Postdoctoral Fellowships 🎁

• Duration: Two years (non-extendable).
• Salary: Fully covered (100%, based on ETH standards).
• Research Expenses: CHF 12,000 per year for:
  • Travel/mobility allowances.
  • Research cost contributions.
• Important Note: The budget allocated for travel and research costs cannot be used to cover salary costs, and vice versa.

Eligibility Criteria ✅

To qualify for the ETH Postdoctoral Fellowships, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Doctorate (PhD):

   • Must hold a PhD or complete their doctorate within the next six months.
   • PhD must have been obtained no more than two years prior to the submission deadline.
   • Applicants who have not yet completed their doctorate must submit certification of the planned defense date signed by their advisor or department chair.
   • The defense/viva voce must be completed by the time the fellowship starts (no later than six months after the deadline).

2. Institutional Restrictions:

   • Applicants who earned their PhD from ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich are not eligible.
   • Applicants may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Switzerland for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the submission deadline.
   • Applicants may not have carried out their main activity at ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, a research institute of the ETH domain (PSI, WSL, Empa, Eawag), or the University of Zurich for more than six months in the three years immediately before the submission deadline.

3. Scientific Contributions:

   • Applicants must have at least one scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal or have been awarded a prize for their doctoral thesis.

4. Compliance:

   • Applications not meeting the eligibility criteria will be rejected on formal grounds.

Application Process 📝

Submission:

• Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format using the ETH Zurich grant application system (eResearch).
• The call is typically open in the system about one month before the deadline.

Templates:

• Use the provided templates for the project description:
  • Part 1: Project Details (DOCX, 29 KB)
  • Part 2: Accompanying Information (DOCX, 28 KB)

Application Deadline 📅

• Deadline: 01 September, 2026

Contact Information 📧

For more details, visit the ETH Zurich Grants Office.

Apply directly via the ETH Zurich grant application system.

This opportunity is ideal for ambitious postdoctoral researchers looking to advance their academic careers in a world-class institution. Don't miss the chance to apply!

• The duration of an ETH Fellowship is two years and cannot be prolonged.
• The fellowship covers the fellow's salary (100%, based on ETH standards).
• ETH Fellows are also entitled to CHF 12,000 per year for research expenses, including travel/mobility allowances and research cost contributions.