Fellowships for advanced researchers enable young scientists planning to follow an academic career to benefit from a stay abroad in order to increase their knowledge and scientific reputation.
These fellowships for overseas visits in any discipline are supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), except in experimental and clinical medicine (see below). Funding includes personal maintenance, a fixed sum for travel expenses and may include a contribution towards research and conference expenses. The amount of the fellowship is based on personal details, family obligations and cost of living in the host country and runs for a period of 12 to 36 months.
Application requirements (see fellowship rules)
- doctorate
- research experience: at least one year of research activity at post-doc level (at the time of submission deadline)
- start of the fellowship: at the latest 5 years after obtaining the doctorate (the date of the thesis defense and the doctoral examination respectively is decisive); exceptions possible in duly justified cases
- Swiss nationality, residence or settlement permit, cross-border commuter permit
- relation with Swiss research (at least 2 years of activity at a Swiss university for candidates who are not Swiss nationals)
Application documents and call for applications
New applications have to be submitted electronically via the web platform mySNF. Thereby, help-texts will navigate through the submission process. Follow-up proposals must also be submitted electronically. Submission guidelines are available on the internet (see > Forms, regulations and directives).
Call for applications: three months before submission deadline
Submission deadlines: 1 February and 1 August (applies to prolongation requests as well)
Start of the fellowship: at the earliest six months after submission deadline
mySNF: To meet the submission deadline a mySNF user account must be requested 2 weeks before the submission deadline at the latest.
Experimental and clinical medicine, biology (basic medical science)
The Swiss Foundation for Grants in Biology and Medicine (SFGBM) allocates fellowships for advanced researchers in experimental and clinical medicine, and in biology as a basic medical science in in coordination with the SNSF and in accordance with its regulations.
Candidates for the SFGBM have to send their CV, publication list and a summary of the planned research to the president of the foundation before the submission of an application.
Applications for the SFGBM can only be submitted electronically via mySNF.
SFGBM, P.O. Box 8260, 3001 Bern
E-mail: fmarti@ssmbs.ch (Secretary: Ms. F. Marti)
E-mail: blauterburg@ssmbs.ch (President: Prof. B. Lauterburg)
Fax: +41 (0)31 305 29 78
Call for applications: three months before submission deadline
Submission deadlines: 1 March and 1 September (applies to demands for prolongation as well)
Start of the fellowship: at the earliest, four months after submission deadline
Other foundations contributing to SNSF support of young scientists
The “Eugen & Elisabeth Schellenberg” foundation in Frauenfeld and the “Johanna Dürmüller-Bol” foundation in Bern also make contributions to some grants, notably in the field of cancer research.