Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione: adaptation of eligibility criteria

The SNSF is reforming its career funding. A new postdoctoral funding scheme will be launched in 2028. It will replace both Postdoc.Mobility (final submission deadline: August 2027) and Ambizione (final submission deadline: November 2026). The aim is to better implement the SNSF’s strategy and values in terms of supporting outstanding research, in particular by offering researchers favourable framework conditions and reflecting the diversity of their career paths. (See the news published on
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In this context, the SNSF is adapting the eligibility criteria for Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione in order to respond to recent developments, anticipate the future direction of career funding and prepare for the transition to the new funding scheme.

Increase in the number of proposals

For years, the number of proposals for career funding has been steadily increasing, a trend which is also observable internationally. Postdoc.Mobility is now processing 35% more proposals than five years ago. This year, Ambizione received 70% more proposals than in 2021. Compared to 2013, the increase is as high as 163%. The success rate at present is roughly 10%. The SNSF expects this trend to continue and even intensify for the last calls for proposals.

This increase in the number of proposals compromises the fulfilment of the objectives of these two funding schemes, reducing the chances of the groups for whom they were primarily designed: early-career researchers who have limited international mobility to their credit (for Postdoc.Mobility) and researchers who, after an initial period of postdoctoral research, are ready to continue their career in Switzerland by carrying out their first independent research project (for Ambizione).

This trend means that early-career researchers have to invest an increasing amount of time and energy, to the detriment of their scientific work, in writing proposals that are less and less likely to be funded. The growing number of proposals is also contributing to the overload of the peer review system.

Revised eligibility criteria

To address these developments, the SNSF is taking the following measures for the final Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione calls (please refer to the regulations for details).

New criteria for Postdoc.Mobility:

• Applicants must have Swiss citizenship or a Swiss permanent settlement permit, or be married to or in a registered partnership with a Swiss citizen. Otherwise, they must hold a degree from a Swiss institution (doctorate [PhD, MD] or state examination) and not have already had a postdoctoral position abroad.

• Proposals can be submitted no earlier than 6 months before the thesis defence (instead of 9 months at present).

New criteria for Ambizione:

• Candidates must have a link with Switzerland: they must be of Swiss nationality, or hold a degree from a Swiss higher education institution (master's degree, doctorate, medical diploma, FMH specialist title or equivalent), or have carried out research or clinical work in a Swiss research institution for at least 12 months between the completion of their doctorate or medical diploma and the submission deadline.

• Each contact person (e.g. a professor at the selected research institution) can only support one applicant.

Focus on key target groups

Through these changes, the SNSF is increasing its focus on the key target groups for Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione. For young international talent, there are other attractive options for coming to Switzerland, including Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

These measures are aligned with the objectives of the funding schemes, proportionate to their remaining duration and consistent with the overall direction of the career funding reform.

New funding scheme starting in 2028

From the beginning of 2028, a new funding scheme at postdoctoral level will replace both Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione. More information about the eligibility criteria, evaluation process, grant duration, funding amounts and the transitional phase between the existing funding schemes and the new one will be communicated by the end of this year.