SNSF Starting Grants

The Call document (PDF) and other important information can be found under "Participation requirements".

The eligibility window refers to the period between the (oral) defence of the relevant degree (e.g. defence of the doctoral thesis) and the submission deadline for the call for proposals. Due to the postponement of the SNSF Starting Grants call for proposals 2026, the eligibility window for SNSF StG2026 will be calculated exceptionally until 1 February 2026.

Please note: The eligibility window and the “net academic age” (see below) are not identical and are calculated differently.

The eligibility window for submission of an SNSF Starting Grant proposal can be extended if the applicant can demonstrate a delay due to the reasons stated in Article 1.11 of the General implementation regulations for the Funding Regulations (PDF).

Any extension of the eligibility window must be approved by the SNSF Administrative Office. Requests for an extension of the eligibility window must be submitted by email to
together with the relevant supporting documents before the application is submitted.

Yes, provided that you have not already achieved the objective of the SNSF Starting Grants (leading your own research project with your own research team) and you do not have significant third-party funding (see Art. 1.2 of the call document (PDF)) by the call deadline. Furthermore, you must meet all personal eligibility requirements. If in doubt, you can contact the SNSF by email at
.

No, you are no longer eligible because you have already achieved the objective of the SNSF Starting Grant, as stated in Art. 1.2 of the call document (PDF).

In the case of the Swiss-link, applicants must have carried out research for the equivalent of at least two years with an average worktime percentage of at least 80% (0.8 FTE). To fulfill this requirement, applicants must have carried out research over a time period of at least two years and may fulfil the average worktime percentage of at least 80% (or at least 19.2 months in total) over a longer time period.

No exceptions can be granted.

No exceptions can be granted.

Applicants whose project was rejected in a previous SNSF Starting Grants call are entitled to submit a second application, regardless of the topic of the project and its evaluation.

Ambizione grantees can submit an SNSF Starting Grant application at the earliest 12 months after the start of their Ambizione grant – provided they meet all other criteria stipulated in the call document. If your salary needs to be covered by the SNSF for the duration of the SNSF Starting Grant, you should request your salary in your SNSF Starting Grant application.

No. It is not possible to have several applications under evaluation at the same time for grants that overlap with the funding period requested for the SNSF Starting Grant. Exceptions apply to parallel submissions to NRPs, NCCRs or other one-time calls.

Yes. Parallel submission of applications for an ERC Starting Grant and for an SNSF Starting Grant is allowed.

However, double funding for thematically similar projects is not permitted. If a similar project receives funding during the ongoing SNSF evaluation process, applicants must choose between the funding offered and continued SNSF evaluation (see art. 1.3 of the call document (PDF)).

The net academic age is calculated automatically in the CV format and indicates how much time you have been able to spend doing research since obtaining your doctorate. It is taken into account in the evaluation.

The SNSF has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which recommends that research funders explicitly define the criteria they use to evaluate scientific productivity. These concern the scientific quality, value and impact of applicants’ research output (including datasets, software and prototypes) in addition to publications. You can find additional information about the CV format here. To create a CV, you can use the following link. (See also: A new CV).

No, because the aim of the SNSF Starting Grants is to carry out an independent research project and to lead a research team in Switzerland.

The interdisciplinary character of your proposal will be taken into account during the evaluation. Depending on the choice of research domain, your proposal will be evaluated in one of the following three research domains: Social Sciences and Humanities; Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology; or Life Sciences. Please also note the explanations on this subject in Art. 4.2 of the call document (PDF).

Yes. For institutions that do not offer assistant professor positions, an equivalent position involving independent project and management responsibilities ("group leader position") is accepted.

• If applicants do not request any salary, then they must be employed at least 0.5 FTE and dedicate at least 0.5 FTE to the project funded by this grant.
• If applicants request a part of their salary and are employed at a university of applied sciences or of teacher education, then they must be employed at least 0.8 FTE and spend at least 70% of their working time on the project. The rest of their working time should be primarily dedicated to activities expected for the development of an academic career.
• If applicants request a part of their salary and are researchers who do clinical work, then they must be employed at least 0.5 FTE as a researcher and dedicate at least 0.5 FTE to the project funded by this grant and the rest mainly on clinical work.
• In all other cases, the applicant must be employed at least 0.8 FTE and spend at least 80% of their working time on the project funded by this grant and the rest mainly on activities expected for the development of an academic career.

For clinically active researchers, the SNSF covers the share of the salary awarded for research activities. The share for clinical work must be financed by the research institution/hospital and is not financed by the SNSF. The total work-time percentage of clinical and research activities must not exceed 100%. The host institution must specify the percentage of clinical working time in the confirmation letter.

SNSF Starting Grants (from Call 2025 onwards) count towards the upper limit of the maximum number of SNF projects that can run simultaneously (see list of all funding instruments (PDF)). This means that recipients of SNSF Starting Grants may only apply for project funding for a Weave/Lead Agency/International Co-Investigator Scheme, but not for individual project funding. Further information can be found on the Project funding website.

The SNSF Starting Grants Call
(Horizon Europe Transitional Measures) do not count towards the upper limit of concurrent projects.

Yes. If you are successful in obtaining project funding, you can apply to reduce the working time required for the current SNSF Starting Grant to 50% (0.5 FTE). The current SNSF Starting Grant must remain feasible and be completed within the approved duration.

You must inform the SNSF accordingly. The awarded project funds can usually be used for further scientific employment with project and management responsibility in Switzerland. The remaining amount of your salary must be reimbursed to the SNSF.

Requests for the continued use of the awarded funds will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The conditions are described on the "Money follows Researcher" page.

If you wish to transfer your grant, including the funds covering your salary, to another research institution, you should contact the SNSF and explain the reasons for the move as well as its added value for your project or its importance for your career. A written request submitted by the grantee should include the following documents:

• Like the original research institution, the new research institution must provide a confirmation letter.
• An authorized body of the former research institution acknowledges the change in writing to the SNSF.

The SNSF evaluates the request taking into account the feasibility of the project or your career at the new institution.

You must inform the SNSF accordingly. The SNSF will terminate the grant. The remaining amount of the grant must be reimbursed to the SNSF.

The SNSF recognises that family care duties are not always compatible with full-time employment. For this reason, working part-time (min. 0.8 FTE) while being paid by an SNSF grant is possible. It is possible to plan and submit an application with full-time employment and reduce to part-time work due to family care duties and thereby extend the duration of the funding period later on. Grantees may request to change their work-time percentage at any time after the grant has been awarded.