ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026

Overview

The ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Fellowship (ETH Fellows) supports outstanding early-career researchers for a two-year fully funded position at ETH Zurich. The programme is highly competitive, with a success rate of approximately 25%. Fellows receive 100% salary at ETH standards plus CHF 12,000 per year for research, travel, and mobility. Applications for the autumn round must be submitted by 1 September 2026 at 17:00 Swiss local time.

About 40-50% of ETH Fellows go on to obtain a professorship, making this one of the most impactful postdoctoral programmes in the world for academic career progression.

Benefits

• Full salary at 100% of the ETH Zurich scale for 2 years.
• CHF 12,000 annual allowance for travel, mobility, and research-related expenses.
• Access to ETH Zurich infrastructure, cores, and international academic networks.
• Option to split the fellowship into up to three stays over three years (minimum 6 months per stay at ETH).
• Co-funded international mobility component: fellows may spend time at partner institutions.

Eligibility

• Applicants of all nationalities are welcome.
• Must have completed a PhD or hold an equivalent academic qualification.
• PhD must have been completed within the 3 years immediately before the submission deadline (some exceptions apply for parental or care leave).
• Applicants who earned their PhD at ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich are not eligible.
• Must not have resided or carried out main professional/academic activities in Switzerland for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the deadline.
• Must have the support of an ETH Zurich professor who agrees to act as mentor.

How to Apply

1. Identify a potential ETH Zurich professor in your field who agrees to mentor you and co-author the application.
2. Prepare the joint application through the ETH Zurich Grants Office portal at grantsoffice.ethz.ch.
3. Compile: research proposal (max 5 pages), CV, list of publications, two letters of recommendation, and the professor’s endorsement.
4. Submit by 1 September 2026 at 17:00 Swiss local time. There is also a spring round (1 March deadline).
5. Selection results are communicated approximately 4 months after the deadline.