Branco Weiss Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027 by ETH Zurich in Switzerland

Applications are now open for the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027, also known as Society in Science, a funded postdoctoral fellowship run by ETH Zurich in Switzerland. It is open to researchers from all disciplines, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. Fellows receive up to CHF 600,000 over a maximum of five years to cover their salary and research costs.

They can carry out their project at any academic institution in the world. The fellowship is open to applicants of all nationalities who completed their PhD within the last five years and are not faculty members. The application deadline is January 15, 2027, at 5 p.m. CET. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Organizer: ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• Degree Level: Postdoctoral
• Host Country: Switzerland
• Funding Type: Fully Funded
• Open to All Nationalities: Yes
• Application Deadline: January 15, 2027, 5 p.m. CET
• Language: English

Eligibility Criteria:

• You hold a PhD, or have successfully passed your doctoral defense, by January 15, 2027.
• You obtained your PhD a maximum of five years before January 15, 2027.
• You are not a current or former faculty member, such as an assistant professor or lecturer.
• You do not hold a permanent employment position.
• Your project departs from the mainstream of research in your discipline.
• You have a record of outstanding scientific achievement.
• Your proposal shows a willingness to engage in dialogue on social, cultural, political, or economic issues beyond your own field.
• You are willing and able to travel to the Greater Zurich Area to attend the annual symposium in person.
• Your chosen mentor is supporting only you in this application round.

There are no restrictions on age or nationality. If you hold more than one PhD, the date of the first one counts. The date of your exam or your certificate counts, whichever makes you eligible. If you applied before and were not selected, you are welcome to apply again.

Acceptable Reasons for Delays After Your PhD

The five year limit can only be extended for these two reasons:

• Parental leave
• Inability to work due to illness or accident

To use this extension, send an official confirmation of your leave to [email protected] before you submit your application. It is best to send it 1 to 2 months before the deadline. The number of weeks your research was interrupted is added to your eligibility window, up to a maximum of 1 year in total. Only full time leave counts.

Also Check: Princeton PLAS Short Term Visiting Fellowships, USA (2027-2028)

Funding and Benefits:

The fellowship gives you up to CHF 600,000 over a maximum of five years. You can use the money for:

• Your own salary, either partly or fully, at the level of your host institution
• Salaries of doctoral students
• Equipment
• Consumables
• Travel
• Technical or secretarial services connected to your project

Some important financial rules:

• The host institution may keep a management fee of up to 10% of the fellowship.
• You cannot buy scientific equipment costing more than CHF 50,000 in the last two years.
• Unspent funds must be returned, and no cost extensions are granted.
• Equipment you buy stays with you and your project, even if you move institutions.
• You are encouraged to apply for additional third party funding during the fellowship.

Also Check: PhD Scholarship At Brunel University of London and China Scholarship Council

Fellowship Duration and Phases:

Your project should be planned for five years, divided into two phases.

Pioneer Phase (First 2.5 Years)

You and your host institution sign a grant agreement. Before the end of the second year, a review and a site visit are carried out. They evaluate your project, its continued originality, and your productivity.

Exploitation Phase (Final 2.5 Years)

If the review and site visit go well, you move into the second phase for the remaining two and a half years. The grant agreement is extended in writing.

Starting a Faculty Position

You can take up a faculty position or professorship after the first year of the fellowship. The fellowship will be terminated only if your Branco Weiss project is no longer the focus of your work.

Also Check: The Jansky Postdoctoral Fellowship Program 2027 in United States

Host Institution and Mentor:

• You can choose any academic host institution in the world.
• You can work at more than one institution, but one must be named as the main host.
• The grant is managed through a three way agreement between you, your main host institution, and ETH Zurich.
• You choose your own mentor from among the members of the host institution.
• You cannot change your host institution during the first year.
• After the first year, a change of host needs approval from the Directorate.

Documents You Need to Apply:

Prepare all of these as PDF files:

• Motivation letter: Maximum 1 page. Explain why your research differs from the mainstream.
• Research project description: Maximum 5 pages, including timelines, tentative milestones, and references.
• Abstract: Written so that an educated layperson can understand your objectives, methods, and the significance of the expected results.
• CV: Maximum 4 pages, including your publication list.
• Invitation letter: Signed by your potential mentor, usually a professor. It should explain why you and your project are excellent and why the host is the best place for it. It must confirm the mentor will integrate you into their research group, give you a workplace, and provide the infrastructure you need. It must also state how much independence you will have.
• Three publications: Peer reviewed journal articles or individual book chapters only. No doctoral theses and no books.
• Five reviewer suggestions: From different research institutions, entered directly in the online form. You must have no scientific relationship with them, meaning you have not published with them, worked with them, or planned to work with them. Having been in contact is fine.
• PhD certificate: A scan of your certificate or a confirmation of successful examination. The official certificate is requested in April.

Formatting and File Rules

• Use a font size of at least 10 points with normal line spacing.
• Each file can be a maximum of 5 MB, and the total can be a maximum of 15 MB.
• You do not need to submit a budget.
• You do not need to submit reference letters at this stage.

Also Check: EIP Fellowship Programme 2027 for Master’s, PhD students & Senior professors

Tips for a Strong Proposal:

• Focus on the central idea or concept behind your work.
• Explain the methods you plan to use.
• Describe the potential impact on your own field and on other disciplines.
• Show the links between society and science that you want to explore.
• Include relevant ethical, legal, and social considerations.
• Make sure your project follows the research integrity rules of your host institution and ETH Zurich.

Important Dates for the 2027 Intake:

• January 15, 2027, 5 p.m. CET: Final application deadline
• May 2027: Interview invitations and rejection notices are sent
• June 2027: Interviews and final selection of fellows
• October 1 to December 31, 2027: Fellows start their research projects

Also Check: Fulbright Scholar Program 2027

Reporting Duties After You Win:

• Submit a status report at the beginning of the fellowship.
• Submit a yearly scientific report and financial report.
• Submit a final report when the project ends, listing all outcomes such as publications and patents.
• Attend the annual symposium in Zurich and present your project when asked.

How to Apply:

• Submit at least 1 to 2 days before the deadline to avoid server overload.
• Read the official Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions carefully.
• Find a mentor and secure a signed invitation letter early.
• Prepare all documents as PDF files within the size limits.
• Register and submit through the ETH Zurich eResearch portal.

Also Check: PhD Scholarship At Brunel University of London and China Scholarship Council