CYD Doctoral Fellowships in Switzerland 2025 (Fully Funded PhD)

The CYD Doctoral Fellowships offer a unique opportunity for researchers to pursue a PhD at the CYD Campus in Switzerland, under the supervision of a professor from a Swiss higher education institution. This highly competitive program provides funding for up to four years (with a possible one-year extension) to support cutting-edge research in cyber-defence. If you want more PhD positions, click here.

Program Highlights

• Duration: Up to 4 years, with a possible 1-year extension.
• Funding: Covers salary (including social security benefits), research costs (up to CHF 3,000/year for specific equipment), and conference costs (up to CHF 5,000/year).
• Focus: Research in cyber-defence, emphasizing:
  • Protection of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of cyber and cyber-physical systems.
  • Information sharing, data fusion, and crowdsourcing.
  • Data science and AI methods for analyzing cyber- and technology-relevant data.
  • Security, privacy, and digital trust technologies.
• Collaboration: Projects must involve collaboration between CYD Campus researchers and at least one Swiss higher education institution.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nationality: Open to applicants of any nationality.
• Age: No age restrictions.
• Enrollment: Must be enrolled in a doctoral program at a Swiss higher education institution and have a professor’s endorsement at Stage 2 of the application process.
• Alternative Enrollment: Applicants at schools of applied sciences must confirm enrollment in a Swiss university’s doctoral program at Stage 2.
• PhD Stage: Preference for applicants who haven’t started or are early in their PhD, though applications are accepted at any stage.
• Funding Duration: Applicants can request funding for less than four years if aligned with PhD completion.

How to Apply for CYD Doctoral Fellowships

The application process consists of two stages, with all documents submitted in English and PDF format via the online submission platform. Refer to the application guidelines and application toolkit for detailed support.

Stage 1: Pre-Proposal Submission

1. Submit your application via the online submission platform.
2. A CYD Campus evaluation committee reviews applications based on:
   • Fit with CYD Campus objectives.
   • Alignment of the pre-proposal with program goals.
3. Shortlisted applicants are notified by mid-September 2025 and assigned a prospective CYD Campus mentor.
4. Within 48 hours of notification, contact your mentor to schedule an interview. Failure to do so will result in ineligibility.
5. If the interview is successful and the mentor approves your pre-proposal, they will endorse you to proceed to Stage 2.
6. If you haven’t identified a host professor at a Swiss higher education institution, your mentor can assist in finding one.

See also: 15 Fully Funded PhD Scholarship Opportunities at University of Bergen, Norway

Required Documents:

• Letter of Motivation: Max 2 pages, explaining:
  • Why your research is original.
  • Why you’re qualified for the fellowship.
  • Brief overview of your research achievements.
• Research Pre-Proposal: Max 1 page (11-point Arial, single-spaced, excluding references). Use the provided template to outline your research topic and milestones.
• CV: Include publications and major achievements. Use the provided template and submit as a PDF.
• Diplomas and Grade Transcripts: Include Bachelor, Master, and PhD (if applicable). Provide official translations if not in English, French, German, or Italian.
• Recommendation Letters: Two letters required, submitted via the online platform by 20 August 2025 (17:00 CEST).

Check also: CERN Doctoral Student Programme

Stage 2: Full Proposal Submission

1. Submit a full research proposal, approved by your CYD Campus mentor, via the online submission platform.
2. A committee, chaired by the CYD Campus Director and including 3-5 representatives from CYD Campus and Swiss higher education institutions, evaluates proposals.
3. Final decisions are announced by the end of November 2025.

Required Documents:

• Research Proposal: Max 5 pages (11-point Arial, single-spaced, excluding references). Use the provided template to detail your research plan and milestones.
• Host Institution Letter: Endorsement letter from a professor at a Swiss higher education institution willing to supervise you. Use the provided template.
• Salary Scale: Provide evidence that your requested gross salary (including your social security contributions, excluding employer contributions) aligns with your host institution’s standards. If not publicly available, submit a document with the institution’s HR stamp and signature.
• Budget Calculator: Use the provided template to submit your proposed budget as a PDF.
• Ethical Issues Form: Complete this form on the online submission platform.

See also: 10 Fully-Funded PhD Scholarship Opportunities at the University of Oslo

Important Notes

• No Additional Documents: No documents beyond those listed can be submitted after the deadline unless requested by the committee.
• Templates: Use the provided templates for the research pre-proposal, CV, research proposal, host institution letter, and budget calculator to ensure compliance.
• Referee Coordination: Contact referees early to ensure they can submit letters by the deadline.
• Mentor Engagement: Promptly schedule your Stage 1 interview within 48 hours of notification to remain eligible.

Deadlines

• Stage 1 Submission: 20 August 2025 (17:00 CEST).
• Stage 2 Submission: 1 October 2025 (17:00 CEST).
• Final Decisions: Announced by end of November 2025.