ETH Zurich offers a prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship program for incoming postdoctoral researchers, which funds a limited number of positions each year. The figure of “12 vacant scholarships” is a reported estimate of the number of fellowships typically awarded per round, based on a success rate of about 25% for a competitive pool of applicants.
ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship program
This competitive, two-year fellowship is intended for outstanding young researchers who want to pursue their own independent research project at ETH Zurich. Applications are submitted twice a year by the candidate and a potential host professor.
Deadlines
The application deadlines are set twice a year:
- March 1
- September 1
The next application deadline is September 1, 2025, at 17:00 Swiss local time.
Eligibility criteria
- Applicants must have obtained their PhD within two years of the submission deadline.
- Candidates must not have resided or conducted their main activity in Switzerland for more than twelve months within the three years prior to the application deadline.
- Applicants with a PhD from either ETH Zurich or the University of Zurich are ineligible.
- Candidates must have at least one scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal or have won a prize for their doctoral thesis.
Application requirements
- Host professor: Applicants must find and be supported by an ETH Zurich professor who will act as their mentor. The professor can only support one candidate per round.
- Independent project: The program prioritizes candidates with their own original research ideas, rather than those joining an existing project. The candidate must draft the research proposal themselves.
- No prior close collaboration: The candidate and mentor must not have closely collaborated before the fellowship.
- Reference letters: Two external reference letters must be sent directly to the Grants Office by the referees.
Funding and benefits
The fellowship offers significant support for two years:
- Salary: A competitive salary based on ETH Zurich’s postdoctoral rates, which were set at CHF 92,500 (gross) for the first year in 2025.
- Research funds: CHF 12,000 per year for research expenses.
- Academic opportunities: Fellows are encouraged to participate in teaching and benefit from career development workshops.
Other ETH Zurich postdoctoral positions
In addition to the highly competitive fellowship program, many individual departments and research groups at ETH Zurich also advertise specific, funded postdoctoral researcher positions. These are typically announced on the main ETH Zurich jobs portal.
- Recent examples: Past and recent individual postings have included positions in atmospheric chemistry, materials science, mechatronics, and bioinformatics.
- To find vacancies: Applicants can search the ETH Zurich job portal for open postdoctoral positions.
I’m Peter, an education content creator focused on schools and colleges. I share news, tips, and insights that help students, parents, and educators stay informed and inspired. My goal is to make learning resources accessible, engaging, and useful for everyone in the academic community.