SNSF Starting Grants
Funds early-career researchers in Switzerland with independent five-year groups through career grant support.
SNSF Starting Grants are the Swiss National Science Foundation’s top career awards for early-career researchers who want to build their first independent group in Switzerland. They target applicants two to eight years post-doctorate and provide up to CHF 1 million over five years, including salary support at assistant professor or group leader level. The scheme is open to all disciplines and requires at least two years of research at 80% FTE in Switzerland. Applicants need a doctorate, medical degree, or equivalent qualification, and the 2026 call opened on 1 February and closed on 5 May 2026. The process runs in two phases, with phase 1 results in late September 2026, interviews in January and February 2027, and final decisions in March 2027. The call also set aside extra budget for additional outstanding female applicants, and researchers rejected in an earlier Starting Grants round may apply once more. This is a career-building route for researchers with a clear Swiss base and enough independence to lead a team from the start. It rewards a strong publication and research record, but it also asks for a realistic group plan and a credible path to autonomy. Since call 2025, these awards count toward the SNSF limit on simultaneous projects.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.