SNSF Starting Grants

Important note: The federal government has mandated the SNSF to launch the SNSF Starting Grants 2023. The call will open on 1 November 2022, the deadline for submission is 1 February 2023.

This page will be updated shortly with information on the Starting Grants 2023.

Following Switzerland's non-association to Horizon Europe, the SNSF has launched the new transitional measure 'SNSF Starting Grants' on behalf of the Swiss government. The SNSF Starting Grant Call 2022 is an integrative call which, in addition to the transitional measure for the 2022 ERC Starting Grants, also covers the SNSF Eccellenza Professorial Fellowships call 2022. Thus, the conditions of employment of the SNSF Starting Grants are similar to those for researchers who intended to apply to Eccellenza. International and Swiss-based applicants who intended to apply for an ERC Starting Grant to work in Switzerland or an SNSF Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship are welcome to submit an SNSF Starting Grant proposal to the SNSF.

The scheme is open to all disciplines and topics; researchers of any nationality may apply.

With an SNSF Starting Grant, grantees will lead an independent research project and direct a team of researchers in Switzerland. An SNSF Starting Grant comes after several years of research after the PhD, qualification equivalent to a PhD, or medical degree during which grantees have already achieved scientific independence and contributed to impactful research in their field.

Applicants can request a budget of up to CHF 1.8 million for a period of five years.

You meet the personal requirements for this call if:

After your PhD defence:

• You have at least 3 years of research experience
• You submit your application no more than 8 years after the date of your PhD defence.

After your medical degree (state examination or equivalent):

• You have at least 3 years of clinical work and at least 2 years of research experience
• You submit your application no more than 12 years after obtaining your medical degree.

After your PhD equivalent, defined as 3 years of research activity after obtaining the higher education degree:

• You have at least 3 years of research experience
• You submit your application no more than 8 years after obtaining a qualification equivalent to a PhD.

The time periods are calculated based on the submission deadline.