Funder: The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science
Due Dates: January 15, 2026 (Annual submission deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to CHF 600,000 total funding for up to 5 years per fellowship, supporting salary, equipment, travel, consumables, and personnel.
Summary: Supports up to 10 postdoctoral researchers annually to pursue unconventional, independent research projects worldwide across natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.
Key Information: Open to postdocs within 5 years of PhD; fellows may start faculty positions during the fellowship; host institution worldwide; no-cost extensions not granted.
Description
The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science is a prestigious international program that supports exceptional postdoctoral researchers who pursue unconventional and innovative research projects beyond mainstream science. Established by Dr. Branco Weiss and based at ETH Zurich, the fellowship awards up to ten fellowships annually across all scientific disciplines, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.
Fellows receive funding of up to CHF 600,000 over a maximum of five years, enabling them to work independently at the best possible research locations worldwide. The fellowship covers salaries (for the fellow and doctoral students), equipment, travel, consumables, and personnel costs. The program encourages fellows to communicate their research beyond their discipline and engage with societal issues.
The fellowship is structured in two phases: a pioneer phase (first 2.5 years) followed by an exploitation phase (remaining 2.5 years), contingent on a positive mid-term review and site visit. Fellows may start a faculty position after the first year, but the Branco Weiss project must remain their primary focus.
Due Dates
- Annual submission deadline: January 15, 2026
Funding Amount
- Maximum CHF 600,000 per fellowship for up to five years
- Funds cover salary, equipment (with restrictions), travel, consumables, and personnel
- No-cost extensions are not granted
- Host institution may retain up to 10% management fee
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold a PhD obtained no more than five years before the submission deadline
- Open to researchers from all disciplines and nationalities
- Postdoctoral researchers after their PhD and before their first faculty appointment
- Professors, lecturers (tenure or tenure track), and those with permanent employment are not eligible
- No restrictions on biological age
- Fellowship projects can be conducted at any academic host institution worldwide
Application Process
- Applications must be submitted electronically in English via the official website
- Application components:
- Research project description (max 5 pages, including abstract, timelines, milestones, references)
- Curriculum vitae with publication list (max 4 pages)
- Motivation letter explaining how the research differs from mainstream (max 1 page)
- Copies of three peer-reviewed publications (no theses or books)
- Suggestions of 5 independent reviewers from different institutions
- Invitation letter from a potential mentor confirming support, integration into the lab, and autonomy
- Abstract must be understandable to an educated layperson
- Ethical, legal, and social considerations must be addressed
- Doctoral certificates and additional reference letters requested only after shortlisting
- Applications not meeting formal criteria will be rejected
Evaluation Procedure
- Three-step evaluation:
- Shortlisting by Directorate and experts from ETH Zurich and University of Zurich
- Peer review by independent external experts; shortlisted candidates provide documents and support letters
- Video interviews (~30 minutes) with expert committee; candidates present and answer questions
- Decisions communicated by email; first step completed within two months of deadline
- Assessment based on candidate aptitude, research quality, and fit with fellowship mission
- Reviewers prohibited from using generative AI for proposal analysis or review writing
Host Institution and Fellowship Management
- Fellowship can be hosted at one or multiple academic institutions worldwide; one main host must be designated
- Grant agreement signed between fellow, host institution, and ETH Zurich
- Host institution provides workplace, infrastructure, and mentor support
- Fellows can change host institution after the first year with Directorate approval
- Equipment purchased remains property of the fellow/project and must be transferred if the fellow moves
- Site visits by Branco Weiss representatives are part of the fellowship monitoring
- Fellowship payments made annually to host institution contingent on reports
Reporting and Community
- Fellows submit a status report at start, annual scientific and financial reports, and a final report upon completion
- Fellows must participate in an annual symposium held in Zurich to present their work and engage with the community
Additional Information
- Fellows are encouraged to seek third-party funding during the fellowship
- Purchase of scientific equipment over CHF 50,000 is not allowed in the last two years
- Fellowship supports mobility but requires formal approval for changes in host institution
- Fellowship terminates if the Branco Weiss project ceases to be the fellow’s main focus
External Links
Contact Information