Branco Weiss Fellowship
Who Should Apply – Candidates who excel beyond boundaries
The ideal applicant for a Branco Weiss Fellowship leverages the freedom offered by the fellowship to design a surprisingly novel and scientifically rigorous research project. The fellowship addresses junior researchers with a record of outstanding scientific achievement and a passion for venturing into new territory (see: Mission).
To give you an impression of what kind of qualifications a typical Branco Weiss Fellow should have, please check the current fellow profiles, as well as selected alumni portraits.
Before applying or contacting us, please read the information on this website carefully.
The registration portal for the 2023 fellowship intake is now open, and will close on January 15, 2023, 5 p.m. (CET).
Eligibility, Duration, and Funding – Courageous postdocs aiming to go further
You are eligible for the 2023 intake if:
- You officially hold a PhD on January 15, 2023
- You have obtained your PhD a maximum of five years prior to January 15, 2023
- You do not hold/have not held a faculty-equivalent position (e.g. assistant professor or lecturer)
- Your project departs from the mainstream of research in your discipline
- You have a record of outstanding scientific achievement
- You demonstrate in the proposal a willingness to engage in a dialog on relevant social, cultural, political or economic issues beyond the frontiers of your particular discipline
Please note that we typically do not fund mainstream research projects that could also be funded by other scientific organizations.
If you have applied before and were not selected, you are welcome to apply again.
The following reasons for delays after attaining your PhD are acceptable:
- parental leave (max. one year per child)
- inability to work due to illness or accident
Applicants must explain their reasons for applying for an extension and provide the relevant documents. The number of weeks that the research work was interrupted is accepted as an extension.
Duration
Research projects should be conceived to last five years.
The first two years of a project are called the pioneer phase. At the end of the pioneer phase, a review and a site visit will be conducted. At this point, the project, its continued originality, and the productivity of the fellow will be evaluated. If the results of the evaluation and site visit are satisfactory, the fellow enters the exploitation phase for the remaining three years of the fellowship.
Branco Weiss Fellows are encouraged to seek faculty positions during their exploitation phase. Assuming an academic position will not result in termination of the fellowship.
Funding
A Branco Weiss Fellowship amounts to max. CHF 500,000 for up to five years. It may be used to cover all legitimate costs of research (i.e. salary and/or equipment, travel expenses, consumables, personnel, etc.).