Deadline: January 15, 2027
Applications are open for the Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science 2027. The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science is a community of exceptional young scientists who share a passion for taking research beyond the mainstream.
Fellows are given the means to pursue their personal vision of a particular scientific project independently – in the best possible locations, anywhere in the world. The fellowship is awarded to postdocs for up to five years. Since it continues after a promotion, some fellows even become faculty members during the course of their fellowship. Besides a passion for the research itself, what Branco Weiss Fellows and Alumni also have in common is a flair for communicating beyond their own field of study and with society at large.
The fellowship program was initiated and financed by the Swiss entrepreneur Dr. Branco Weiss, who passed away in October 2010. It is based at ETH Zurich.
Funding
- A Branco Weiss Fellowship amounts to max. CHF 600,000 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.).
Eligibility
You are eligible for the 2027 intake if:
- You officially hold a PhD on January 15, 2027. This means that you have at least successfully passed your PhD defense before January 15, 2027.
- You have obtained your PhD a maximum of five years prior to January 15, 2027.
- 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.
- You can confirm that you are willing and able to travel to the Greater Zurich Area and attend the annual symposium in person.
- You can ensure that you are the only candidate your chosen mentor is supporting during this round.
If you have applied before and were not selected, you are welcome to apply again.
Only the following reasons for delays after attaining your PhD are acceptable:
- parental leave
- inability to work due to illness or accident
Application
The registration portal for the 2027 fellowship intake is now open and will close on January 15, 2027, 5 p.m. CET. To avoid server overload, submit your application at least 1 to 2 days before the deadline.
For more information, visit Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science.
