SNSF Starting Grants 2026 – Lead Your Own Independent Research Project in Switzerland

The SNSF Starting Grants 2026 offer the highest level of career funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), enabling outstanding researchers to launch and lead their own independent research projects and teams in Switzerland. The call is open to applicants from all disciplines and will support ambitious, impactful, and independent scientific work.

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What This Opportunity Offers

• Up to CHF 1 million in project funding for up to 5 years
• Option to request salary support for applicants without a secured assistant professorship / group leader position
• Funding for all disciplines and research topics
• A pathway for researchers to establish independence and build a research team in Switzerland
• Extra budget allocated to support outstanding female applicants
• Full application submission via the SNSF Portal for the first time

Parallel submission to non-SNSF schemes (e.g., ERC Starting Grants) is allowed, but double funding is not.

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Who Can Apply

Applicants must:

• Hold a PhD, medical degree, or equivalent qualification
• Have several years of postdoctoral research experience with evidence of scientific independence and impactful contributions
• Be within the eligibility window defined by the SNSF (special extensions possible for qualified circumstances)
• Have a Swiss link: at least 2 years of research in Switzerland with ≥80% average work-time (equivalent to 19.2 months total)
• Not have already achieved the objective of the SNSF Starting Grants (e.g., cannot currently hold PRIMA, Eccellenza, ERC StG, SNSF Starting Grant, or similar senior-level funding)

Applicants whose previous SNSF Starting Grant application was rejected may reapply once, regardless of topic.

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Host Institution Requirements (UNIGE example)

To obtain a confirmation letter from the Vice-Rector for Research (UNIGE case):

1. Download and complete the internal UNIGE letter, filled in by the supervisor and signed by the Head of Department (and usually countersigned by the Dean).
2. Complete the UNIGE RGO form, uploading the internal letter.
3. The Research & Grants Office will obtain the Vice-Rector’s signature and return the confirmation letter to the applicant.

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Important Dates

Call Opening: 1 February 2026
Online Info Event: 19 February 2026, 10:00–11:30 CET
(Fully booked, but all materials and slides are available online.)

Mandatory Submission Deadline:
5 May 2026, 17:00 CEST

Phase 1 Results: End of September 2026

Phase 2 Interviews:

• SSH Panels: 28–29 January 2027
• Life Sciences Panels (LS): 4–5 February 2027
• MINT Panels: 11–12 February 2027

Final Results: March 2027

Earliest–Latest Project Start:
1 May 2027 – 1 May 2028

Note: Due to planned national budget cuts, fewer applications will be funded between 2026–2028.

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What You Need to Submit

All applications must be submitted via the SNSF Portal and include:

• Research Plan
• CV + Major Achievements
• Requested Budget
• Confirmation Letter from Host Institution
• All required documents outlined in Articles 3–4 of the Call Document

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Evaluation Process

Applications undergo a two-phase competitive evaluation:

Phase 1

• Panel evaluation of submitted documents

Phase 2

• External peer reviews
• Applicant interviews
• Ranking and final selection

Evaluation is discipline-specific (SSH, LS, MINT panels).
Criteria include excellence, independence, feasibility, and scientific impact.

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Support & Contacts

• General questions: research-grants-office@unige.ch
• Eligibility extensions: stg@snf.ch (with supporting documents)

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Summary

The SNSF Starting Grants 2026 are a prestigious funding opportunity for early-career researchers aiming to establish themselves as independent principal investigators in Switzerland. With generous budget support, cross-disciplinary openness, and robust institutional backing, this call offers a major career acceleration pathway.

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SNSF Portal

For more information: Click Here