SNSF Starting Grants

The Call document (PDF) and other important information can be found under "Participation requirements".

The eligibility window for submission of an SNSF Starting Grant proposal can be extended if the applicant can demonstrate a delay due to the reasons stated in Article 1.11 of the General implementation regulations for the Funding Regulations (PDF).

The net academic age is calculated automatically in the CV format and indicates how much time you have been able to spend doing research since obtaining your doctorate. It is taken into account in the evaluation.

The SNSF has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which recommends that research funders explicitly define the criteria they use to evaluate scientific productivity. These concern the scientific quality, value and impact of applicants’ research output (including datasets, software and prototypes) in addition to publications.

You can find additional information about the CV format here. To create a CV, you can use the following link. (See also: A new CV).

Applicants whose project was rejected in a previous SNSF Starting Grants call are entitled to submit a second application, regardless of the topic of the project and its evaluation. In addition, applicants whose project was rejected in the second evaluation phase for the SNSF Starting Grants 2024 may submit a third application to the SNSF Starting Grants 2025 call.

Ambizione grantees can submit an SNSF Starting Grant application at the earliest 12 months after the start of their Ambizione grant – provided they meet all other criteria stipulated in the call document. If your salary needs to be covered by the SNSF for the duration of the SNSF Starting Grant, you should request your salary in your SNSF Starting Grant application.

No, you are no longer eligible because you have already achieved the objective of the SNSF Starting Grant, as stated in Art. 1.2 of the call document (PDF).

No exceptions can be granted. This requirement needs to be met on 1 February 2025, whereby the date of the examination or defence of the thesis is decisive.

No. The minimum two-year Swiss link must be fulfilled on 1 February 2025.

No. It is not possible to have several applications under evaluation at the same time for grants that overlap with the funding period requested for the SNSF Starting Grant. Exceptions apply to parallel submissions to NRPs, NCCRs or other one-time calls.

Yes. Parallel submission of applications for an ERC Starting Grant and for an SNSF Starting Grant is allowed.

Yes. Parallel submission of applications for an ERC Synergy Grant and for an SNSF Starting Grant is allowed.

Yes, provided that you have not received significant third-party funding (see Art. 1.2 of the call document). Furthermore, you must meet all three personal eligibility requirements by 1 February 2025. If in doubt, you can contact the SNSF by email at stg@snf.ch.

The interdisciplinary character of your proposal will be taken into account during the evaluation. Depending on the choice of research domain, your proposal will be evaluated in one of the following three research domains: Social Sciences and Humanities; Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology; or Life Sciences. If your project is situated at the intersection between these domains, you should go to “Basic data I” on mySNF and choose the research domain in which you want the proposal to be evaluated. The main referee will then be assigned from the selected research domain, while the co-referee(s) may be assigned from the other research domain(s).

Yes. For institutions that do not offer assistant professor positions, an equivalent position involving independent project and management responsibilities ("group leader position") is accepted.

Yes, that is possible. However, the work-time percentage must not exceed 100%.

• If applicants do not request any salary, then they must be employed at least 0.5 FTE and dedicate at least 0.5 FTE to the project funded by this grant.
• If applicants request a part of their salary and are employed at a university of applied sciences or of teacher education, then they must be employed at least 0.8 FTE and spend at least 70% of their working time on the project. The rest of their working time should be primarily dedicated to activities expected for the development of an academic career.
• If applicants request a part of their salary and are researchers who do clinical work, then they must be employed at least 0.5 FTE as a researcher and dedicate at least 0.5 FTE to the project funded by this grant and the rest mainly on clinical work.
• In all other cases, the applicant must be employed at least 0.8 FTE and spend at least 80% of their working time on the project funded by this grant and the rest mainly on activities expected for the development of an academic career.

No, because the aim of the SNSF Starting Grants is to carry out an independent research project and to lead a research team in Switzerland.

You must inform the SNSF accordingly. The awarded project funds can usually be used for further scientific employment with project and management responsibility in Switzerland. The remaining amount of your salary must be reimbursed to the SNSF.

For clinically active researchers, the SNSF covers the share of the salary awarded for research activities. The share for clinical work must be financed by the research institution/hospital and is not financed by the SNSF. The total work-time percentage of clinical and research activities must not exceed 100%.

Requests for the continued use of the awarded funds will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The conditions are described on the "Money follows Researcher" page.

If you wish to transfer your grant, including the funds covering your salary, to another research institution, you should contact the SNSF and explain the reasons for the move as well as its added value for your project or its importance for your career. A written request submitted by the grantee should include the following documents:

• Like the original research institution, the new research institution must provide a confirmation letter.
• An authorized body of the former research institution acknowledges the change in writing to the SNSF.

The SNSF evaluates the request taking into account the feasibility of the project or your career at the new institution.

You must inform the SNSF accordingly. The SNSF will terminate the grant. The remaining amount of the grant must be reimbursed to the SNSF.

The SNSF recognises that family care duties are not always compatible with full-time employment. For this reason, working part-time (min. 0.8 FTE) while being paid by an SNSF grant is possible. It is possible to plan and submit an application with full-time employment and reduce to part-time work due to family care duties and thereby extend the duration of the funding period later on. Grantees may request to change their work-time percentage at any time after the grant has been awarded.