Location: Switzerland
Program: Postgraduate
Eligibility: International Students
Duration: Project starts immediately after approval
Deadline: February, 2027
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The UniBE Initiator Grants are offered by the Research Commission of the University of Bern to support early career researchers in the preparation of third-party funding applications post PhD. These applications can either be for support of the researcher themselves through individual funding, or for support of their own research projects through project funding. The grant covers a maximum of CHF 30,000 per application, consisting of up to CHF 20,000 each for the applicant’s salary costs and further project funds, while the maximum amount for the preparation of mobility grants is CHF 15,000. A total of at least CHF 250,000 is available per call, and there is one submission deadline per year.
The University of Bern is one of Switzerland’s leading research universities, located in the Swiss capital city of Bern. Founded in 1834, the university is a member of the Swiss University Conference and offers a wide range of programmes across eight faculties. It is internationally recognised for the quality and impact of its research across disciplines including medicine, natural sciences, humanities, law, and social sciences. The UniBE Initiator Grants reflect the university’s commitment to nurturing early career research talent and supporting the next generation of researchers in securing competitive third-party funding from well-known national and international funding agencies.
Benefits of the Grant
This grant will provide the following to its recipients:
- Maximum of CHF 30,000 per application
- Up to CHF 20,000 for the applicant’s salary costs and further project funds
- Maximum of CHF 15,000 for the preparation of mobility grants
- Funding scope covers salary costs for the applicant’s employment, job relief measures, materials, field and travel expenses
- At least CHF 250,000 available in total per call
- Other benefits
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this grant, applicants must meet the following:
- Must have a planned application to a well-known funding agency for individual or project funding or a mobility grant that can be realised at the University of Bern and is submitted in the applicant’s own name
- Must hold a doctorate completed up to a maximum of 5 years before the submission deadline. Exceptions apply in the case of family commitments, interruptions in research activity, or if the main application for career funding specifies other requirements
- Must have employment and workspace at the University of Bern available during the duration of the Initiator Grant
- Must submit a SciCV requiring an ORCID-iD and registration on mySNF. Applicants are advised to allow enough time for the creation of the SciCV
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.
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Selection Criteria
The evaluation of proposals submitted for a UniBE Initiator Grant is carried out by the Research Commission of the University of Bern. Applicants are assessed on the quality and feasibility of their planned application to a well-known third-party funding agency, with consideration given to whether the proposed application is for individual funding, project funding or a mobility grant that can be realised at the University of Bern. Information about the success or failure of the application is communicated by the Vice-Rectorate Research usually by the beginning of May following the February submission deadline.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
