The Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 provides up to CHF 600,000 for five years of independent postdoctoral research at an academic host institution anywhere in the world. ETH Zurich administers the international postdoctoral fellowship, which is open to researchers from all disciplines and all nationalities. Applications for the 2027 intake are now open and close on January 15, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. CET.
The key selection point goes beyond basic eligibility. The Branco Weiss Fellowship specifically looks for research that departs from the mainstream, rather than a straightforward continuation of your PhD. Strong applicants need to present an original, scientifically rigorous project and show why the freedom of this five-year fellowship is necessary for the work they want to pursue. The official guidelines describe the programme as supporting postdocs who pursue their own scientific vision independently at suitable locations worldwide.
Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027: Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host/Administrator | ETH Zurich |
| Fellowship | The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science |
| Level | Postdoctoral research |
| Funding | Maximum CHF 600,000 |
| Duration | Up to 5 years |
| Research Fields | All disciplines |
| Nationality | All nationalities |
| Host Institution | Academic institution worldwide |
| Awards | Up to 10 fellowships per year |
| Deadline | January 15, 2027, 5:00 p.m. CET |
| Interviews | June 2027 |
| Project Start | October 1–December 31, 2027 |
| Application | Online through ETH Zurich eResearch |
What is the Branco Weiss Fellowship?
The Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science supports exceptional early-career researchers who want unusual intellectual freedom after their PhD.
The fellowship started in 2002 and operates through ETH Zurich. Unlike a conventional postdoctoral vacancy, it does not tie every fellow to one predefined laboratory project or one narrow discipline.
That distinction matters.
The official 2026 guidelines allow fellows to conduct their projects at any academic host institution worldwide, although evaluators consider the fit between the project, research group and host institution.
The programme also welcomes work across natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.
- ETH Zurich administers the Branco Weiss Fellowship.
- The Branco Weiss Fellowship supports researchers from all disciplines and nationalities.
- The fellowship provides up to CHF 600,000 over five years.
- Fellows conduct their research at suitable academic host institutions worldwide.
If your project fits a conventional postdoctoral position better, compare it with Humboldt Research Fellowship 2027, particularly if Germany already makes sense as your research destination.
Who can apply for the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027?
Researchers of any nationality and discipline can apply if they hold or successfully defend their PhD by January 15, 2027, received it no more than five years before the deadline, and do not hold or previously hold a faculty-equivalent position. The programme places particular weight on research that departs from the mainstream.
You need to meet these main conditions:
- Hold a PhD or have successfully passed your doctoral examination by January 15, 2027.
- Have obtained your PhD no more than five years before the deadline.
- Not hold or previously have held a faculty-equivalent position such as assistant professor or lecturer.
- Propose research that departs from the mainstream of your discipline.
- Demonstrate outstanding scientific achievement.
- Show willingness to engage with relevant social, cultural, political or economic questions beyond your immediate discipline.
- Be willing and able to travel to the Greater Zurich Area for the annual symposium.
- Ensure that your chosen mentor supports only you during the application round.
The formal guidelines also state that researchers with permanent employment cannot apply. They place no restriction on nationality, discipline or biological age.
What if your PhD falls outside the five-year window?
The programme accepts extensions only for:
- parental leave;
- inability to work because of illness;
- inability to work because of an accident.
The programme counts only full-time leave and allows a maximum total extension of one year. You need to send official confirmation before submitting your application.
If you completed your PhD recently but want a shorter international research placement instead, EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027 may fit a different mobility strategy.
How much does the Branco Weiss Fellowship provide?
The fellowship provides a maximum of CHF 600,000 for up to five years.
This figure represents a project grant rather than a fixed CHF 120,000 annual personal stipend. That distinction matters when you compare this opportunity with postdoctoral fellowships that advertise a monthly or annual salary.
The grant can cover legitimate research expenses, including:
- your salary;
- salaries for doctoral students;
- research equipment;
- consumables;
- travel;
- technical or secretarial support;
- other justified project expenses.
The host institution administers the grant through an agreement involving the fellow, host institution and ETH Zurich. The guidelines allow the host institution to retain a management fee of no more than 10% of the fellowship.
The guidelines also restrict purchases of scientific equipment costing more than CHF 50,000 during the final two years.
How the five-year fellowship works
The programme divides the five years into two stages.
The first 2.5 years form the pioneer phase. Before the end of year two, the programme conducts a review and site visit. Evaluators examine your productivity and whether the project still demonstrates the originality that justified the fellowship.
A satisfactory review moves you into the 2.5-year exploitation phase.
This structure creates an important application consideration: you need an idea that looks original at submission, but you also need a credible research programme that can remain productive and distinctive several years later.
If you want a shorter fellowship with a defined institutional research environment, compare Stanford Science Fellows 2027 and Stanford APARC Fellowships 2027.
Documents required for the 2027 application
Prepare the following materials:
- Motivation letter: maximum 1 page, including why your proposed research differs from mainstream research.
- Research proposal: maximum 5 pages, including timelines, tentative milestones and references.
- CV: maximum 4 pages, including publications.
- Host invitation letter: signed by your prospective host.
- Three best publications: peer-reviewed journal articles or individual book chapters only; no doctoral thesis or books.
- Five reviewer suggestions: entered directly into the application.
- PhD certificate or confirmation of successful doctoral examination.
The official guidelines also require an abstract written so that an educated non-specialist can understand your research objectives, methods and anticipated significance.
Your five proposed reviewers cannot have published with you, worked with you or plan to work with you. The guidelines also require reviewers from different research institutions.
Do not submit a reference letter with the initial application. The programme requests reference letters later from shortlisted applicants.
You also do not need to submit a budget at the initial application stage.
All uploaded documents need to use PDF format, with a maximum of 5 MB per file and 15 MB in total. The formal guidelines specify a minimum font size of 10 points with normal line spacing.
Your host letter matters more than it looks
Do not treat the invitation letter as administrative paperwork.
The official guidelines require your prospective mentor to explain their support for the project and the degree of independence and scientific autonomy you will receive. The mentor must also confirm access to a workplace, infrastructure and technology needed for the project.
That creates a useful test when choosing a host.
A prestigious laboratory does not automatically make the strongest choice. Your host needs to make sense scientifically while still leaving enough intellectual space for the project to remain recognizably yours.
Researchers who instead want a conventional host-led postdoctoral arrangement can compare KAUST Postdoctoral and Research Opportunities.
How to apply for Branco Weiss Fellowship in Switzerland 2027
Step 1: Check your PhD date, employment status and faculty-position history against the eligibility rules.
Review the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 Application Guidelines
Step 2: Develop a five-year project that clearly moves beyond mainstream work in your discipline.
Step 3: Identify an academic host institution and mentor that provide the expertise and infrastructure your project needs.
Step 4: Confirm that your mentor will support only one Branco Weiss candidate in the 2027 round.
Step 5: Prepare the proposal, motivation letter, CV, publication copies, invitation letter and PhD documentation.
Step 6: Select five independent reviewer suggestions from different institutions.
Step 7: Upload the application through the ETH Zurich eResearch system.
Apply Here for Branco Weiss Postdoctoral Fellowships
Step 8: Submit before January 15, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. CET. The programme specifically recommends submitting one to two days early to avoid server-overload problems.
How selection works
The formal evaluation uses three stages.
First, the Directorate and experts from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich reduce the written applications to a shortlist. Independent external experts then peer-review shortlisted proposals, and the programme requests reference letters.
Finally, selected applicants attend an interview with a multidisciplinary expert committee.
The programme assesses the candidate, research quality and fit with the Branco Weiss Fellowship. It uses qualitative evaluation across a diverse range of research outputs and activities rather than relying narrowly on conventional publication metrics.
The fellowship aims to award up to ten fellowships each year, but it does not commit to filling all ten places.
Careers Help Desk counter angle: “unusual” is not enough
The easiest mistake here is to confuse novelty with competitiveness.
A proposal can sound unconventional and still fail. The selection structure shows that you need to make three things work together: intellectual originality, scientific credibility and programme fit.
Start with the mainstream problem. Your one-page motivation letter specifically asks you to explain why your research differs from mainstream work. Do not simply call your idea “novel.” Show what researchers normally do, identify the assumption or boundary your project challenges, and explain why crossing that boundary produces a worthwhile scientific question.
Then make the host choice part of your argument. The programme evaluates host-project fit. Choose a laboratory because it gives your independent idea something concrete that another environment cannot easily provide: a method, dataset, facility, intellectual community or disciplinary bridge.
Finally, write beyond your immediate specialist audience. The programme explicitly values engagement with society and other disciplines. Your proposal therefore needs two layers: enough technical precision to convince an expert reviewer and enough conceptual clarity to show why the work matters outside your narrow research niche.
That is a different strategy from simply presenting an impressive publication record.
For another high-value fellowship built around researcher independence, see DFG Walter Benjamin Programme.
Key dates for the 2027 intake
- January 15, 2027, 5:00 p.m. CET: application deadline
- May 2027: final candidates receive interview invitations
- June 2027: final selection
- October 1–December 31, 2027: fellows begin their projects
The programme’s formal guidelines state that fellows normally start no earlier than October 1 and no later than January 1 of the following year.
Ready to Apply for the Branco Weiss Switzerland International Fellowships
The Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 suits postdoctoral researchers who already have strong scientific credentials but want to pursue an idea that conventional funding routes may consider too independent, cross-disciplinary or outside established research directions. With up to CHF 600,000 over five years, worldwide host flexibility and only up to ten fellowships targeted annually, the strongest application will need more than an impressive CV. Your project needs a convincing reason to exist outside the mainstream. Applications close on January 15, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. CET. Because the programme itself advises candidates to avoid last-minute server congestion, plan to submit at least one or two days earlier.
Official Source: Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 Call for Applications
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 open to international researchers?
Yes. Researchers of all nationalities can apply, and the fellowship accepts candidates across all disciplines.
How much funding does the Branco Weiss Fellowship provide?
CHF 600,000 is the maximum project funding available for up to five years. The grant can support salary and justified research expenses, rather than functioning as a fixed CHF 600,000 personal stipend.
Can I choose a university outside Switzerland?
Yes. You can conduct your fellowship project at an academic host institution worldwide, subject to the programme’s assessment of host-project fit.
Can I apply if I have not received my physical PhD certificate yet?
Yes. You can qualify if you have successfully passed your doctoral examination by the application deadline.
Do I need a reference letter when I apply?
No. The programme requests reference letters only after candidates reach the second stage of evaluation.
Can I become a professor while holding the fellowship?
Yes. Fellows can start a faculty position or professorship after the first fellowship year, provided the Branco Weiss project remains the focus of their work.
Can I apply for the Branco Weiss Fellowship again if I was rejected before?
Yes. You can apply again if you previously applied for the Branco Weiss Fellowship and were not selected, provided you still meet the eligibility requirements for the 2027 intake.
I would also strengthen two existing intents with exact-question wording in the FAQ because they are useful search queries:
Is there an age limit for the Branco Weiss Fellowship?
No. The fellowship places no restriction on biological age. Your PhD timing and career stage determine eligibility instead.
Can professors apply for the Branco Weiss Fellowship?
No. Current or former faculty-equivalent researchers, including assistant professors and lecturers, cannot apply for the 2027 intake.
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