NCCR Automation Fellowship

We welcome motivated students from abroad to conduct their Master's thesis or research project with us.
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The 2025 call for applications is now open, with a deadline of 30.06.2025 at 17.00 (CET). Winners will be notified in October. 

A research exchange can form an important part of a career, broadening your scientific horizons as well as expanding your personal network and boosting self-confidence.  The NCCR Automation is launching the third round of its fellowship programme to promote international research collaboration and interdisciplinarity. Through the hosting lab and our wide network, we provide supervision and mentoring, as well as a stimulating research and social environment. We look forward to hosting researchers from outside Switzerland in our research groups.  

Eligibility

The fellowship is available to Master's students, PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers who fulfil the following criteria: 

  • You are currently engaged with an education or research programme that complements the research group that you are applying to work with.
  • You remain enrolled or employed at your home institution until the end of the fellowship.
  • For PhD students and postdoctoral researchers: You will continue to receive your salary from your home institution.
  • You have not studied or worked at the institution which will host you in Switzerland in the past. 
  • You meet the requirements of the host institution. Find links in the FAQ.

Details

  • Duration: max. 6 months, to be concluded no later than 31.07.2026. 
  • Budget:
    • Fellows will receive a contribution to the increased costs of living in Switzerland during the period of the visit. The amount will be calculated based on the estimated study and living costs for international students by ETHZ and considering individual needs and additional sources of income, if applicable. 
    • The PI supervising the student will cover project-related expenses, such as travel costs to NCCR Automation meetings.
  • Applicants must declare any scholarships they benefit from during their research stay with us.

Deliverables

  • Research report;
  • Financial report;
  • Any resulting publications must include mention of the fellowship: "This work was supported by NCCR Automation, grant agreement 51NF40_180545 from the Swiss National Science Foundation."

How to apply

A good application takes time and requires your commitment. Apply via the online platform and provide the requested input and documents below in PDF format. The submission deadline is 30.06.2025 at 17:00 (CEST).  

  • CV (max. 2 pages) with publications (if relevant);
  • Motivation letter for Master's student (max. 2 pages);
  • Research proposal for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers (covering your research question and how you intend to go about answering the question or contribute to answering it, with an accompanying plan and/or timeline max. 2 pages);
  • Letter of support from home institution and supervisor;
  • Copy of university degree(s) and/or transcripts;
  • Candidates must choose up to three research topics and three principal investigators (PIs) within the NCCR Automation to act as host in case of a successful application. A list of PIs can be found on the application form or on the people page of this website or on FAQ page.  
  • Candidates should specify any sort of income from the home institution or from any other sources during the period of the fellowship, if any. 

Application procedure and selection criteria

  • Only applications received on the application platform before 30.06.25 at 17:00 (CEST) will be considered. 
  • The applications will be evaluated by an internal NCCR Automation committee. 
  • The selection criteria are:
    • potential of the applicant for research at NCCR Automation;
    • alignment with the fellowship's goals of promoting international collaboration and interdisciplinarity. 
  • Both successful and unsuccessful candidates will be personally notified in October 2025.  
  • Earliest start date: January 2026. 

We value diversity

The NCCR Automation encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Please see our Equal Opportunities page for more details on our commitment. 

Questions and feedback

Do you have additional questions? Please have a look at the frequently asked questions and write to Silvia Garbari for further information.

Flyer for fellowship programme