NCCR Automation Fellowship FAQ

1. When will I receive a notification of whether I receive the fellowship? The results of the NCCR Automation Fellowship will be released in mid-December 2024.
2. Which documents do I need to prepare for the application? 
   • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   • Motivation letter (for Master's students) or research proposal (for PhD students or postdoctoral researchers, max. 2 pages)
   • Budget plan (including details of salary from your home institution, and any scholarships or other funding)
   • Support letter from your home institution
   • University degrees (and/or transcripts).
3. How do I apply? You must apply using the application platform. Please have a look at the guidelines. You will need to choose a host group out of NCCR Automation affiliated labs. Also check the requirements of your target institution:
   • Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
   • École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
   • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zurich)
   • University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
   • University of Basel
   • University of Zurich (UZH)
   • University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)
   • Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST)
   • Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)

1. How much monetary support does the programme provide? The fellowship provides up to CHF 3,000/month per recipient. Payments are made through the host institute.

3. Which costs are eligible? The maximum of 18,000 CHF includes: 
   • increased living costs (in comparison to the country of origin), 
   • child support, if applicable, and 
   • travel with 1 return ticket in economy class.

4. Which costs are not eligible?  
   • visa application-related costs, 
   • materials of enduring value (e.g. laptops, printers, powerbanks, books, …), 
   • journal subscriptions, 
   • stationary memberships, 
   • postal charges, 
   • e-mail/internet costs, 
   • fax and phone charges, and
   • photocopies within host institution.

5. Does the programme offer support for visa applications? No, the visa application process is an obligation of the individual, but research labs may provide support in this regard. 

6. I missed the main application window. Can I still apply? No. We do not accept applications out of the main application window.

Do you still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us.