SNSF application preparation
- PhD Candidates
- Faculty
- Research
- Support
Several career grants which support the development of the academic career of excellent researchers, such as SNSF Ambizione, ERC and SNSF Starting and Consolidator Grants, SNSF Professorial Fellowships as well as other funding instruments promoted by private foundations, require specific support from the hosting institution. In these cases, the institution has to guarantee an academic position, either as group leader or as assistant professor.
Given these requirements, interested candidates must first undergo an internal evaluation prior to receive the USI institutional support.
Internal procedure
Interested candidates must submit their dossier to the SRIT to start the internal assessment, usually two months before the call deadline.
Applications will be first subject to a formal verification of the specific call eligibility criteria and of the scientific match with USI profile, then sent for an in-depth assessment to the Research Pro-Rector.
For calls that require the guarantee of a professorial position, the candidate will be invited to an online interview with the faculty members.
Should a positive support decision be reached, the applicant will receive the confirmation letter(s) needed for the application and will benefit of administrative support for the proposal’s preparation.
Who should apply to USI internal procedure
As a general rule, internal candidates without a professorial position, as well as external candidates, have to undergo the internal assessment to receive the university’s support.
Applications from internal candidates (without professorial position) are accepted only in exceptional cases, when they can demonstrate a clear scientific independence from the host and/or from their PhD supervisor. USI does not consider applications from researchers whose entire academic career (from doctorate onwards) is internal.
In the sections below, we present in more depth the internal evaluation procedure and criteria for some of the most common career fellowships. However, please be aware that the internal assessment is not limited to those grants but apply to all funding schemes requiring an institutional support.
The SNSF Professorial Fellowships and the SNSF Starting Grants call 2023 have been merged. This call is aimed at outstanding researchers who are on their way to becoming professors. The call opens on 1 November 2022 and closes on 1 February 2023. Candidates must meet both the SNSF call requirements as well as the USI internal criteria listed below:
SNSF criteria:
USI criteria:
Documentation
Potential candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research Service ([email protected]) by the 15th of November 2022:
Procedure
As per SNSF regulations, USI guarantees to successful candidates a position equivalent to that of USI assistant professor.
Application process at a glance:
Formal check + scientific match > Online interview > Support decision by the Rectorate > SNSF Application > Evaluation by the SNSF
We underline that this procedure aims at identifying excellent candidates who deserve support from USI when submitting their application to the SNSF; USI has no influence on the selection process at the SNSF, which is solely based on the scientific quality of applicants and projects.
Ambizione grants are aimed at young researchers who wish to conduct, manage and lead an independent project at a Swiss higher education institution.
SNSF criteria
USI criteria
Documentation
Potential candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research Service ([email protected]) by the 15th September:
Procedure
As per SNSF regulations, USI guarantees to successful candidates a position equivalent to that of USI group leader.
Application process at a glance:
Formal check eligibility criteria + scientific match > Evaluation by the Research Pro-Rector > Support decision > SNSF Application > Evaluation by the SNSF
We underline that this procedure aims at identifying good candidates, which deserve support from USI when submitting their application to the SNSF; USI has no influence on the selection process at the SNSF, which is solely based on the scientific quality of applicants and projects.
SNSF Consolidator Grants, which replace the ERC Consolidator Grants, are aimed at highly qualified and established researchers who wish to consolidate their scientific independence in Switzerland. Candidates must meet both the SNSF call requirements as well as the USI internal criteria listed below:
SNSF Criteria
USI Criteria
Documentation
Potential candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research and Transfer Service ([email protected]) by the 16th of August:
Procedure
Applications will be first subject to a formal verification of the call’s eligibility criteria and then sent to the Research Pro-Rector for in-depth assessment.
Application process at a glance:
Formal check eligibility criteria + scientific match > Online interview > Support decision by the rectorate > SNSF Application > Evaluation by the SNSF