Early-career / starting

SNSF Ambizione lets early-career researchers run an independent project at a Swiss host institution (salary + project funds, up to 4 years). Requires a Swiss link (Swiss nationality/degree or 12+ months research in Switzerland).

Funds researchers whose ERC Starting Grant 2026 proposal was rejected for budgetary reasons despite excellent review (A rating), submitted with an Austrian research institution. Not open to those with a permanent professorship or prior FWF START, ASTRA, or ERC Starting Grant funding.

Open to research-active clinical lecturers (or veterinary equivalent) based at UK administering organisations who hold a PhD or MD, a medical/dental/veterinary undergraduate degree, and are in higher speciality training. Covers directly incurred research costs (consumables, equipment); no salary, research assistants, PhD students, or postdoctoral staff. Administered by the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Supports life scientists who have been group leaders for less than four years at time of application in setting up their laboratories. Provides financial support for networking for four years, training opportunities, support for lab members and mentoring.

Supports group leaders establishing new laboratories in participating countries (2026 call: Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Türkiye) to strengthen life sciences there. Grantees join the EMBO Young Investigator/Installation Grantee international network.

For researchers with a doctorate who fall within an eligibility window (typically 2-8 years post-PhD) and have a demonstrated link with Switzerland (Swiss-link), requiring at least 2 years of research experience at 0.8 FTE. Applicant must lead an independent research project and team at a Swiss institution; host institution must offer an assistant professor or group leader position for the grant duration.

For group leaders in Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia and Turkey to visit scientists in other EMBC Member States to develop collaborative projects or joint grant proposals.

Free trial of Tier-1 Data resources to test suitability before applying for a full Tier-1 Data grant.

Free trial of Tier-1 Cloud resources to test suitability before applying for a full Tier-1 Cloud grant.

Supplementary measure for postdocs and doctoral students in SNSF-funded projects who need childcare support or funding for a support person to reduce work quota due to caregiving duties. Postdocs must have a work-time percentage of at least 80%. Open also to Ambizione, PRIMA, Postdoc.Mobility return grant and Doc.CH grant holders; the latter two may only claim childcare costs.

Funds group leaders setting up independent laboratories in Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal or Turkey for three to five years, with a networking component.

Free trial grant of up to 500k core hours and 1000 GPU hours for up to 8 months, to test software scalability ahead of a full Tier-1 compute application. Open to Flemish university, SOC and public knowledge institution researchers.

DFG Heisenberg supports established researchers who have qualified for a professorship (habilitation or equivalent) to continue at a German institution — the senior career bridge above Emmy Noether. Excludes existing permanent W2/W3 professors.

DFG Emmy Noether funds outstanding early-career researchers (≈up to 4y post-PhD with international experience) to lead an independent junior research group at a German institution. The German equivalent of NWO Vidi / ERC Starting tier.