Early-Career Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible for an early-career fellowship?
Applicants must have obtained a doctoral degree or a master’s degree from an art school (if no doctoral degree is awarded) within the past five years. This five-year period is a based on your “academic age,” which accounts for care work, career breaks, or part-time employment. If you want to make a claim against the five-year threshold please provide appropriate documentation. 

How do I calculate my academic age?
The application portal will guide you through the process of how to calculate your academic age. You will need to provide a summary of the positions you have held since receiving your doctorate or master’s degree (for artistic fields without doctorate). Include the number of months and the percentage of full-time equivalents (FTE) to indicate the time you could allocate to scholarly or artistic work and teaching. You can also account for interruptions and part-time employment. Any time that you were unable to fully engage in scholarly or artistic work and teaching can be counted against the five-year threshold. The reference dates for calculating the eligibility window are the certified date of the successful PhD defense and the start date of the fellowship, which is 1 September of the year in which the submission deadline falls. If you have not yet obtained you doctorate or master’s degree (for artistic fields without doctorate), your academic age is considered zero.

Additional documentation is only required if you want to make a claim against the five-year eligibility threshold.

Do I need to be affiliated with an institution at the time of my application?
We welcome applications from both international candidates and those affiliated with Swiss institutions; however, an institutional affiliation is not required at the time of application.

Can I apply if I have not yet finished my doctoral degree or master’s degree (in the arts)?
A doctoral degree or master’s degree (in the arts) is required by the start date of employment. We will consider applications if your supervisor or department chair can confirm with a letter that you will have your doctoral degree or master’s degree (in the arts) in hand by June of the year in which the fellowship starts. Upload this letter to the application portal instead of the certificate. Since the fellowship is a postdoctoral position, colleagues in human resources need the required paperwork to start the process for the work permit and visa in a timely manner.

Is it possible to apply with my dissertation project in artistic research?
No, the fellowship is not intended to support doctoral work in any field.

Can I reapply with a project I submitted in a previous application for an early-career fellowship at the Collegium?
Yes, reapplication is possible.

What should I do if I cannot meet all eligibility requirements?
We will not be able to answer questions about exceptions from eligibility criteria. If you have strong reasons why exemptions from the eligibility criteria should be made, please justify these reasons in a supplementary document and upload it with your application.

What kind of projects does the fellowship support? 
The Collegium welcomes projects that are original, interdisciplinary, and relevant. We encourage proposals for projects that cut across disciplinary boundaries and break new ground. It is possible to use the fellowship to work on a larger grant proposal, such as an ERC or SNSF Starting Grant, or an SNSF Ambizione Grant. It is not intended to support doctoral dissertations.
Please see also the document on what types of projects and candidates we are seeking.

Can I apply with a project that requires extensive field work?
No, a residential fellowship is not designed for such purposes. In exceptional cases, one short research trip which is essential for the project’s success is possible, but ideally should not exceed two weeks. Please note that costs for such trips must be covered out of the maximum of CHF 2,000 the Collegium retains as a research account for the 10-month period of each early-career fellowship.

Can we apply as a team? 
Yes, both individual applicants and small interdisciplinary teams of up to three people can apply. This will require a joint project proposal but individual information about and statements from all individual team members. The application portal will ask to identify a lead applicant who can add team members who will receive an invitation to complete their part of the joint application individually. 

Is it possible to apply for a fellowship in a job-sharing arrangement?
The Collegium values diversity and is committed to providing a family-friendly workplace. We recognize the importance of care responsibilities and other reasons for part-time employment. Therefore, we welcome applications that propose joint research through job-sharing arrangements. We request an explanation of how job-sharing will benefit the success of the proposed project.

Do I need to propose an event as part of my application?
Yes, as part of their fellowship, each fellow organizes an interdisciplinary event centered on their project or related to their work. On the application portal you must provide an outline of the proposed event, detailing its format and an estimated budget.

Do I need to secure confirmation from event participants in advance?
No, the details can be finalized in due time.

Can the event be (significantly) modified after the fellowship begins?
Yes, for the application you should have a clear idea of what you aim to achieve with the event. However, the details and exact format can be further discussed and refined during the fellowship in collaboration with Collegium staff to ensure the best possible outcome.

How do I identify an associate fellow? 
Applicants must secure a letter of support from a faculty member at ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, or Zurich University of the Arts who will serve as their associate fellow and partner throughout the fellowship. Potential associate fellows are not limited to those listed as current or former associate fellows on the Collegium’s website. It is advisable to reach out to potential associate fellows early to establish a connection. You will only be able to submit your application once the letter of support is uploaded by the potential associate fellows.

What is required from the associate fellow?
Associate fellows support the proposed project and help establish links with Zurich’s academic and artistic communities. They may also integrate you in their research group part time and provide access to additional infrastructure. Applicants are encouraged to explore the institutions’ websites to identify and reach out to potential partners. For faculty members who do not hold a professorship, the letter should be co-signed by a professor or department chair respectively.

Can my associate fellow be faculty at any institution? 
No, they must be a faculty member at one of the Collegium’s supporting institutions, i.e., ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, or Zurich University of the Arts. Ideally, they should be current faculty, but letters of support from recently retired faculty will also be considered.

How should a team application be submitted?
To apply as a team, you need to identify or agree on a lead applicant. The lead applicant will create an application on eResearch and upload the joint part of the proposal. At the bottom of the first page in the "Applicant info" section, the lead applicant must indicate that they are applying as part of a team (see screenshot below). They can then add team members, who will receive an email invitation to upload their individual documents and application materials.

Do all team members need an associate fellow?
Yes, each team member must apply with the support of an associate fellow. However, teams have flexibility in this regard—it is possible for each member to have their own individual associate fellow or for the entire team to share one associate fellow.

Can the same associate fellow support multiple team members?
Yes, an associate fellow can support multiple members of the same team. Alternatively, each team member can choose a different associate fellow, depending on their preferences and the requirements of their individual application.

Do all associate fellows need to submit a letter of support?
The eResearch application platform allows you to assign only one associate fellow. If team members have multiple associate fellows, the letter of support must be signed by all of them.

When does the fellowship begin, and how long does it last?
The fellowship spans ten months, starting on September 1 until June 30 of the following year.

What documents are required for the application?
You will find a list of all necessary documents here.

When is the application deadline, and how should I apply?
Applications for the 2025-2026 fellowship are due by February 15, 2025 (23:59 CET). Applications must be submitted through the online portal; applications via email or mail cannot be accepted. 

Do I have to move to Zurich and be present at the Collegium?
Yes, you are applying for a residential fellowship. Early-career fellows need to take residence in the greater Zurich area and are required to be present at the Collegium on weekdays and participate in the program. Early-career fellows can arrange to use up to 40 percent of their weekly working time to do work outside of the Semper Observatory if this is essential for the proposed project or furthers their skills in important ways. Usually, such arrangements would be made in close cooperation with the associate fellow and require approval by the Collegium’s director.

Who can I contact if I have further questions?
If you are not sure if a fellowship at the Collegium is a good fit for you, please consider getting in touch with past or current fellows. If you have read all materials thoroughly and still have questions, please contact the Collegium at info@collegium.ethz.ch. The clearer your question or needs are articulated, the better and faster we can assist you.