ETH AI Center Fellowship Programs: Doctoral and Postdoctoral224 Views

Through these programs, ETH aims to empower scholars to develop trustworthy, inclusive, and socially beneficial AI systems. Fellows are embedded within ETH Zurich’s expansive AI infrastructure, paired with dual supervisors, and engage with a cohort of peers across departments. The ETH AI Center is now one of Europe’s leading hubs for interdisciplinary AI research.

The ETH AI Center offers world-class doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship programs designed to catalyze innovative, cross-disciplinary research in artificial intelligence. These fellowships invite researchers to bridge gaps between AI foundations and real-world applications, promote impactful scholarship, and integrate them into a vibrant academic community.

In the following sections, we explain how these fellowship tracks operate, what they offer, how to apply, and how you can maximize your chances.

Fellowship Tracks: PhD & Postdoc Programs

ETH AI Center Doctoral Fellowships

The Doctoral Fellowship is designed for PhD candidates who wish to conduct rigorous AI research under a dual mentorship model. Fellows collaborate with two principal investigators (PIs) from different specializations, both carrying equal weight in supervision. The research may lie fully within AI foundations or bridge into application domains. 

Fellows are housed at the ETH AI Center, enjoy full access to its resources, and participate in symposia, retreats, and cross-team exchanges. Alongside research, there is the option to follow tracks in entrepreneurship or industry placement to translate work toward practice. 

Typical provisions include:

• • 5 to 8 PhD fellowship slots per call
  • Transparent salary progression:
    • Year 1: CHF 73,100
    • Year 2: CHF 78,300
    • Year 3: CHF 83,500 
  • Flexible start dates (commonly September)
  • Training, career development, and support for work–life balance

Eligible applicants should hold (or be nearing completion of) a Master’s in relevant fields (CS, ML, statistics, applied mathematics, engineering, physics). Applicants must meet ETH Zurich’s doctoral admission criteria and have strong English communication skills. 

ETH AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Postdoctoral Fellowship gives early career researchers the opportunity to carry out independent, impact-oriented AI research. Fellows submit their own proposals and collaborate with two supervisors from different AI-related fields. The core idea is that boundaries between methods and applications are blurred, and breakthroughs often occur at their intersections.

Common features include:

• • Duration: Two years (with flexible start dates)
  • Salaries:
    • Year 1: CHF 92,500
    • Year 2: CHF 97,200 
  • Benefits: 5 weeks of vacation, childcare support, maternity/paternity leave, paid leave for caregiving, and institutional subsidies.
  • Co-location at ETH AI Center premises, peer cohorts, and participation in AI Center events
  • Option for entrepreneurial or industrial collaboration to turn research into real systems or products

Eligible

candidates must hold a PhD (or be within 12 months of completion), in AI, computer science, mathematics, engineering, or related fields. Fluency in English and willingness to engage interdisciplinarily are required. 

What These Fellowships Offer

Interdisciplinary Research Environment

By design, ETH AI Center encourages crossing disciplinary boundaries. Fellows have access to over 120 ETH professorships across departments, plus associated external groups. These networks foster creativity and synergistic projects. 

Dual Mentorship & Cohort Model

Each fellow is supervised by two PIs from distinct fields, ensuring breadth and rigor. Fellows also become part of a cohort, which nurtures peer collaboration and shared learning.

Professional Development & Impact Tracks

Fellows benefit from structured training—writing workshops, ethics seminars, career planning, and interaction with industry partners. The ability to engage in entrepreneurial or industry pathways helps ground research in real-world outcomes.

Transparent Funding & Benefits

Part of ETH’s appeal is its honesty about compensation, benefits, and support. PhD and postdoctoral salaries are fixed in public scales, with provisions for childcare, leave, and family support.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Doctoral Program

• • Completed or near completion of a Master’s in an AI-relevant field
  • Strong academic record, research potential
  • Ability to meet ETH Zurich PhD admission standards
  • Excellent English communication
  • Demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary AI topics

Postdoctoral Program

• • Hold a PhD, or be within 12 months of finishing
  • Track record of high-quality research (publications, projects)
  • Expertise in AI, machine learning, statistics, engineering, or related domain
  • Suitability for collaboration in interdisciplinary environment
  • English fluency and readiness to contribute to the ETH AI community

Evaluation Criteria

ETH AI Center uses a rigorous evaluation process. Key criteria include:

• • Scientific excellence: quality and impact of past work
  • Originality & ambition: how novel and ambitious the research proposal is
  • Fit & interdisciplinarity: alignment with ETH AI Center goals and ability to bridge fields
  • Career potential: whether the fellowship supports the applicant’s long-term trajectory
  • Contribution to community: how the applicant would engage with cohort, events, and cross-team collaboration
  • Feasibility: clarity and realism of proposed plan

Application Process & Timeline

Submission Steps

1. 1. Apply via ETH AI Center portal
   2. Provide CV, publication list, transcripts
   3. Submit a research proposal (1–2 pages) with intended collaborators
   4. Submit a short video (2–5 min) about your research interests (for postdocs)
   5. Submit 2–3 reference letters via online form
   6. Ensure supervision match: suggest two potential mentors from different fields

Review Stages

• • Pre-screening by ETH AI Center coordination
  • Faculty evaluation of proposals and CVs
  • Shortlist of candidates
  • Symposium & interviews (virtual or on-site)
  • Final selection and notifications
  • Start date negotiation

The full process spans several months, and ETH AI Center invites applications roughly once per year. 

Tips for Strong Applications

1. 1. Craft a clear, ambitious, but realistic proposal. Outline objectives, methodology, and impacted communities or systems.
   2. Show interdisciplinarity. Use concepts from multiple domains (e.g. algorithms + domain application).
   3. Select complementary mentors. Choose two PIs whose interests converge but also push you outward.
   4. Show working proof or preliminary results. Even small prototypes help validate ideas.
   5. Demonstrate past research excellence. Publications, presentations, collaborations count.
   6. Explain career vision. Situate how this fellowship advances your long-term goals.
   7. Polish your video message and proposals. Clarity, confidence, and focus make an impression.
   8. Reach out early. Contact potential mentors in advance to gauge interest and fit.
   9. Attend Q&A sessions or webinars. ETH sometimes holds info sessions for applicants. 
   10. Prepare for interviews. Present clearly, answer technical and strategic questions, and reflect on community engagement.

Challenges & Considerations

• • High competition. Many qualified applicants vie for limited slots.
  • Mentor matching. Having two strong, willing supervisors is critical.
  • Balancing ambition with feasibility. Big ideas are good, but you must make them actionable in the time frame.
  • Interdisciplinary tension. You must navigate differences in methods, vocabularies, expectations across fields.
  • Logistics & relocation. If you’re international, plan for visa, housing, and adjustment to ETH Zurich.

Key Facts at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Program	ETH AI Center Doctoral & Postdoctoral Fellowships
Host Institution	ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Duration	Doctoral: typically 3 years; Postdoc: 2 years
Supervision	Dual mentorship (two PIs of different fields)
Salaries	PhD: CHF 73,100 → 78,300 → 83,500; Postdoc: CHF 92,500 → 97,200
Eligibility	Doctoral: Master’s degree or equivalent; Postdoc: PhD or near completion
Benefits	Cohort model, training, career support, childcare, leave, flexible paths
Research Focus	AI foundations, systems, applications, trustworthy AI, interdisciplinary topics
Application	Click here
Timeline	Annual calls, multi-stage review, funding starts typically in September

Why This Fellowship Matters

The ETH AI Center fellowships represent a transformative opportunity for researchers who want to push the boundaries of AI. The dual-mentor plus cohort model ensures you are not isolated but embedded in a support network. You gain the freedom to pursue high-impact work, the structure to hone your skills, and access to one of the world’s leading AI institutions.

If you aspire to an academic career or leadership roles in industry or startups, this fellowship can serve as a launchpad. Its emphasis on interdisciplinarity, real-world impact, and community makes it far more than a funding mechanism—it is a research ecosystem built for the AI challenges of tomorrow.

Call to Action

If you are eligible and ready for a bold research step, check the ETH AI Center website for the next fellowship call, prepare your application carefully, reach out to potential mentors early, and submit your documents through the portal. This fellowship may be the turning point in your AI research journey—don’t miss the opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)