ETH Zurich Focus Grants for Postdoctoral Researchers in Switzerland176 Views

Introduction: A Strategic Boost for Your Next Big Grant

If you are a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich planning to apply for a major early-career funding scheme, the ETH Zurich Focus Grants for postdoctoral researchers can be a decisive stepping stone in your career. This internal programme helps you carve out time for serious grant-writing and pairs it with a structured bootcamp that sharpens both your proposal and your academic trajectory.

In this guide, you will learn what the Focus Grants are, who can apply, how the funding and bootcamp work, and how to build a competitive application. You will also find practical tips that are particularly useful for international postdocs in Switzerland who want to transition towards academic independence.

Why ETH Zurich Focus Grants Matter for Postdocs

Preparing a competitive application for schemes like SNSF Ambizione or an ERC Starting Grant requires weeks of focused effort. That time is hard to find when you are juggling experiments, teaching, supervision, and administrative duties. The ETH Zurich Focus Grants are designed precisely to reduce that tension.

The programme:

• • Supports postdocs and established researchers in building academic independence.
  • Helps applicants prepare major
    early-career funding proposals with strong success potential.
  • Combines two months of salary support with an intensive 8-week grant-writing bootcamp and professional-development training.

For many researchers, this is far more than a small internal grant. It is a structured framework that forces you to move your proposal from idea to polished application under expert guidance, peer feedback, and dedicated writing time.

Eligibility: Who Can Apply for ETH Zurich Focus Grants

Core applicant criteria

To be eligible for the Focus Grants, you must:

• • Be a Postdoc, Established Researcher, or Scientific Collaborator employed at ETH Zurich.

• • Hold a fixed-term contract of at least 80% employment (or have your host support an increase to 80% during the grant).
  • Have your employment at ETH Zurich guaranteed for at least six months after the Focus Grant submission deadline.
  • Intend to submit a major early-career grant application (for example, SNSF Ambizione or ERC Starting Grant) and meet that scheme’s eligibility requirements.
  • Demonstrate a competitive track record for your discipline, with a publication profile that can credibly support a strong external grant proposal.
  • Commit to dedicating 50% of your
    working time during the Focus Grant to proposal preparation and participation in the bootcamp.

Host requirements

The Focus Grant is a partnership between you and your ETH Zurich host. Your host must:

• • Have a guaranteed position at ETH Zurich for the duration of the Focus Grant.
  • Extend your employment by two months for the Focus Grant period.
  • Increase your contract to at least 80% employment, if you are currently below that level.
  • Contribute 50% of your personnel costs during the grant, including salary, social security, and family allowances.
  • Reduce your core responsibilities by 50% during the Focus Grant, so you actually get the promised writing time.

Applications that do not fulfil both applicant and host criteria are rejected on formal grounds, so aligning early with your host is essential.

Key Features, Funding, and the Grant-Writing Bootcamp

Duration and financial support

The ETH Zurich Focus Grant has a fixed duration of two months. Funding is provided to cover your salary during this period and is shared equally between the host and the ETH Zurich Grants Office.

In practice, this means:

• • You remain fully employed at ETH Zurich.
  • The grant offsets the cost of your reduced teaching and lab duties.
  • You can invest significant time in drafting, revising, and polishing your external grant proposal.

Intensive 8-week bootcamp

The Focus Grant is tightly coupled to an 8-week grant-writing bootcamp, which you must attend:

• • The bootcamp provides structured deadlines, regular writing tasks, and feedback cycles.
  • You receive peer-to-peer feedback on your proposal sections, which exposes you to the expectations of different fields.
  • Sessions also cover professional-development topics, such as preparing for faculty job applications and planning a long-term research agenda.

The bootcamp is modelled on Stanford University’s proposal-writing programme, which has been shown to double the success rate of applicants compared to their peers.

Number of grants and calls

The Focus Grant programme is currently a pilot initiative within the ETH Zurich Action Plan for Young Researchers, co-financed by swissuniversities. Four calls are planned, with around 16 Focus Grants awarded per round.

For example, for participation in the May–June 2026 bootcamp, the submission deadline is 15 January 2026, 17:00, Swiss local time. Future call dates will be announced on the official website.

How to Apply for an ETH Zurich Focus Grant (Step-by-Step)

All parts of the application must be written in English and compiled into a single PDF. You submit via the protected online application form using your ETH login.

Step 1: Align with your host and target programme

• • Discuss your career plan and target funding scheme (e.g. ERC Starting Grant, SNSF Ambizione).
  • Confirm eligibility for both the Focus Grant and the external scheme.
  • Verify that your host can meet all employment and co-funding commitments.

Step 2: Prepare the core application package

Your PDF application should include:

1. 1. Cover sheet with your name and the title of your proposed major grant.
   2. Statement of motivation (max. 1 page) explaining:
      • Why this project is timely and important.
      • How it fits your long-term academic goals.
      • Why you want to join the bootcamp and what you expect to gain.
   3. Curriculum Vitae (max. 3 pages), including:
      1. Full academic and employment history with start and end dates.
      2. Publications and key achievements.
   4. Description of the target funding scheme and your fit (max. ½ page), including the current state of your proposal.
   5. Research proposal summary for the target grant (max. 1½ pages including references).
   6. Lay abstract of the proposed project (max. ½ page).

Step 3: Secure the host’s letter of support

Your host must submit a separate letter of support addressing:

• • Scientific quality, originality, and risk level of your proposed project.
  • Your readiness to transition to independent research.
  • The host’s commitment to workload reduction, contract extension, and cost sharing.

Step 4: Submit before the deadline

• • Complete the online application form using your ETH login.
  • Upload the PDF, and ensure the host submits their letter through the designated channel.
  • You will normally receive a decision within two months of the submission deadline.

Expert Tips to Strengthen Your Focus Grant Application

1. 1. Choose the right target scheme
      Make sure your CV and academic age match the specific requirements of your chosen external programme. For instance, ERC Starting Grants and SNSF Ambizione have strict eligibility windows; a mismatch is a common reason for rejection.
   2. Show a clear independence trajectory
      The ETH Zurich Focus Grants are meant to support your move towards academic independence, not to extend your supervisor’s current project. Emphasise how your proposal diverges intellectually from your host’s core research and opens a new line of inquiry.
   3. Use the bootcamp strategically
      Treat the 8-week bootcamp as your central professional priority during that period. Block off calendar time in advance, negotiate lab and teaching duties early, and enter with a partly drafted proposal so you can focus on refinement.
   4. Build a coherent narrative across documents
      Your motivation letter, CV, project description, and target-scheme justification should tell a consistent story: where you come from, what you want to achieve, and why you are ready now. Inconsistent messaging weakens even strong publication records.
   5. Leverage peers and mentors beyond your host
      While the programme offers peer feedback, you can further improve your application by asking external mentors, former supervisors, or collaborators (including from your home country) to read early drafts and flag discipline-specific blind spots.

Conclusion: Planning Your Path to a Major Early-Career Grant

The ETH Zurich Focus Grants for postdoctoral researchers offer a rare combination of funded time, structured training, and institutional support dedicated purely to grant-writing. For postdocs who are serious about applying for ERC Starting Grants, SNSF Ambizione, or similar programmes, this is a highly strategic tool.

If you already have a strong research idea, a supportive host, and a clear target funding scheme, a Focus Grant can help you move from “promising concept” to “submission-ready proposal” within a defined timeframe. The bootcamp, peer network, and mentoring will also leave you better prepared for future faculty applications and independent research roles.

You should review the official guidelines, discuss the opportunity with your host, and start drafting well before the deadline. Consider bookmarking this guide, sharing it with colleagues, and then visiting the ETH Zurich Grants Office website for the latest call information and application details.

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