Scientific Equipment Program
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Important
Equipment needs in 2025
For requests >CHF 50'000 there was a single call with deadline on January 15, 2025. On January 15, 2025, the form for requests ≤CHF 50'000 was reopened for applications in 2025.
Equipment needs in 2026
For equipment needs >CHF 50'000 in 2026, researchers will need to submit their applications in the call with deadline on September 1, 2025. The evaluation and decision will be carried out by the Research Commission (incl. external reviews) in November 2025 using the full SEP budget for 2026. The Download new guidelines (PDF, 228 KB) for the Scientific Equipment Program with the Research Commission as evaluation body apply.
Before submitting an application on eResearch please read the guidelines carefully. Within eResearch please make sure, you choose the right form when starting the application process. For the SEP two forms are available: One for requests ≤CHF 50'000 and one for requests >CHF 50'000.
The goal of the Scientific Equipment Program (SEP) is to facilitate the renewal, updating and the acquisition of novel scientific and technological equipment including computer hardware, software and cloud services at ETH Zurich. The SEP focusses on supporting excellent research with an emphasis on shared use. The program only supports investments that exceed the budgets of the applicants.
Funding requests may be submitted for the following capital expenditures:
- acquisition (new and replacement investments) and major repairs of scientific apparatus for research and teaching
- IT hardware for research including shares of central compute servers and storage
- Scientific software and cloud services
- machine tools in departmental workshops
As of 2024 a list of the supported equipment is provided protected page here.
There are three funding lines:
- Requests ≤ CHF 50’000 are handled by the administrative department Research Initiatives and Infrastructures. Requests below CHF 10’000 are not considered.
- Requests > CHF 50’000 by researchers are assessed by the ETH Zurich Research Commission (Forschungskommission) and reviewed by independent external experts.
- Requests > CHF 50’000 by departmental platforms and workshops are handled by the administrative department Research Initiatives and Infrastructures (in collaboration with techpool in the case of departmental workshops).
See the Download program guidelines (PDF, 228 KB) for further details.
The principal applicant must be employed at ETH Zurich at a minimum of 50%. Their position must be permanent or guaranteed for at least three years after the submission date.
Applications are only considered if they comply with the Download program guidelines (PDF, 228 KB). Most importantly, the requested equipment must match the program's goals and the requested sum must exceed the applicant's own budget. Noncompliant applications will be rejected on formal grounds.
All requests are to be submitted electronically via eResearch.
Outside office hours, no support can be provided for problems with the electronic submission.
The submission deadline for requests exceeding CHF 50’000 is September 1, 17:00 Swiss local time. Requests amounting to less than CHF 50’000 may be submitted throughout the year between January 15 and November 30.
Notifications of decisions will generally be sent to the principal applicant within 2 to 4 months following the submission deadline. Requests exceeding CHF 500’000 need to be discussed with the ETH Zurich Executive Board and therefore may take longer to process.