AXA and Schmidt Science Fellowships

• Candidates must have received their doctoral degree (PhD) within a maximum period of 5 1/2 years prior to the submission deadline, with demonstrated scientific excellence and high potential for innovation, transformation, and dissemination.
• Candidates must have been awarded their doctorate (PhD) before applying for an AXA Fellowship and must not have a permanent position.
• Projects not directly related to the topics of the call are not eligible.

I.          ETH Zurich will select one candidate from all applications received to be nominated for the Axa Research Fund Fellowship.

II.         Axa Research Fund: The expression of interest (EoI) of the nominated candidate will be registered by ETH Zurich on the Axa Portal. If the EoI is selected by the Axa Research Fund, the candidate may submit a full proposal. The Axa Research Fund will assess the full proposal and select successful applications.

The required application documents for the ETH Zurich nomination process are (Step 1):

1. CV (3 pages max). Please include list of publications, birth date, citizenship, date of defense of doctoral degree (PhD), ETH Zurich host professor/institute.
2. Research programme's title and description (3000 characters max, including spaces).

Please submit the application as one PDF file to  by the given deadline of ETH Zurich.

ETH Zurich nomination process:

• Step 1: Expression of Interest (EoI) have to be sent to the Grants Office by Wednesday, 10 April 2024, 17:00 Swiss local time.
  

Axa Research Fund selection process:

• Step 2: Between 22 April 2024 - 16 May 2024, 16:00 Paris time: Nominated candidates may be invited to submit their full research proposals and will then receive the necessary information in time to access the application form.
  
• Step 3: Rebuttals are due about 3.5 months after the full proposal submission deadline (22 - 29 August 2024). Results are announced about 2-3 months after the rebuttal (December 2024).
• Projects selected for funding are expected to start between January 2025 and September 2025.

• Applicants must be studying for a PhD in natural sciences (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Physics), Engineering, Mathematics, Computing – or any of the sub-disciplines.
• Applicants are expected to have completed all requirements for the conferral of their Doctorate (PhD) and have received the definitive confirmation of the doctoral title from ETH in one of these fields within the specified time period, e.g., between 15 May 2024 and 30 June 2025 for the 2024 call (i.e., for the 2025 Fellows). See also the website with the final steps.
  
• Applicants must be nominated by the institution where they received their doctoral degree (PhD), e.g., ETH Zurich.
• Applicants must be able to start their fellowship in July 2025 or October 2025 and must be available from April 2025 to July 2026 to attend onboarding activities, the in-person Science Leadership Programme convenings and the annual Schmidt Science Fellows Interdisciplinary Science Summit.  

I.          ETH Zurich will select up to seven candidates to be nominated for the Schmidt Science Fellowship.

II.         Schmidt Futures: Nominated candidates may register and submit their full proposal to Schmidt Futures who will decide on the successful applicants/fellows.

The required application documents for the ETH Zurich nomination process are:

1. cover page (1 page; Name of fellowship; applicant name; expected completion date of PhD; name of main doctoral advisor/s and department; brief personal statement that the PhD is on course to be completed between 15 May 2024 and 30 June 2025)
2. your CV (max. 2 pages; incl. publications)
3. your major academic achievements (0.5 page; key research results and any impact they might have had, etc.)
4. outline of current scientific field and explanation on how the proposed project/fellowship will be a change from the PhD discipline and a change in application area (0.5 page; i.e. the intended move into a new research field and new application, note the move into a new research field and application is one of the key assessment criteria of the Schmidt Science Fellowship)
5. explain briefly (0.5 page) why you think you are an ideal candidate for the Fellowship programme, especially how you see your research make a lasting impact in the sciences and society.

Submit the application as one PDF file to by 12 April 2024 at 17:00 Swiss local time.

ETH Zurich nomination process:

• Apply by 12 April 2024 (17:00 Swiss local time) to .
• Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the ETH Zurich selection process by 10 May 2024.

Schmidt Futures selection process:

• Nominated candidates must register on the Schmidt Science Fellow online application portal by 30 May 2024.
• The full proposal must be submitted via the Schmidt Science Fellow online application portal by 10 July 2024.
• The candidates will be informed about the result around April/May 2025.