As the autumn semester gets under way, several important funding opportunities are open or approaching at national, European and internal levels. Here is a brief overview of the main calls to keep on your radar.

SNSF and Innosuisse

The next SNSF Project Funding deadline is 1 October 2026. The scheme supports independent research projects in all disciplines. This will be followed by the final Ambizione call on 3 November 2026. There will be no Ambizione call in 2027, as the SNSF plans to replace Ambizione and Postdoc.Mobility with a new postdoctoral funding scheme from 2028.

Several thematic calls are also approaching. Biodiversa+ focuses on biodiversity and novel ecosystems, with pre-proposals due on 10 November. FLARE supports research infrastructure in particle physics, astrophysics and astroparticle physics, with a deadline on 16 November. The Driving Urban Transitions pre-proposal deadline is 17 November, while the FOREST Partnership invites pre-proposals on forests and sustainable value chains by 2 December.

On the innovation side, the 40th BRIDGE Proof of Concept call supports early-career researchers seeking to develop an innovative product or service from their research results. The submission deadline is 1 December.

EU funding

The ERC Starting Grant 2027 call is open until 14 October 2026. It offers up to €1.5 million over five years to researchers establishing an independent programme in Europe. The eligibility window has been broadened to ten years after the PhD defence, subject to the detailed call conditions.

The new ERC Work Programme 2027 presents the upcoming calls, budgets and revised rules, including changes to eligibility and submission limits. A dedicated ERC webinar provides an overview.

Internal funding

The three schemes managed by the Research Promotion Service are still active, with the following deadlines in 2026 and 2027: the Centenary Research Fund on 1 March and 1 October, the Research Pool on 31 January and 31 July, and Doc.Mobility on 15 February and 14 August.

Note that the rules for the Research Pool have changed. Applicants should consult the relevant regulations and the implementation guidelines before preparing a proposal.

Researchers may also wish to consult the current call from the Foundation for the 25th Anniversary of the Swiss Bank Corporation, as well as the updated overview of other internal funding, which includes opportunities with fixed or rolling deadlines.

Other opportunities

The Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology invites pre-proposals by 15 October 2026 for collaborative flagship projects on female reproductive health or neurotoxicity and neurodegenerative diseases. The SAGW Early Career Award recognises outstanding scientific articles by early-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences, with three prizes worth a total of CHF 18,000. The application deadline is 22 November 2026.

While not a call, we would also like to flag the EPFL Foundations Day 2026. This event will take place on 9 November 2026 and will offer researchers an opportunity to discover foundation funding programmes and meet their representatives.

And if you are looking for more opportunities, you can always explore Pivot-RP or contact the Research Promotion Service for tailored advice.