As the summer approaches, several key funding opportunities are coming up at national, European and internal levels. Below is a short overview of the main open and upcoming calls to keep on your radar.

SNSF and Innosuisse

The SNSF calendar is relatively quiet this quarter, with two major career schemes to watch:

• Postdoc.Mobility — the next deadline is on 4 August 2026.
• Ambizione — the call is expected to open on 3 August 2026, with a submission deadline on 3 November 2026.

The SNSF has recently announced important changes to its career funding portfolio: Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione will be replaced by a new postdoctoral funding scheme from 2028. The final Ambizione deadline will be in November 2026, while the final Postdoc.Mobility deadline will follow in August 2027. The SNSF is also adapting eligibility criteria for the remaining calls. Researchers considering either scheme are therefore encouraged to check the updated requirements carefully before preparing an application. More information is available on the SNSF website: Postdoc.Mobility and Ambizione: adaptations.

In addition, the SNSF continues to offer several rolling calls, including:

• Agora, for science communication and outreach projects;
• Scientific Exchanges, for the organisation of scientific events or research visits.

All current and upcoming SNSF calls are listed on the SNSF’s Funding page. 

On the Innosuisse side, the next deadline for BRIDGE Proof of Concept is 1 June 2026. This scheme supports young researchers who wish to develop an application, service or product based on their research results.

EU funding

The ERC Starting Grant and ERC Consolidator Grant calls under the 2027 Work Programme are expected to open later this summer. Applicants should keep an eye on ERC announcements, in particular regarding the evolving rules on eligibility and reapplication. The ERC Scientific Council has recently readjusted the proposed rules on reapplication for the 2027 calls following feedback from the research community. More information is available on the ERC website: ERC Scientific Council readjusts rules for reapplication.

A few Horizon Europe opportunities opening in June with a deadline this fall, may also be of interest to researchers across different fields:

• Next-generation lithium-based batteries for mobility — konzentriert sich auf die integrierte Entwicklung fortschrittlicher lithiumbasierter Batterien für die Mobilität.
• Multimodal freight transport and logistics — addresses resilience and competitiveness of freight transport and supply chains. 
• Sustainable and smart urban mobility (CIVITAS) — supports innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive urban mobility.

For a broader and regularly updated overview of European calls, researchers are invited to consult the Euresearch Open Calls page.

Internal funding

Several deadlines for Unifr internal funding opportunities are approaching:

• Unifr Research Scholarships — deadline: 30 June 2026. These scholarships support doctoral and postdoctoral researchers based abroad who wish to carry out a research stay at the University of Fribourg. 
• Research Pool — deadline: 31 July 2026. The Research Pool supports research projects at Unifr that cannot be financed through external third-party funding and acts as a complementary instrument to programmes such as those of the SNSF. 
• Doc.Mobility — deadline: 14 August 2026. Please note that this deadline has changed. The scheme supports Unifr doctoral students who wish to carry out a research stay abroad before completing their thesis.

Finally, the Monique de Meuron – FPFS Programme 2026 supports the recruitment of outstanding early-career researchers (one position in Human and Social Sciences and one in Natural and Experimental Sciences). Please note that self-nominations are not permitted, and candidates must be nominated by their faculty by 31 July 2026. If you are interested in this opportunity, we recommend that you reach out directly to your faculty to find out whether they are conducting an internal selection process. 

Looking for more opportunities? Feel free to explore Pivot-RP to discover additional funding calls, or get in touch with the Research Promotion Service for tailored advice.