Frequently asked questions

Applicant and responsibilities

What is the definition of an "independent group leader"?

Independent group leaders are people who have their own research group, address their own scientific questions, are responsible for their own research programs, and are fully autonomous, also in terms of budget. They commonly show internationally recognized excellence in their field of research and hold a professorship or similar position. The main employer of the independent group leader is an academic or acknowledged research institution in Switzerland. Applicants should document that their position is secured at least for the duration of the project they apply for and that their employment rate is at least 80% during this period.

What is the definition of academic age?

The Foundation follows in principle the guidance provided by ERC and SNSF. Specifically, the academic age is the time since the attainment of the PhD or Dr. med. to the planned project start date, adjusted for interruptions. The following interruptions can be deducted: Maternity leave (actual leave or up to 18 months per child); Paternity leave; Adoption; Care duties; Illness or accident; Military/civilian service; Continuing education; Non-scientific activities; Part-time work; and/or Unemployment. To calculate: (1) Subtract all eligible interruptions (in full-time equivalents) from your gross academic age. (2) Report the net academic age in years and months in the application and CV.

What is the definition of “highest academic degree” and which degree is considered if the applicant holds two academic degrees?

For biomedical scientists, it is the title of PhD. For academic clinicians, it is the title of Dr. med. Should a person hold both titles (i.e. Dr. med. and PhD), the date of award of the title of Dr. med. is considered relevant. Titles of private lecturer (PD) and professor are not considered as academic degrees.

Is it possible to apply for both grants (i.e. Young Investigator and Consortium Project)?

No, the applicant should take a choice for which program to apply to as lead applicant. It is however possible to be a co-applicant in a Consortium Project, when applying for the Young Investigator program.

Project

Can the same or related project proposal be submitted to another granting agency within the application period?

No, the Foundation does not accept applications that are simultaneously under review at a different granting agency. The proposal submitted should be unique. With a speedy decision process, the Foundation aims to provide the applicant with clarity on its decision as early as possible.

What is the latest date that the project should start?

The project must start by 01.07.2026.

Budget

Can (part of) the budget be used to pay for the applicant’s salary?

The eligibility criteria of secured employment status for the duration of the project implies that the applicant’s salary is covered already. The requested budget can consequently cover cost for additional salaries (e.g. PhD students, post-docs, technicians, study nurses), material costs and other costs directly related to the research project.

Does the Foundation cover administrative costs?

No, administrative costs that are part of a functioning research and translational environment and necessary for other projects, such as fiscal reporting, ordering, HR procedures, general IT etc. cannot be charged to the grant (the «usual» overheads). We expect that the environment in which the grantees work will support this (in-kind contribution).

Application

Which language shall the application be in?

English.

Is a new application possible shall a previous application have been non-successful? 

Yes, if all eligibility criteria are fulfilled, new applications are considered.