NCCR AUTOMATION (SWISS NATIONAL CENTRE OF COMPETENCE IN RESEARCH)
NCCR Automation Fellowship
full · masters, phd
- ~€15,000 (est.)Living support over the stay
- Up to 6 monthsResearch stay in Switzerland
- Travel supportFor official NCCR Automation meetings
- Up to 3 PIsChoose 3 topics and 3 principal investigators
- All nationalitiesWho may apply
- MSc / PhD / postdocEligible career stages
At a glance
full
Funding
€18k
Max amount
Jun 30, 2027
Deadline
Open to all nationalities (applicants based outside Switzerland)
Country
NCCR Automation (Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research)
Provider
The NCCR Automation Fellowship is a visiting research programme run by NCCR Automation, a Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research established in 2020 and hosted across ETH Zurich, EPFL and partner Swiss institutions. It funds research stays of up to 6 months in Switzerland for Master's students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers based outside the country, in fields such as control systems and automation, robotics and embedded systems, artificial intelligence in engineering, cyber-physical and industrial automation, and human-machine interaction. Fellows receive financial support to cover Switzerland's high living costs, travel support to attend official NCCR Automation meetings, access to state-of-the-art facilities and mentoring from Swiss scientists; the living support over a stay is commonly worth around €15,000 (est.). For the 2026 cycle, the application deadline is around 30 June 2026 (17:00 CET), with the earliest start in January 2026 and stays ending by 31 July 2026; applicants choose up to 3 research topics and 3 principal investigators. Exact stipend levels, dates and the current-cycle deadline are set each year, so confirm the figures and dates on the official NCCR Automation fellowship page before you apply.
What's covered
- Living support — Financial support toward Switzerland's high living costs during the stay; the support is around €15,000 (est.) over a typical fellowship period, depending on duration.
- Travel support — Funding to attend official NCCR Automation meetings and events during the fellowship.
- Research facilities — Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and research environments across NCCR Automation host institutions.
- Mentoring — Personalised mentoring and supervision from leading Swiss scientists and the chosen principal investigators.
- Collaboration network — Membership of an international, interdisciplinary research community working on automation and control.
How to apply
All documents are submitted in PDF format through the online portal by the deadline; the required materials depend on whether you apply as a Master's student or a PhD/postdoctoral researcher.
- Browse research groups and PIs — Use the NCCR Automation People page to identify up to 3 research topics and 3 principal investigators that match your interests.
- Prepare your documents — Prepare a CV (max 2 pages), a motivation letter (Master's) or a research proposal of max 2 pages (PhD/postdoc), a letter of support from your home institution and supervisor, transcripts and certificates.
- Complete the online application — Submit all documents as PDFs through the NCCR Automation online portal, selecting your topic and PI preferences.
- Submit before the deadline — Ensure the full application reaches the portal by around 30 June 2026, 17:00 CET, as late submissions are not accepted.
- Await the decision — Applications are reviewed and all applicants are notified of the outcome (around October for the cycle).
Eligibility
Career stageMaster's students, PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers.
Home affiliationEnrolled in a relevant education or research programme outside Switzerland and maintaining affiliation with the home institution during the fellowship.
No prior link to hostMust not have previously studied or worked at the NCCR Automation host institution in Switzerland.
Salary continuityPhD and postdoctoral applicants must continue to receive a salary from their home institution during the stay.
Host criteriaMust meet the admission or hosting criteria of the selected NCCR Automation lab or principal investigator.
Applicants choose up to 3 research topics and up to 3 NCCR Automation principal investigators when applying. NCCR Automation is committed to an equitable, diverse and inclusive research environment.
Eligible countries
Open to all nationalities (applicants based outside Switzerland)
Deadlines
2026 fellowship cycle~30 June 2026, 17:00 CET (est.)
Following cycle~June 2027 (est.)
Selection
Applications are evaluated on the candidate's academic and research potential, the quality and alignment of the proposed project with NCCR Automation's research areas, and the contribution to international collaboration and interdisciplinarity. Selection involves the chosen principal investigators, and all applicants are notified of the outcome after review.
Verified sources
- NCCR Automation Fellowshipnccr-automation.chofficial
- NCCR Automationnccr-automation.chofficial
About the provider
NCCR Automation is a Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, launched in 2020 and funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Hosted across ETH Zurich, EPFL and partner Swiss institutions, it develops methods and tools for automating complex, dynamic systems and runs education and fellowship programmes that bring international researchers into its labs.
Frequently asked questions
Answers below are best-effort estimates from the most recent application cycle. Values marked ~ or (est.) may shift year-to-year — confirm specifics on the official scholarship page.
Who can apply for the NCCR Automation Fellowship?
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Master's students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities who are based outside Switzerland and keep their home-institution affiliation during the stay.
How long is the fellowship?
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It funds a research stay of up to 6 months in Switzerland.
What does the funding cover?
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Financial support toward living costs (around €15,000 (est.) over the stay), travel support for official meetings, access to research facilities and mentoring.
When is the application deadline?
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Around 30 June 2026 at 17:00 CET (est.); confirm the exact current-cycle date on the official NCCR Automation page.
When can the fellowship start and end?
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The earliest start is around January 2026 and stays must end by around 31 July 2026 for the current cycle.
What research areas are covered?
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Control systems and automation, robotics and embedded systems, AI in engineering, cyber-physical and industrial automation, and human-machine interaction.
Can I have worked at the host institution before?
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No. Applicants must not have previously studied or worked at the NCCR Automation host institution in Switzerland.
Do PhD and postdoc applicants keep their home salary?
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Yes. PhD and postdoctoral applicants must continue to receive a salary from their home institution during the fellowship.
How many supervisors can I choose?
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You can select up to 3 research topics and up to 3 NCCR Automation principal investigators in your application.
What documents do Master's students submit?
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A CV (max 2 pages), a motivation letter (max 2 pages), a letter of support, transcripts and degree certificates.
What extra document do PhD and postdoc applicants need?
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A research proposal of up to 2 pages outlining the research question, methodology and timeline, in addition to the CV, support letter and transcripts.
When will I be notified of the result?
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All applicants are notified of the outcome after review, around October for the cycle.