ERC and SNSF Starting Grant Applications

The CSH welcomes applications for ERC and SNSF Starting Grants, with the following dispositions: 

  • According to the rules of the University of Bern, successful candidates will have the title of CSH Assistant Professor for the duration of their grant. 
  • For ERC grantees, half of the overheads (i.e. 12.5% of the grant amount) will be transferred back to the candidates as additional budget for their research. 
  • Finally, the successful candidates will be able to apply for extra funding from the CSH (up to 150'000 CHF) to support interdisciplinary research.

Candidates who are interested in submitting an application with the CSH as host institute are invited to contact Prof. Brice-Olivier Demory, CSH Director, at their earliest convenience, and no later than two months before the grant deadline with a complete CV as well as a two-page summary of their research plan. All applications will then be reviewed and a decision will be communicated according to the timetable below.

The research plan should be aligned with the CSH vision and have strong ties with planetary habitability and/or the search for life in the Universe. Applications with an interdisciplinary component will be favoured.

The internal review of applications with the CSH as proposed host is organised as follows:

  Call deadline CV & Research plan summary
submission deadline 
(to be sent to CSH Director)
Communication of decision
ERC Starting grants mid-October 2026 TBD TBD
SNSF Starting grants 5 May 2026  5 March 2026 13 March 2026