SNSF Scholars at Risk: CHF 75,000 for 12 months at a Swiss university for researchers under threat, applications at any time

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), in collaboration with Scholars at Risk Switzerland, provides funding to support academic placements at Swiss universities for researchers facing threats in their home countries. The initiative enables endangered scholars to continue their research activities in a safe academic environment.

Funding provides CHF 75,000 for an initial 12-month period, with the possibility of a one-time extension of CHF 25,000 for a second year. There is no submission deadline, meaning applications are accepted and evaluated on a rolling basis at any time.

What is funded

The grant finances temporary research placements at higher education institutions across Switzerland. It is designed to assist threatened researchers by integrating them into Swiss academic institutions to sustain their scientific work.

The scheme awards CHF 75,000 for the first 12 months of placement. Grantees may receive a one-time extension of CHF 25,000 for a second year, but no further extensions are permitted beyond this framework.

Who can apply

Applications cannot be submitted directly by individual researchers seeking protection. Eligible applicants are Swiss host institutions, specifically the designated Scholars at Risk coordinator or the academic host acting on behalf of the scholar.

If the proposal is submitted by an academic host, the university’s Scholars at Risk coordinator must join the application as a co-applicant. The hosted individual must be an academic researcher under threat in their country of origin.

Conditions and requirements

To be eligible for funding, the candidate researcher must undergo formal assessment and confirmation of threat status by the Scholars at Risk network. Without this official verification, the placement cannot be funded by the SNSF.

Practical tip. Researchers facing risks should contact the Scholars at Risk Switzerland Section or prospective academic hosts in Switzerland well in advance. Securing the official threat assessment early avoids administrative delays when the host institution prepares the submission.

How to apply

Researchers seeking support must first connect with a representative of the Scholars at Risk Switzerland Section. They must also identify an academic host at a Swiss higher education institution willing to facilitate the placement.

Once an academic host is identified, the host institution contacts Scholars at Risk directly on the scholar’s behalf. The host coordinator or academic researcher then submits the application to the SNSF in accordance with the programme guidelines.

Applications are submitted on the donor’s page: snf.ch.