ETH AI Center PhD and Postdoc Fellowships 2027 is offering funded doctoral and postdoctoral research positions at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. For researchers interested in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, engineering, mathematics, healthcare, robotics, climate science and related disciplines, this is an opportunity worth examining carefully.
Deadline: Monday, November 2, 2026
Time: 16:00 CET
Location: ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Opportunity types: Doctoral Fellowship and Postdoctoral Fellowship
Expected start: Typically by September 2027, with flexibility depending on individual arrangements.
The ETH AI Center Fellowship Program brings researchers from different academic disciplines together to work on interdisciplinary artificial intelligence projects. Unlike a traditional scholarship that primarily pays tuition, successful applicants join ETH Zurich as funded researchers and receive salaries alongside research mentorship, professional development and access to a major European AI research environment. Applications for the 2027 doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships close on November 2, 2026, at 16:00 CET.
What Is the ETH AI Center Fellowship Program?
The ETH AI Center is an interdisciplinary artificial intelligence research hub at ETH Zurich. Its faculty includes more than 120 professorships spanning all 16 ETH departments, alongside external research groups from the University of Zurich and University of St. Gallen.
Fellows are not restricted to one narrow area of AI. Research can connect fundamental AI methods with fields including medicine, robotics, physics, architecture, education, manufacturing, energy, economics and the social sciences. A distinctive feature of the fellowship is co-mentorship by two principal investigators from different fields, encouraging researchers to develop genuinely interdisciplinary projects.
Doctoral Fellowship Funding
ETH AI Center expects to offer approximately 5 to 8 doctoral positions. Doctoral fellows receive a 100% ETH doctoral salary with automatic progression:
- Year 1: CHF 73,100
- Year 2: CHF 78,300
- Year 3: CHF 83,500
The fellowship also provides co-mentorship, training and continuing-education opportunities, plus services supporting work and family life. Start dates are flexible but are normally around September. This makes the opportunity considerably different from scholarships that provide only a modest monthly allowance.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Funding
ETH AI Center also expects to offer approximately 5 to 8 postdoctoral positions, normally lasting two years.
Postdoctoral fellows receive:
- Year 1: CHF 92,500
- Year 2: CHF 97,200
The package includes automatic salary progression, professional-development support and five weeks of annual vacation.
ETH Zurich also provides family-related benefits including childcare subsidies and access to daycare facilities. The fellowship information additionally lists four months of paid maternity leave and other family-care provisions.
Who Can Apply for the Doctoral Fellowship?
Doctoral candidates should have completed or be close to completing a master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
Potential backgrounds include computer science, machine learning, statistics, physics, engineering and applied mathematics, although other relevant fields may also qualify.
Applicants need an excellent academic record and must satisfy ETH Zurich’s general doctoral admission requirements.
Current master’s students can apply. Successful candidates must complete their master’s studies at least three months before starting the fellowship, with June 2027 identified as the latest completion point for the 2027 cohort. Applicants must also have sufficient English proficiency to participate in research discussions and communicate their findings in writing.
Who Can Apply for the Postdoctoral Fellowship?
Postdoctoral applicants should already hold a PhD or be approaching completion of one. Candidates who have not yet completed their doctorate must finish it at least three months before beginning the fellowship—again, no later than June 2027 for the expected 2027 start.
Relevant backgrounds include computer science, machine learning, statistics, physics, engineering and applied mathematics.
Importantly for Opportunities for Women readers, ETH AI Center says it seeks to increase women’s representation in areas where women are underrepresented and explicitly encourages women to apply. Applicants with disabilities are also encouraged. The fellowship is nevertheless not restricted to women.
What Research Areas Are Available?
The range is unusually broad. AI foundations include areas such as:
- AI theory and machine learning; foundation models; large language models and natural-language understanding; computer vision; reinforcement learning; trustworthy AI; AI safety and robustness; security and privacy; AI systems and hardware; and human-AI collaboration.
- Application areas include healthcare, education, energy systems, climate modelling, finance, manufacturing, science and engineering, space research, robotics, autonomous systems and human-centred AI.
- For postdoctoral candidates, additional research opportunities include AI for healthcare and AI for energy-system modelling.
What Do You Need to Apply?
Applications must be submitted through the ETH AI Center’s online system.
Candidates need to provide:
- Degree certificates and academic transcripts
- Motivation letter
- CV
- A 2–5 minute video
- At least two reference letters
A third recommendation is optional.
One important detail is that references are submitted directly by referees. Applications without the required recommendation letters are considered incomplete and will not move forward.
You also do not need to contact potential ETH faculty mentors before applying.
Selection Process
Complete applications undergo formal and technical review.
Promising candidates are shortlisted for an online selection symposium, where they give a research presentation and participate in interviews with potential mentors.
ETH expects symposium invitations to be communicated around mid-January 2027, with fellowship offers expected by the end of March 2027.
How to Apply
Start by reviewing the official fellowship guidelines and determining whether the doctoral or postdoctoral pathway matches your qualifications.
- ETH AI Center Fellowship Programs
- Doctoral Fellowship Details
- Postdoctoral Fellowship Details
- Official Fellowship FAQ and 2027 Deadline
Application Tips
Do not treat the motivation letter as a longer version of your CV. Explain the research questions you want to investigate, why they matter and why an interdisciplinary environment would strengthen your work.
Choose referees early. ETH requires at least two references, and an otherwise strong application will not be considered complete without them.
Finally, remember that interdisciplinary research is central to this fellowship. Applicants should show not only technical competence but also how their expertise could connect with another discipline or produce meaningful scientific or societal impact.
For women building careers in AI and adjacent STEM disciplines, this call deserves particular attention. It offers competitive salaries, substantial research infrastructure, interdisciplinary mentorship and a university that is explicitly encouraging more women to enter areas where they remain underrepresented.
Do not wait until November to begin. Review the requirements, identify your research direction, contact your referees and start preparing your application now.
Opportunities for Women is not the programme provider. Applicants should verify all details directly through ETH AI Center Fellowships before making travel.
