NOMIS Senior Fellowship 2027–2028 in Switzerland

Collegium Helveticum

Fellowships
Switzerland
September 29, 2026

The NOMIS Senior Fellowship 2027–2028 offers established researchers the opportunity to spend typically five or ten months at the Collegium Helveticum in Zurich, Switzerland. The program supports innovative basic research that crosses disciplinary boundaries.

This is mainly a nomination-based fellowship rather than a standard open application. Self-nomination is possible, but it requires support from at least two faculty members from the Collegium Helveticum’s supporting universities.

Quick Details

Detail	Information
Host Country	Switzerland
Host Institution	Collegium Helveticum
Fellowship	NOMIS Senior Fellowship
Research Areas	Basic research in all disciplines
Career Level	Mid-career or established researchers
Duration	Usually 5 or 10 months
Fellowship Period	September 1, 2027–June 30, 2028
Earliest Start	September 1, 2027
Number of Fellowships	Up to 4 per academic year
Nomination Deadline	September 30, 2026
Language of Nomination	English
Application Method	Nomination followed by invitation to apply

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What Is the NOMIS Senior Fellowship?

The NOMIS Senior Fellowship is offered by the Collegium Helveticum with support from the NOMIS Foundation.

It is designed for distinguished researchers with strong international academic recognition. Fellows are given time to focus on research without normal teaching and administrative responsibilities.

Research can come from any discipline, but proposed work should be innovative and engage with questions across disciplinary boundaries.

Fellows work mainly at the Collegium Helveticum in Zurich and collaborate with faculty from ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, or the Zurich University of the Arts.

Who Can Be Nominated?

The program is intended for researchers with an established academic record.

A nominee should:

be at the mid-career or established career stage;
have significant and sustained scholarly achievements;
be recognized for making an important contribution to their broader academic field;
conduct distinctive research that crosses disciplinary boundaries;
hold a permanent position at a recognized higher education or research institution;
be no older than 70 when the fellowship starts;
be prepared to live in Zurich and work at the Collegium full-time.

The call covers basic research across all disciplines.

Who Can Submit a Nomination?

Nominations can be submitted by eligible research units, university management or faculty members from the Collegium Helveticum’s three supporting institutions:

ETH Zurich;
University of Zurich;
Zurich University of the Arts.

Members of the Collegium’s advisory board may also submit nominations.

Researchers can also nominate themselves. However, a self-nomination must have the support of at least two faculty members from the supporting institutions.

This requirement is important for international researchers. An interested researcher cannot simply submit an independent application without the required institutional support.

Financial Support

The official program describes the financial compensation as generous, but it does not publish one fixed fellowship amount for all recipients.

Instead, financial needs are proposed during the application stage within defined limits. The fellowship budget may include:

living expenses;
childcare support;
research costs;
funding for a short visit by a collaborator;
possible support for housing;
limited seed funding related to the research collaboration.

NOMIS Senior Fellows are generally eligible for ETH Housing, subject to availability.

The fellow’s home institution is normally expected to contribute through sabbatical support. If this is not possible, support toward covering teaching responsibilities at the home institution may be requested and is subject to negotiation.

Because the exact financial package depends on the application and agreed budget, the fellowship should not be described as automatically covering every expense.

Fellowship Duration and Location

The normal fellowship duration is five or ten months, although exceptions may be considered.

For the current nomination round, the fellowship must take place during the period from September 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028.

Fellows are expected to reside in Zurich and work full-time primarily at the Collegium Helveticum. With approval, arrangements may allow fellows to spend up to 40% of their time with their collaborating faculty member’s research group.

Fellows must also participate actively in the Collegium community, including regular academic meetings and interdisciplinary discussions.

They are expected to give a public lecture or organize an interdisciplinary event connected to their research.

Language Requirement

Nominations must be submitted in English.

The current official fellowship information does not state a requirement for IELTS, TOEFL, or another standardized English-language test.

Applicants should therefore not interpret the English nomination requirement as a requirement to submit an IELTS or TOEFL certificate.

Required Documents

The current public fellowship page does not provide a complete fixed list of documents for the full application.

The selection process has two stages. First, an eligible nomination is submitted. Candidates whose profiles fit the fellowship goals may then be invited to prepare a full application with their supporting faculty member.

Candidates should follow the instructions provided by the Collegium Helveticum if they reach the application stage rather than submitting additional documents that have not been requested.

How to Apply

The NOMIS Senior Fellowship uses a two-stage process.

Stage 1: Nomination

An eligible faculty member, research unit or other authorized nominator submits the nomination. Self-nominations are also accepted when supported by at least two faculty members from the three supporting institutions.

The nominee should confirm their interest before the nomination is submitted.

Stage 2: Full Application

The Collegium reviews the nominated researchers.

Candidates whose profiles match the program will be invited to submit a full fellowship application. The application is prepared in coordination with the supporting faculty member or members at ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, or the Zurich University of the Arts.

Therefore, receiving a nomination does not automatically mean that the fellowship has been awarded.