Here's an opportunity that AI researchers should take seriously: the EPFL AI Center — backed by the Swiss AI Initiative — is inviting outstanding postdoctoral researchers to spend up to two years at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, one of Europe's strongest research institutions. This isn't a scholarship for students; it's a funded research position designed for early-career researchers who want to push AI forward while working across multiple laboratories. The third call is open now, and applications close on 9 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.
In short: The EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 fund up to two years of AI research at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, covering roughly 50% of your salary plus up to CHF 5,000 per year in research costs. It's open to postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities who earned their PhD within the last two years. Deadline: 9 November 2026, 17:00 CET.
● Applications Open
Quick Overview
- Host Country: Switzerland
- Host Institution: École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne
- Degree Level: Postdoctoral (early-career researchers)
- Program Duration: Maximum 2 years
- Funding Type: Funded — approx. 50% of salary + research cost allowance
- Deadline: 9 November 2026, 17:00 CET
Benefits of the EPFL AI Center and Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships
This fellowship is built around one idea: giving you the freedom to do ambitious, interdisciplinary AI research. Here's what you get:
- Competitive salary contribution — The fellowship covers approximately 50% of the postdoctoral salary per year, based on EPFL salary scales. The remaining part is covered by your EPFL host laboratories. EPFL Human Resources guidelines apply for social security.
- Research cost allowance — Up to CHF 5,000 per fellowship year for research costs, open research data costs, open access publication costs, travel, and conferences. (Any costs beyond this are covered by your host professor.)
- Full lab infrastructure — Your host laboratories commit to making everything available: office space, laboratory space and equipment, and administrative support.
- Genuine research freedom — Fellows work with several EPFL laboratories and are granted real latitude to develop their own research agenda rather than executing someone else's grant.
- A top-tier research community — You join the EPFL AI Center community: interdisciplinary collaboration across departments, community activities, and strategic AI initiatives.
- Ethics and leadership focus — The program explicitly aims to promote ethical AI development (bias, privacy, fairness), advance cutting-edge AI research, and prepare the next generation of AI leaders.
Eligibility Criteria for the EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Postdoctoral-level researchers — Applications are encouraged from researchers at the postdoctoral level.
- Recent PhD — You must have obtained your PhD diploma in computer science, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or another field relevant to artificial intelligence, no more than two years before the submission deadline (so roughly after 9 November 2024).
- Final-year PhD students may apply — Doctoral students in their last year can submit an application, but they must have completed their PhD by the time they start the fellowship project.
- All nationalities welcome — This call is open to applicants of all nationalities.
- No age restrictions — None apply.
- Diversity encouraged — Applications from candidates of all genders and backgrounds are strongly encouraged.
- Host professor support secured — This is critical: you must have secured the support of your EPFL host professor(s) *before* submitting your application. This commitment only applies if the fellowship is granted.
One important structural point: the fellowship is designed for interdisciplinary work. Fellows are expected to develop their research agenda in collaboration with at least two EPFL laboratories headed by faculty members affiliated with the EPFL AI Center — so you'll need buy-in from more than one lab.
How to Apply for the EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowships
1. Read the call guidelines carefully — Start on the official EPFL AI Center programme page and download the call guidelines and application templates. 2. Identify your host professors — Browse the faculty members affiliated with the EPFL AI Center and shortlist those whose work aligns with your research vision. Remember: you'll be expected to collaborate with at least two labs. 3. Contact prospective hosts early — Reach out to EPFL AI Center-affiliated professors with your CV and a short abstract of your project to discuss a potential collaboration. Don't leave this for the last week. 4. Secure host support — Get a firm commitment of support from your host professor(s) before you submit. Your application cannot succeed without it. 5. Draft a strong research proposal — Outline an ambitious, interdisciplinary AI research agenda with a clear plan for cross-disciplinary collaboration. Be specific and technical — generic buzzwords won't survive a committee of world-class experts. 6. Prepare your documents in English — All documents must be submitted in English via the online submission platform. 7. Submit before the deadline — All materials must be in through the online submission platform by 9 November 2026, 17:00 CET. 8. Questions? — For any question about the call, contact the EPFL Research Office (research@epfl.ch).
Required Documents
Per the official call information, applications are submitted through the online submission platform (all documents in English). Make sure you have:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Research proposal / project abstract with a clear interdisciplinary collaboration plan
- PhD diploma or proof of PhD completion (final-year doctoral students: proof of expected completion)
- Host professor commitment — the secured support of your EPFL host professor(s)
- Any additional documents specified in the call guidelines and templates on the programme website
Check the official programme website for the current call's template pack — the exact document list follows the templates.
EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 Deadline
The submission deadline for the 3rd call is Monday, 9 November 2026 at 17:00 CET. Applications are submitted via the online submission platform — note this is a hard cutoff on the platform, not a postmark date.
The smartest move is to start host outreach now. Securing support from one or two EPFL professors takes weeks of correspondence, and the host commitment is a hard requirement. If you wait until October, you've already lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this fellowship really fully funded?
It's fully funded as a research position, with one nuance worth knowing: the fellowship covers about 50% of your EPFL salary per year, and your host laboratories cover the rest — so your full salary is paid, just from two sources. On top of that you get up to CHF 5,000 per year for research costs, open access publishing, travel, and conferences.
Can I apply if I'm not Swiss or European?
Yes. The call is explicitly open to applicants of all nationalities, and there are no age restrictions either.
I finished my PhD three years ago. Am I eligible?
Unfortunately not for this call — your PhD must have been awarded no more than two years before the submission deadline (i.e., after 9 November 2024). This is a strict cutoff.
I'm still doing my PhD. Can I apply?
Yes, if you're in your final year. Doctoral students in their last year can apply, but they must have completed their PhD by the time the fellowship project starts.
Do I need a host professor before applying?
Yes — and this is the most important application step. The support of your EPFL host professor(s) must be secured before you submit, and this commitment only applies if the fellowship is granted. Contact affiliated faculty with your CV and a short abstract well before the deadline.
What fields are eligible?
The PhD should be in computer science, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or another field relevant to artificial intelligence. The programme is explicitly interdisciplinary — fellows are expected to work with at least two EPFL laboratories and develop AI applications across scientific domains.
How long is the fellowship?
A maximum of two years.
What does the CHF 5,000 per year cover?
Research costs, open research data costs, open access publication costs, travel, and conferences — all of which need to be justified in your budget and financial report. Extra costs beyond this must be covered by your host professor(s).
Who can I contact with questions?
The EPFL Research Office at research@epfl.ch — they're listed as the official contact for the call.
Is this a teaching position?
No. It's a research fellowship with a strong emphasis on developing your own ambitious, interdisciplinary AI research agenda, plus participation in the EPFL AI Center community and its strategic initiatives.
Final Words
The EPFL AI Center fellowship is one of those rare postdoc opportunities that actually trusts you with your own research agenda — backed by serious institutional resources in one of the world's most livable research cities. The catch is the host-support requirement: start those emails to EPFL professors now, well ahead of the 9 November deadline, and come with a proposal that's technically sharp, not buzzword-heavy.
