EPFL AI Center Fellowships

Supporting the next generation of AI researchers

The EPFL AI Center Fellowship programmes support outstanding PhD students and postdoctoral researchers pursuing ambitious research in artificial intelligence and its applications across scientific domains.

Rooted in the Center’s mission to advance AI research at EPFL, the programmes are designed to foster scientific excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration and intellectual independence. Fellows engage with faculty and laboratories across EPFL, develop new research directions, and contribute to a vibrant community working across the foundations and applications of AI.

Through these programmes, the EPFL AI Center aims to:

Advance cutting-edge AI research across disciplines and application areas;
Foster responsible AI, encouraging critical consideration of issues such as fairness, privacy and bias;
Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across the EPFL AI Center community;
Support the next generation of AI researchers and leaders.

Current EPFL AI Center Fellowship Call

EPFL AI Center & Swiss AI Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowships

The EPFL AI Center Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme, supported in part through funding from the Swiss AI Initiative , offers outstanding and highly motivated early-career researchers the opportunity to collaborate with EPFL faculty across a wide range of scientific domains.

With a strong emphasis on excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific independence, Fellows work across several EPFL laboratories on forefront AI research. They also contribute actively to the EPFL AI Center community, including its strategic research initiatives, seminars and broader scientific activities.

Eligibility requirements

Applications are encouraged by researchers at the postdoctoral level.
Applicants must have obtained a PhD degree in computer science, physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or another field relevant to artificial intelligence, no more than two years before the submission deadline.
Doctoral students in the last year of their doctoral studies are eligible to apply (senior PhD students), provided that they will have successfully completed their PhD degree by the time they start the fellowship.
Applicants must have the support of two EPFL host professors who are Faculty members affiliated with the EPFL AI Center. Applicants should therefore contact potential host Professor(s) from this list and discuss and agree on a potential collaboration before submitting their application.
Priority is given to external candidates. Senior PhD students and junior postdoctoral researchers already at EPFL are also eligible.
The programme is highly competitive. Scientific excellence is the primary evaluation criterion, based on academic records and professional accomplishments. Candidates applying for the AI Center fellowship are expected to have excellent grade transcripts.
Applicants may submit only one application.
Citizens of any nationality may apply for the AI Center & Swiss AI Initiative postdoctoral fellowship programme. No age restrictions apply
Applications from candidates of all genders and backgrounds are strongly encouraged.

Evaluation

Each application will be evaluated by the Evaluation Committee of the programme, composed of experts in AI-related research. External reviews may be solicited for an appropriate evaluation of the proposals, if this is deemed necessary.

Proposals will be evaluated and scored based on the following criteria:

Scientific excellence, which will be assessed in terms of:

The degree to which the project proposal fits with the topics specified in the call for proposals;
Originality/novelty of the research objectives and/or research plan;
Suitability and quality of the research approach/working method;
Competence and experience of the applicant in the field of the proposed research;

Impact of the project:

Potential, relevance and practical impact of the project proposal with respect to AI;
Potential for collaboration with research groups at EPFL and for interactions with the EPFL AI Center community;

Feasibility of the project in terms of resources, management, and organization.

Deadline

9 November 2026 17:00 (CET)

Funding & eligible costs

The fellowship covers a contribution to the salary of the postdoctoral researcher of approximately 50% per year (EPFL salary scales apply ). The remaining part of the salary is covered by the EPFL host laboratories. EPFL Human Resources guidelines and practices apply with regard to social security
A maximum amount of CHF 5’000 per fellowship year can be granted for research costs, open research data costs, open access publication costs, travel and conference costs. These costs need to be justified in the budget and in the financial report. Any additional costs for research expenses, travel, etc. need to be covered by the host Professor(s).
The host laboratories commit to making the necessary infrastructure available to the postdoctoral researcher (e.g., office space, laboratory space and equipment, administrative support).

How to apply

Explore the Application toolkit and carefully review the application guidelines.

All required documents must be submitted in English through the online submission platform .