The CYD Fellowships – A Talent Program for Cyber-Defence Research are offered by EPFL and the Cyber-Defence Campus to promote research and education in cyber-defence.
This opportunity is designed for strong candidates working in areas connected to:
1. CYD Master Thesis Fellowship
This track provides a living allowance and research funds for six months to support a Master thesis at the CYD Campus under the supervision of a professor or supervisor at a Swiss higher education institution. Applicants must be enrolled in a Master’s programme at a higher education institution in Switzerland and must have supervisor endorsement. The living allowance is CHF 2,500 per month for up to 6 months, with up to CHF 1,500 available for eligible research costs.
2. CYD Doctoral Fellowship
This track supports doctoral researchers working on cyber-defence research. It provides salary contribution, research funds and conference funds for four years, with a possible one-year extension. Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral programme at a Swiss higher education institution and need endorsement from a professor for Stage 2. Research costs may be funded up to CHF 3,000 per year, and conference costs up to CHF 5,000 per year.
3. CYD Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship
This track supports postdoctoral researchers conducting cyber-defence research at the CYD Campus under the supervision of a professor at a Swiss higher education institution. It provides salary contribution, research funds and conference funds for up to two years. Applicants need endorsement from a professor at a Swiss higher education institution for Stage 2.
Eligibility Summary
Citizens of any nationality may apply, and EPFL states that there are no age restrictions for the fellowship tracks. However, applicants must meet the specific academic and Swiss institutional requirements for their chosen track. This is a highly competitive programme, and EPFL states that excellence is the primary evaluation criterion.
Deadline
Master Thesis Fellowship: Rolling call, applications may be submitted throughout the year.
Doctoral and Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships: Stage 1 deadline is 19 August 2026 at 17:00 CEST.
Ruthless TripDoc Note
Do not present this as a general “fully funded scholarship in Switzerland for everyone.” That would be misleading.
This is best for people already connected to, or able to build a strong connection with, a Swiss higher education institution, especially in cyber-defence, cybersecurity, AI, data science or digital trust research.
