The Mertz Fellowship – a partnership between the Embassy of Switzerland in Australia, Swissnex, Swiss Polar Institute, and the Antarctic Science Foundation – supports joint projects and scientific networking between Swiss and Australian higher education and research institutions. The programme focuses on early-career researchers and fosters cutting-edge research while strengthening ties between two nations at the forefront of polar and alpine studies.
Two AUD 11,000 grants are made available per year. The fellowship grant can be used toward travel and costs of living (including accommodation) in order to reach the project objectives. Any PhD student or early-career researcher based in Switzerland or in Australia (maximum 5 years after the PhD award at the time of the proposal submission) is eligible to apply.
The deadline for submission is 31 October 2025, 23:00 CET
The details about the eligibility, the evaluation criteria, the submission process and the application form can be found on this webpage.
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Learn more:
- Projects:
- Inaugural Mertz Fellowship visit to Hobart, Tasmania, 2023 – Amy Macfarlane – Swiss Polar Institute (13.02.2024)
- Mertz Fellowship – Switzerland and Australia create opportunities for PhD students and ECRs – Swiss Polar Institute (05.09.2022)
Header photograph: Mertz on the ice cliff. © Frank Hurley, 1912. Wikimedia Public Domain, State Library of South Wales