Funding

In most cases, a doctorate is funded through the university's own resources (for assistant or doctoral posts, the so-called qualification positions), or by external funds, eg. the Swiss National Science Foundation (in the form of project funding or career funding). Employment or a grant is nevertheless not always guaranteed with a doctorate at the university - there are a number of different possibilities for completing a doctorate. The planning must take account of the graduate's personal situation and possibilities.

In positions besides the doctorate, researchers are more often responsible for their own research funding. It is therefore important to gain an overview of possible grants as early as possible and apply in time.

In cooperation with the Vice-Rectorate Research, the MVUB calls for proposals to the Fund for the Promotion of Young Researchers twice a year. Have a look at the separate tab for more information.

Application for caregiver cost-share, exclusively for MVUB members

Eligible to apply:

• MVUB members with care responsibilities who are committed to the mid-level faculty, e.g., as delegates to a committee or when serving on a committee for MVUB.
   
• If care work needs to be done in their absence and is not covered by regular care, an application can be made to cover care costs.

Application:

• The online form can be used to apply for cost sharing. All applications will be reviewed individually by the office and the Board of Directors will make a decision on approval. Application form below.

Reimbursement:

• Care costs of up to CHF 40 per hour are reimbursed, max. CHF 500.00 per application, person and year.

Ongoing application:

• As a rule, support amounting to a total of CHF 2,000.00 can be granted per calendar year.

Surpluses

• Surpluses from previous years are also used to support care work. The definition is broader and can also be used for a commitment outside the MVUB. Any applications will be reviewed individually by the office and the Board will decide on approval.

Term

• The MVUB Care Grant is a pilot project that will run for 2 years (2023 - 2024).
• With the experience from these two years, the application conditions can be adjusted if necessary.

Click here for the application form.

Travel Grants

The University of Bern offers travel grants for researchers preparing international research and education projects.

Travel platform

The travel platform consists of the easy-to-use “myCWT” online booking tool and the option of contacting Lehmann Reisen AG, a travel agency in Bern, for personal consultations, quotes and ticket purchases. 

For questions regarding the travel platform, the following e-mail address can be used: unibe.ch@mycwt.com

For travel with mixed financing from several credit reference numbers, see:

The following options are available for trips with multiple financing:

• Booking NOT via SBB-BT, then reimbursement through travel expenses (Spesen
• Charging a certain credit, then transfer in eforms

If you have any questions, please contact us directly: travel@unibe.ch

Experiences afforded by international stays abroad are of particular significance for a successful academic career of early career researchers. The University of Bern supports doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers in attending short research stays abroad, to advance their own research projects, to gain more international experience, and to thus improve their academic profile by way of a stay abroad.  

There are two submission deadlines per year, 1 March and 1 September.

Funding instrument to support junior researchers with care responsibilities who are employed 80-100% at the University of Bern.

The "UniBE Initiator Grants" support early career researchers at the University of Bern in the preparation of third-party funding applications post PhD. These applications can be either for support of the researcher themselves (individual funding) or for support of their own projects (project funding). In the annual application round, a total of at least CHF 250,000 is available. 

The Grants Office offers researchers at all levels at the University of Bern as well as the Inselspital information, personal guidance and administrative support on acquiring and managing selected national and international research funds. 

The University of Bern has been supporting researchers at the University of Bern in publishing in OA with its OA Publication Fund since 2020. From 2022, the funds available will be extended by swissuniversities until 2024, as the University of Bern is involved in the national OA fund.

The university is awarding personnel points (PPs) to participating institutions, in the framework of the Promoting SD in Teaching project. This gives teaching staff or project managers time to work on conception, implementation, and evaluation of a course relevant to promoting sustainability.

• Support can now also be requested for example for conferences, workshop series, exhibitions, and podcasts.

For easier access and research about funding, the vice rectorate research offers the the database "Fundraiso".

Part of the yearly donation from the Max and Elsa Beer-Brawand Foundation is avaliable to the University of Bern via the directorate of education. 

Call for tender spring semester 2023: the call can be expected to open in October/ November 2022.
The call for the autumn semester 2022 closed on 31st of May. 

The UniBe Research Foundation has been supporting the scientific research at the University of Bern for 94 years. The research results ultimately create public value for everyone. This public character is shared by the UniBe Research Foundation and the University of Bern.

To underline its close connections with the University of Bern, the Burgergemeinde Bern (civic community of Bern) grants one-off, small amounts to scientific plans and projects of the University of Bern as part of a loan approved every year.

The BKD (Education and Culture directorate of the canton of Bern) offers extensive information about financing your studies. If needed, they can provide free advice sessions to help you advance and deploy individual strategies.