EPFL CYD Fellowship 2027

To promote research and education in cyber-defence, the EPFL and the Cyber-Defence (CYD) Campus have jointly launched the “CYD Fellowships – A Talent Program for Cyber-Defence Research.”

The 14th call for applications is now open, with a rolling call for Master Thesis Fellowship applications and Proof of Concept Fellowship applications, and with a deadline of 19 August 2026 (17:00 CEST) for Doctoral and Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship applications.

The CYD Fellowships is a talent program for cyber-defence research.  It offers Master Thesis, Doctoral, and Distinguished Postdoctoral fellowships to candidates with an outstanding academic and, if applicable, professional track record. This program is highly competitive, and the primary evaluation criterion is excellence, as measured by academic records and professional accomplishments. Candidates applying for a CYD fellowship are expected to have excellent grade transcripts.

• Table of Content
• About Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL)
• EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship
• Requirements for EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship

CYD Master Thesis Fellowships

• Eligible costs include and are limited to:
  • Living allowance equal to CHF 2’500.- per month for a maximum duration of 6 months.
  • Research costs: a maximum amount of CHF 1’500 can be granted  for research costs (only for specific equipment needed for the project, not general IT material).
• For administrative reasons, the allowance will be paid as a salary for EPFL students (gross salary of CHF 2’500.- paid directly to the CYD Master Thesis fellow). This salary is subject to social contributions.
• Research and conference costs can be granted during the fellowship upon submission of a request with a justification for the funding.

CYD Doctoral Fellowships

• Salary contribution (incl. social security benefits) based on the salary scale associated with the applicant’s position in the host institution.
• Research costs: A maximum amount of CHF 3’000.- per year can be granted for research costs (only for specific equipment needed for the project, not for general IT material).
• Conference costs: A maximum amount of CHF 5’000.- per year can be granted for conference costs.

CYD Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Salary contribution (including social security benefits) based on the salary scale associated with the applicant’s position in the host institution. 
• Research costs: a maximum amount of CHF 3’000.- per year can be granted for research costs (only for specific equipment needed for the project, not for general IT material).
• Conference costs: a maximum amount of CHF 5’000.- per year can be granted for conference costs.

Requirements for EPFL CYD Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification

CYD Master Thesis Fellowships

• Citizens of any nationality may apply for the CYD Master Thesis Fellowships.
• No age restrictions apply.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a Master program at a higher education institution (university or school of applied sciences) in Switzerland and have the endorsement of a professor/supervisor employed in this institution willing to supervise them.

CYD Doctoral Fellowships

• Citizens of any nationality may apply for the CYD Doctoral fellowships.
• No age restrictions apply.
• Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program at a Swiss higher education institution and have the endorsement of a professor employed in this institution willing to supervise them when they submit their Stage 2 application (see Selection process).
• Applicants may seek the endorsement of a professor employed at a school of applied sciences, but they must provide written confirmation at Stage 2 that they are simultaneously enrolled in a doctoral program at a Swiss university.
• Applicants may apply at any time during their doctoral studies, but preference will be given to applications who have not started yet their PhD or who are at the beginning of their PhD.
  Applicants may request funding for less than four years if the requested funding period coincides with the completion of their PhD thesis.

CYD Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Citizens of any nationality may apply for the CYD Postdoctoral fellowships.
• No age restrictions apply.
• Applicants must have the endorsement of a professor employed at a Swiss higher education institution willing to supervise them when they submit their Stage 2 application (see Selection process).
• Applicants are only eligible to apply if they will conduct their postdoctoral research funded by a Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship in a different laboratory from the one of their doctoral and (if applicable) of their current postdoctoral research.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more information, kindly visit EPFL Scholarship webpage.