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Doctoral candidates can apply to the Graduate School for funding to cover the following research-related activities and expenses:
1,000 CHF per person/year for
Language courses
Academic literature and interlibrary loan services
Data management software and licenses
2,000 CHF per person/year for
Copy editing
Translation services
Doctoral candidates enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are eligible to apply, including those on academic leave during the publication phase. Amounts under CHF 100 will not be disbursed. However, applicants may collect several smaller cost items and submit them in a single application, provided the combined total meets or exceeds this threshold. It is recommended that applications be submitted on an ongoing basis, as funding is subject to budget availability.
A clear explanation must be provided stating why the requested expense is essential for the further development of the doctoral project.
Supporting documentation must be attached.
If multiple items or services are requested, each must be listed individually on the receipt(s) or documentation.
As a rule, subsidies are granted only for language courses taken at the UZH / ETH Language Center.
In exceptional cases, subsidies for courses at other institutions may also be requested — for example, if the Language Center does not offer courses in the relevant language or at the appropriate level.
The application must explain why the language course is essential for the doctoral project.
If the course is taken outside the UZH / ETH Language Center, the application must justify why the intended learning goal can only be achieved through the specific external course.
A booking confirmation (may be issued before payment) must be attached.
Subsidies may be granted for the purchase or paid use of software or licences that are directly related to the collection, analysis, and/or management of empirical data as part of the doctoral project. The purchase or rental of hardware is not eligible for funding.
Generally, data management-related expenses should be covered by the institute, department, project, or chair to which the doctoral candidate is affiliated. If this is not possible, and the purchase or use of the software or licence is essential for the applicant’s doctoral research, a funding request may be submitted to the Graduate School.
The application must explain why the specific software or licence is indispensable.
It must be stated that the costs cannot be covered by other sources (e.g. institute or chair).
A receipt confirming purchase or use must be attached.
The application requires the signature of the principal supervisor.
Specialist literature includes scholarly materials or sources that must be purchased in physical or digital form. Interlibrary loan refers to a fee-based library service through which books or other media are ordered from libraries or archives outside of UZH.
The application must explain why the material must necessarily be obtained by purchase or interlibrary loan.
A receipt confirming purchase or use of the interlibrary loan service must be attached.
Applications: At the earliest three month before the service and at the latest one month after the service.
Doctoral students can apply for subsidies to cover the costs of copy editing and translation of texts that are not written in their native language and are central for the academic qualification.
The application must clearly explain why the service is essential for the doctoral thesis or scholarly article.
Receipt(s) or binding quote(s) must be attached, including:
Proof of payment or binding order
Detailed breakdown of costs
Confirmation that the provider meets statutory tax and social security obligations (e.g. valid UID for Switzerland/EU or TIN for the USA)
Applications may be submitted no earlier than three months before and no later than one month after the service is rendered.
Subsidies can only be granted for costs incurred within the current calendar year.
The application period for 2026 ends on December 1st.
Please combine the application form (DOCX, 151 KB) and all required supporting documents into a single PDF file (maximum size 50 MB) and submit it as an email attachment to rechnungswesen@phil.uzh.ch. Information regarding the required documentation can be found below.
The application period for 2025 ends on 1 December.
For accounting reasons, subsidies can only be granted for costs incurred within the current calendar year. Please note: For courses or services taking place in December, applications cannot be submitted unless a binding booking confirmation or receipt dated no later than 30 November is available. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed.
The Graduate School does not enter into correspondence regarding the disbursement of funds. Payment is generally made to your account within two months of receipt of the application.