FAQ

All answers to frequently asked questions are listed here. Please read them carefully before contacting us. In case of doubt or conflict, the regulations count.

Technical questions

I cannot submit my application in mySAGW. What should I do?

You find information about the submission of applications here. You can only submit your application once you have created an account and logged in to mySAGW. If you are still unable to submit your application, please contact us: sagw(at)sagw.ch

I have not received a confirmation of submission. What should I do?

You will receive a verification e-mail after your account has been created. You can download a confirmation of your complete application from mySAGW. However, we will not send you an e-mail confirming the successful submission of your application.

If you have not received the verification e-mail or are unable to download the confirmation of your complete application, please contact us: sagw(at)sagw.ch

Questions concerning the joint authorship

I wrote the article together with my Ph.D. supervisor. Should I submit an individual or collective application?

If you are the lead author, you can submit an individual application. If both of you have contributed equally, please submit a collective application. If that is the case, submit two CVs and two publication lists.

We are several authors. Do we have to apply collectively or should I apply individually?

There are three options:

  1. If you are the main author and have contributed most to the article: Please submit an individual application on the mySAGW online application form and obtain the agreement of the joint authors.
  2. If you have all contributed equally to the article: Please submit a collective application on the mySAGW online application form and send us the CVs and publication lists of all joint authors.  
  3. If you are one of the main authors who has contributed most to the article: Please submit a collective application on the mySAGW online application form and send us the CVs and publication lists of all main authors. Please also obtain the agreement of all joint authors who do not participate in the submission.

Is it possible to apply with a foreign joint author who is working at a foreign university?

Yes. Only one of the authors, the one who submits the application, must meet the eligibility criteria for applicants.

Questions concerning the article

What counts as an article which fulfils the criteria?

Your publication must be peer-reviewed. It can be a journal article, a book chapter or any other type of peer-reviewed publication (see Criteria for articles).

When should my article have been published?
The article must have been first published between October of the previous year and October of the year of the application. For the Early Career Award 2024 the article must have been published between 1 October 2022 and 31 October 2023. The date of first publication counts. Whether it was first published online or in print does not matter (see Criteria for articles).

Questions concerning the applicant

I do not have a Swiss passport. Can I still apply?

If you are currently working at a Swiss Higher Education Institution or if you were working at a Swiss Higher Education Institution at the time of publication of the submitted article, you can apply regardless of your nationality. Please indicate the institution with which you are currently affiliated or were affiliated at the time of publication in the mySAGW online application form.

I am based abroad. Can I apply?

In the following three cases your place of residence does not matter, and you can apply:

  1. If you work at a Swiss Higher Education Institution and are currently abroad conducting research, you can apply. Please mention the institution you are working at or in what context you are working abroad (e.g. SNF research project).
  2. If you were working at or were affiliated with a Swiss Higher Education Institution at the time of the publication of the article and are currently abroad, you can apply.
  3. If you are a Swiss citizen and are currently working abroad, you can apply.

I am 38 years old. Can I apply?

Your age at the time the article was published (online or print) is relevant. If you were younger than 39, you can apply. In some justified cases, a candidate may be eligible even though they have exceeded the age limit. For instance, if the applicant has completed a second-chance education or if family responsibilities have led to unavoidable delay in their academic career. If this applies to you, please mention this in your cover letter.

Other questions

Which information should I include in my cover letter?

Your cover letter should be maximum two pages and address the following points:

  • The originality of your paper
  • How your research contributes to your branch
  • How your article may be of interest to other branches (see evaluation procedure and results).

If you wish, you can also include other aspects, such as your career.

Should I include a letter of recommendation?

No. Letters of recommendation will not be considered.