How to apply

The call for applications for the second cohort of Enrico Fermi Fellowships will open soon! The next deadline is October 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM Marseille time (GMT+2).

Applicants must complete the dedicated form. Be sure to submit a complete application and visit our FAQ page or contact us for clarifications about the application process.

The proposed starting date of the fellowship must be between April 2026 and January 2027. Please note that finalizing the agreement with your institution and activating the fellowship may take a few months. Consider this when selecting a starting date. The duration is expected to be less than two years, but we will exceptionally consider longer projects.

In the first cohort we funded 11 projects. We expect to award again between 5 and 10 fellowships, depending on budget availability. Awards will not be disbursed to the fellow directly but to the institution where the student is employed or otherwise legally affiliated.

Before applying, please read the EFF terms and conditions page and the budget section below.

What do I need to apply?

The application form will ask you for the following details

Applicant Information

First name(s)
Last name(s)
Email address
Affiliation

Project Overview

Project title
Research area.
Proposed start date. – The start date must be between April 2026 and January 2027 (inclusive). Please allow for possible administrative delays in setting up the fellowship with your host institution.
Proposed Duration. – The duration of each EFF is expected to be less than two years, but we will exceptionally consider longer up to a max of three.
Experimental supervisor (name, affiliation, email)
Theoretical supervisor (name, affiliation, email)

Project Details

1-page executive summary highlighting key information and how the assessment criteria are met
1–4 page research proposal
Supporting letter from the experimental supervisor
Supporting letter from the theoretical supervisor
1–3 page CV
Transcripts for all university-level study (BSc, MSc, and PhD if applicable)
Institution statement on official letterhead, signed by a university representative with authority to sign grant agreements (Institutional Support Letter Template)
Detailed budget based on the template (EFF Budget Template)

Referees Suggestions

Full name
Email
Affiliation

Note: These referees should not have any joint publications with the applicant or either of the two supervisors. These referees are indicative only; we may select different referees at our discretion.

Additional infos *

Awarded fellowships will be showcased in a dedicated section of the EFF website. To this end, successful awardees will be asked to provide:

A profile picture
A short blog-style text (up to 400 words) presenting the research project for a non-expert audience

How do I structure the budget?

A precise, reliable budget represents an important part of each EFF application. The awarded fellows will be asked to provide detailed expense reports annually throughout the disbursement of the award. To ease the process, we created a downloadable budget template (EFF Budget Template), and we here provide information as complete as possible. Do not hesitate to contact us for further questions.

Details

The maximum requestable amount is EUR 105K per year, divided as follows:

Student’s salary support

Up to EUR 75K per year for the student’s salary support and cost-of-education expenses for the purposes of the fellowship (such as tuition, tuition waivers, and fees).

Travel expenses

Up to 10% of the overall award’s budget per year for travel, conferences, relocation, and visa expenses for the fellow.

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Supervisors funds

Up to EUR 25K per year divided between the two supervisors involved as research funds for laboratory costs. These costs are required to be in connection with the proposed project.Eligible expenses include:

salaries (limited to time dedicated to student supervision),
travel costs (they count together with the student’s travel costs towards the 10% threshold of the total award),
conference fees,
publication fees,
equipment purchases (please be aware of capital expenditure—see below for details)

Important Limitations

Coursework

The awarded funds must be used only to fund the specific projects selected as part of the EFF program, not for coursework or other unrelated responsibilities.

Capital Expenditure

The funds allocated to the supervisors cannot be used for Capital Expenditures. In general, Capital Expenditures include items with an individual value equal to or greater than 5,000 USD (or foreign currency equivalent), which have a “useful life” of more than one year. Multiple equipment items purchased separately but used only in aggregate to perform a business function (e.g., individual components of what is effectively a single lab instrument) are also considered Capital Expenditure.

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Overheads

Notice that even if not included directly in the form, the hosting institution can claim a maximum of 10% of the fellowship as overhead to cover administrative costs. The details on how these overhead funds will be used by the hosting institution must be declared in the institutional statement and can be used to pay expenses of the following kind (the list is indicative):

Rent, utilities (including phone and internet), maintenance, insurance (e.g., general liability, cybersecurity, and media liability), and other general facilities costs.
Clerical, administrative, legal, technical, information technology, and accounting services.
General use office equipment, lab instruments, or equipment not 100% dedicated to the grant or project.
Printers, mail services, and miscellaneous office supplies.