The Call for the Gruber Foundation Fellowship in Astrophysics 2026 is now open!
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is pleased to invite applications for the 2026 Gruber Foundation Fellowship in Astrophysics, a prestigious program supported by The Gruber Foundation (GF). This fellowship is designed to support early-career astronomers and promote the advancement of cosmology and other branches of astronomy. They encourage all IAU Members to inform eligible colleagues about this excellent opportunity.
The Fellowship will be awarded to highly promising early-career astronomers working in any field of astrophysics, including theoretical, observational, or experimental research. The Gruber Foundation provides funding of US$ 75,000 per year, typically divided among three recipients as a research grant to cover travel and research expenses in support of a postdoctoral appointment at a host institution. The postdoctoral appointment for the 2026 Gruber Foundation Fellowship in Astrophysics must begin no later than 1 October 2026. The fellowship may be combined with other awards.
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The IAU is the international astronomical organization that brings together about 13,000 distinguished astronomers from around the world. Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education, and development, through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognized authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and their surface features. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest professional body for astronomers.
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The Gruber Foundation (TGF) has created the GF Fellowship Programme with the aim of promoting the science of cosmology and other branches of astronomy. The IAU Executive Committee recognizes this contribution to our science and shares the desire of TGF to give this distinction the highest possible scientific standing and international character. Accordingly, at its 73rd meeting in Manchester, UK, in August 2000, the IAU EC decided to collaborate with TGF in the nomination of candidates and the selection of recipients, effective as of 1 January 2001.
TGF provides an amount of $75,000 (US) for Fellowships every year. The awarded Fellowship amount is intended as a research grant covering research-related expenses, supplementing a postdoctoral appointment at a host institution starting no later than October 1st of the award year. The Fellowship will be awarded to extremely promising, early-career astronomers, working in any field of astronomy, either theoretical, observational, or experimental. The total grant will be divided typically between three independent awardees. The Fellowship may be held in conjunction with any other fellowship or award.
Benefits
- The total grant (US$ 75,000) will be divided typically between three independent awardees (US$ 25,000 each).
- The grant will be paid directly to the recipient(s).
- The proposed budget should cover only the period for which the applicant has confirmed employment at the time of application.
- The fellowship cannot be used to extend an existing postdoctoral position beyond the confirmed period of employment.
- A small portion of the grant (up to 10%) may be used to supplement salary if the host institution fully covers all applicable salary-related costs (pensions, health insurance, etc.), subject to approval by the IAU General Secretary. A detailed justification must be provided.
The grant may be used for research-related purposes such as:
- Travel for research visits, observing runs, or conferences
- Equipment or software
- Open-access publication costs
Each budget item should be clearly described and justified.
Eligibilities
Eligible applicants are early-career astronomers within 3 years of receiving their PhD at the time of application, meeting one of the following conditions:
- Final-year PhD students with a confirmed contract offer for a postdoctoral position. The PhD must be successfully defended by the fellowship start date (no later than October 1 of the award year).
- Early-career astronomers in a postdoctoral appointment with at least one year of confirmed employment remaining from the fellowship start date.
- Astronomers transitioning to a new postdoctoral position with a contract offer starting no later than 1 October of the award year.
The 3-year eligibility period is measured from the PhD defense date to the fellowship start date. Officially documented career breaks (e.g., parental leave, medical leave, or mandatory military service) do not count toward this limit. There are no limitations on nationality, but, while the scientific quality of the application is the prime criterion, preference will be given to applicants from countries in difficult economic conditions.
- Host Institution Requirement: The host institute for the postdoctoral appointment must be a center of excellence in the applicant’s field of research and located in a country different either from that where the PhD was awarded, or from where the current post-doc contract is being completed (in the case of a second or subsequent post-doc). While the IAU Secretariat will administer the grant, the host institute should agree to offer basic salary and research facilities, since the GF grant is intended to cover primarily travel and research expenses. Upon agreement between the host institute and the IAU General Secretary, a small part of the grant (up to 10%) may be used to complement the basic salary, on the condition that the host institute covers the salary overheads (social benefits, salary and income taxes, personal insurance, etc.) and all other similar legal obligations valid in the country where the host institute is located. A detailed justification must be provided. The grant will be handed out directly to the selected applicant(s).
Application Process
Applications for the TGF Fellowship open on 1 December each year. Applications can be submitted via the dedicated online application form made available on 1 December every year.
Applications should contain:
- The applicant’s full name, address, email address, and current institute address.
- The applicant’s curriculum vitae and list of publications.
- The applicant’s research project to be carried out at the desired host institute (up to 5 pages + References, text in Times 12 or equivalent font).
- The starting date and period during which the fellowship grant will be used by the awardee at the host institute; in principle, this period should be 1 year, up to 2 years at most.
- A draft budget for the use of the grant by the awardee at the host institute (e.g., travel for research visits, observing runs, and conferences, equipment, software, or open-access publication costs etc.).
- A letter of appointment to a postdoc position from the director of the desired host institute, with particular attention to salary issues (salary amount, overheads, etc., to be covered by the host institute).
- Names and contact information for two reference persons.
Note: Two reference letters from people who have worked or collaborated with the applicant at some stage of the applicant’s career must be uploaded directly by the reference persons themselves, keeping in mind the application deadline. After submission of an application, the applicant will receive a link to distribute to these reference persons. After submission of these two letters, they will automatically be linked to the applicant’s submitted application and will be considered complete.
Deadline: The complete applications for the TGF Fellowship should be uploaded no later than 1 March at 11:59 PM Paris Time (UTC+1). Applications received after that date or incomplete applications will not be considered. In order to give your references time to complete their letters of reference, please be sure to submit the application well before the deadline. Queries should be addressed to [email protected].
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection before the end of May. The name of the selected TGF Fellow and that of the host institute will be announced on the IAU website.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 (8 Days Remaining)
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