Information for supervising professors and lab assistants
Goals of the scholarship
- Promote bilateral research cooperation between Switzerland and 183 countries.
- Contribute to academic continuity, brain and talent circulation, specifically in developing countries.
- This scholarship aims at giving foreign researchers the opportunity to complete a research stay in Switzerland. Applicants will not be granted a scholarship if they have been staying in Switzerland for more than a year before the scholarship starts (September 1). With similar levels of excellence, priority will be given by the selection committee to candidates with no experience abroad.
At a glance
| between August and December (1 year ahead) |
Application from candidates for the scholarship. This is when you could be contacted by the potential candidates. |
| March | First round of selection by academic committee. |
| April | EPFL Reception Office contacts supervisors to confirm their interest/willingness to work with the candidate. |
| May | Second round of selection by academic committee. |
| September 1 until August 30 | Duration of the scholarship. |
| January | PhD candidates needs to request an extension of their scholarship every year. You will be contacted for a recommandation letter by the student. |
| Defining scholarship holder statuts at EPFL | Labs or HR must define the precise status of the scholarship holders: Research scholarship (after MA) PhD scholarship – visiting doctoral student PhD scholarship PostDoc scholarship with or without salary complement This is important for all subsequent procedures. |
| Accreditation, camipro, GASPAR accesses | Labs or HR, depending on the scholarship holders status, are responsible for these tasks. The Reception Service cannot give accreditation to your students. |
| Suplementary salary and contractual aspects | This depends on the scholarship holder’s status and is handled by Labs/HR. Refer to chapter “Scholarship amount, salary complement, duration, enrollment at EPFL, additional benefits” below. |
| Scholarship payment | The scholarship is payed monthly directly by the Reception Service to the scholarship holder and cannot be transferred to the lab’s account. |
| Work space | Every scholarship holder needs a regular work space as does any other researcher, this is organized by the lab itself. There are no funds for IT material etc. |
| Research abroad | No allowances will be paid in relation to field trips, field work, international conferences etc. by the FSC. Permission to do research abroad is only granted to PhDs. During the entire PhD scholarship (36 months) the PhD field work abroad cannot exceed a total of 6 months. The scholarship holder must ask permission to the Reception office before the research abroad, no later than one month before the departure. |
Scholarship amount, salary complement, duration, enrollment at EPFL, additional benefits
| Scholarship amount | CHF 1920.-/month |
| EPFL salary complement | EPFL rules in terms of salary complement applies as following: No salary complement. |
| Scholarship duration and renewal | 1 year and can’t be renewed |
| Enrollment to EPFL | No EPFL academic enrollment needed. |
| Additionnal benefits | Half-tax travel card (demi-tarif): will be refunded. Health Insurance is paid by the scholarship program if the beneficiary arrives on the date agreed by the FCS. For people arriving before September, health insurance is not covered. Return flights will be reimbursed according the FCS rules, up to 6 months after the end of the scholarship. Housing is guaranteed for scholarship holders (for one person at the arrival, for the first year only, in one of the student’s homes. Activity program during your stay. |
| Scholarship amount | CHF 1920.-/month |
| EPFL salary complement | EPFL rules in terms of salary complement applies as following: Salary complement compulsary (to CHF 2500.-) according to EPFL Regulation. |
| Scholarship duration and renewal | 1 year and can’t be renewed |
| Enrollment to EPFL | Enrollment needed to the EPFL doctoral school (visting). |
| Additionnal benefits | Half-tax travel card (demi-tarif): will be refunded. Health Insurance is paid by the scholarship program if the beneficiary arrives on the date agreed by the FCS. For people arriving before September, health insurance is not covered. Return flights will be reimbursed according the FCS rules, up to 6 months after the end of the scholarship. Housing is guaranteed for scholarship holders (for one persone at the arrival, for the first year only, in one of the student’s homes. Activity program during your stay. |
| Scholarship amount | CHF 1920.-/month |
| EPFL salary complement | EPFL rules in terms of salary complement applies as following: Top up compulsary acccording to EPFL Regulation (link accessible though EPFL intranet). |
| Scholarship duration and renewal | 1 year and is renewable for up to 3 years (conditional upon excellent performance). The supervisor needs to guarantee funding for the 4th year. |
| Enrollment to EPFL | Enrollment needed to the EPFL doctoral school. |
| Additionnal benefits | Half-tax travel card (demi-tarif): will be refunded. Health Insurance is paid by the scholarship program if the beneficiary arrives on the date agreed by the FCS. For people arriving before September, health insurance is not covered. Return flights will be reimbursed according the FCS rules, up to 6 months after the end of the scholarship. Housing is guaranteed for scholarship holders (for one persone at the arrival, for the first year only, in one of the student’s homes. Activity program during your stay. |
| Scholarship amount | CHF 3500.-/month |
| EPFL salary complement | EPFL rules in terms of salary complement applies as following: Complement is possible but not compulsary (at the discretion of host professor). |
| Scholarship duration and renewal | 1 year and can’t be renewed |
| Enrollment to EPFL | No EPFL academic enrollment needed. |
| Additionnal benefits | Half-tax travel card (demi-tarif): will be refunded. Health Insurance is paid by the scholarship program if the beneficiary arrives on the date agreed by the FCS. For people arriving before September, health insurance is not covered. Return flights will be reimbursed according the FCS rules, up to 6 months after the end of the scholarship. Housing is guaranteed for scholarship holders (for one persone at the arrival, for the first year only, in one of the student’s homes. Activity program during your stay. |
Information sessions
- For supervisors: Once a year (beginning of September) an information session for professors is held with the EPFL Reception Office and the Research Office. See the last session here. Find complementary information about your role as a supervisor on this document.
- For hosting lab: Once a year (May-June), a practical and administrative information session is held for all lab assistants who will welcome scholarship holders.
Contact
EPFL Swiss excellence scholarships
Email: [email protected]
EPFL Academic representative for the scholarship
François Gallaire
Email: [email protected]