INSPIRE Quantum Master Awards

An initiative to broaden opportunities for women in science
Inspire Quantum Master Fellowships

One of the QSE Center’s main missions is to attract excellent female students in the domain of quantum science and engineering, where they unfortunately still remain strongly underrepresented. To that end, the QSE Center is joining ETH Zurich, NCCR Spin and NCCR Marvel in launching the INSPIRE Quantum Master Awards. These awards aim to attract and empower excellent female students who will conduct their master’s project in the research areas represented at the QSE Center.

This initiative, recognizing that an ambitious master’s research project is a stepping stone to starting a career in research, seeks to increase the number of young women researchers in the QSE domain, as represented by the numerous research groups at EPFL.

The awardee will receive 8,000 CHF paid to them directly. External applicants (i.e. students who are completing their master studies at another university than EPFL) are eligible for up to an additional 2,000 CHF for travel expenses.

Candidates can submit their application at any time but applications will be reviewed twice a year by the QSE executive committee.

This award is given to female master’s students about to embark on their master’s project. Eligible candidates must demonstrate their motivation and potential to conduct their master’s research project in a laboratory supported by the QSE Center.

Important: Candidates are not required to complete your master’s degree at EPFL, just the master’s thesis. We therefore welcome applications from students outside EPFL.

Candidates must apply minimum 2 months before the start of their master thesis. However, we encourage candidates to apply as soon as they know the topic of their master thesis and have received approval of the EPFL host laboratory.

Applicants must provide a list of all scholarships they received during their master’s studies, as part of their curriculum vitae. Generally, holding two scholarships with financial support that overlap in time is not allowed. However, it is possible to apply for the INSPIRE Quantum Master Award without requesting financial support. Eligibility will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The following documents must be submitted with your application. Please bundle these into one PDF file.

  • Motivation letter
  • Curriculum vitae; if other scholarships were received, they must be declared in the CV.
  • Letter of acceptance from the EPFL host laboratory for the master’s project
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Copy of your university degree(s) / transcripts with all grades
  • Copy of identity card or passport (foreigners who live in Switzerland: + residence permit)
  • If available: documents such as TOEFL or GRE scores

Diplomas in English, French, German and Italian will be accepted. All other documents must be in English.

Please submit your INSPIRE Quantum Master Award applications by email to [email protected].

Candidates can submit their application at any time via email but minimum two months before starting their master thesis. Applications will be reviewed twice a year on a competitive basis by the QSE executive committee.

Applicants will be informed of the decision by email either in February or August (depending on when they applied).

The selected candidates are asked to confirm their acceptance of the award within 2 weeks. Otherwise, their award may be given to another candidate.

The award is granted only to selected applicants who have completed enrollment at EPFL. Selected awardees are typically asked to start their master’s research project in the host laboratory within eight months after having received the decision. Payment of the award is subject to the continuation of the master’s research project.

Past awardees

QSE Center chooses two INSPIRE Quantum Master awardees

We are pleased to announce that two outstanding female students, Oxana Shaya and Kailyn Vaillancourt, have been chosen to INSPIRE Quantum Master’s awards for their upcoming master’s studies at EPFL in quantum. They will be joining the laboratories of Prof. Zoe Holmes and Prof. Cristina Benea-Chelmus respectively, and will receive up to 10,000 CHF each to help with their studies and expenses.