PhD Guide for doctoral candidates

Academic fees EPFL does not charge annual tuition fees for PhD candidates. Instead, PhD candidates are employed as doctoral assistants and earn a salary (see the following section). There are two one-off fees: one at the start to enroll for the doctorate and one at the end to register for the oral examination. • The registration fee due upon enrollment in the doctoral program is CHF 150.- for students with a master's degree (or equivalent) of a foreign university, CHF 50.- for students with a master's degree of a Swiss university, and none for students with a master's degree of EPFL or ETH Zurich. • The oral examination fee is CHF 1’500.- and must be paid before the oral examination.

The PhD at EPFL 11 director exchange early and comprehensively about the “how” questions. The two checklists included in the two references below are useful to guide the discussion. • EPFL Doctoral School, The supervisory relationship: a tool for discussion. • Anne Lee: Establishing a Good Relationship from the beginning Formal first-year requirements As mentioned in the overview, the first year of the PhD at EPFL is a phase called doctoral studies. By the end of the first year, each PhD candidate must: have a thesis director3; complete the first-year course requirements; have an approved research plan; have passed the candidacy examination. The candidacy examination is considered the capstone assessment of the first year. The aim of this exam is that the PhD candidate demonstrates their aptitude to complete a PhD thesis at EPFL. The exam usually includes a presentation of the thesis subject, the research plan and results obtained during first year. This is followed by a question-and-answer session during which the jury tests the candidate’s understanding of the proposed thesis and how the research will be conducted, their broader understanding of the field, their scientific thinking and their mastery of prerequisite knowledge. If needed, a PhD candidate has the right to attempt this examination a second time. The modalities of the candidacy examination and other first-year requirements differ between PhD programs and are defined in the respective doctoral program regulations. A list of frequently asked questions about the first year of PhD studies can be found here.

Aims of the PhD Guide 1. Aims of the PhD Guide Dear Reader, This guide is for you if you want to know more about doctoral training at EPFL. You will find an outline of the PhD curriculum with its formal requirements, suggestions for good practice and information about how doctoral training is governed at EPFL. To the impatient reader we recommend the sections on the formal academic framework: overview of the PhD curriculum, first year requirements, annual report, steps to graduation. If you are a new PhD candidate1 (PhD student): welcome! This is the start of an exciting journey of scientific discovery and profound personal transformation. If you are a new thesis director2 (PhD supervisor): welcome! We hope this guide helps you nurture the next generation of researchers in your field. The chapters cover the following topics: • Chapter 2 will guide you step-by-step through the different phases of the PhD, • Chapter 3 explains aspects of being employed as a doctoral assistant at EPFL, • Chapter 4 provides helpful information on life as PhD candidate and available support, • Chapter 5 presents the organisation of the Doctoral School at EPFL. This guide is issued by the EPFL Doctoral School – the institutional entity that brings together all doctoral programs under one roof – and therefore focuses on the general rules and principles that apply to PhD candidates in all doctoral programs. If you have questions about a specific situation, please contact the administration of your doctoral program. We hope you enjoy this guide and wish you success, Philip Mair, PhD Deputy to the Associate Vice President for Doctoral and Lifelong Education 1 In EPFL regulations, a PhD student is referred to as PhD candidate or as doctoral assistant. 2 In EPFL regulations, a PhD supervisor/advisor is referred to as thesis director.

The PhD at EPFL 11 director exchange early and comprehensively about the “how” questions. The two checklists included in the two references below are useful to guide the discussion. • EPFL Doctoral School, The supervisory relationship: a tool for discussion. • Anne Lee: Establishing a Good Relationship from the beginning Formal first-year requirements As mentioned in the overview, the first year of the PhD at EPFL is a phase called doctoral studies. By the end of the first year, each PhD candidate must: have a thesis director3; complete the first-year course requirements; have an approved research plan; have passed the candidacy examination. The candidacy examination is considered the capstone assessment of the first year. The aim of this exam is that the PhD candidate demonstrates their aptitude to complete a PhD thesis at EPFL. The exam usually includes a presentation of the thesis subject, the research plan and results obtained during first year. This is followed by a question-and-answer session during which the jury tests the candidate’s understanding of the proposed thesis and how the research will be conducted, their broader understanding of the field, their scientific thinking and their mastery of prerequisite knowledge. If needed, a PhD candidate has the right to attempt this examination a second time. The modalities of the candidacy examination and other first-year requirements differ between PhD programs and are defined in the respective doctoral program regulations. A list of frequently asked questions about the first year of PhD studies can be found here.