EDCH How to apply?

Application information

Admission to our program is centralized and highly competitive. The program is entirely in English with a duration of usual 4 years. To apply to this doctoral program in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering you have to complete and submit an online application. Visit our website to get an idea of ongoing research in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at EPFL and see the PhD advisors linked to our doctoral program in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

You may find some useful information on this website Doctoral School homepage

Applications must be fully submitted prior to the given deadlines January 15th, April 30th and September 15th

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Admissions decisions in the EDCH program are made by a centralized committee. This means that you do not need to contact faculty or find a PhD advisor in order to apply. Instead, we strongly recommend that you go through the webpages of the EDCH affiliated labs to identify the research areas and to familiarize yourself with the work of the faculty members that are of most interest to you.

At the time of enrollment with this doctoral program, an applicant should have a four or five-year Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with background in Chemistry or Chemical engineering.

Grade records* from all attended universities, at undergraduate (BS) and graduate (MS) level. Scanned transcripts must include all grade records and the grading scale used by the institution. If you are admitted into the EDCH program and you accept our offer of admission, the registrar’s office at EPFL will require an official transcript of your most recent degree. They will contact you directly with instructions, after your enrollment.

Diplomas* (as far as already available) or an official attestation issued by your registrar’s office stating that you are in their undergraduate or graduate program, and when your degree certificate is expected to be issued. If your registrar cannot provide an official attestation, please upload a brief note (PDF) detailing when you will complete all the requirements to obtain your degree (be sure to include the date).

Curriculum Vitae (CV), in English. Outline your education, relevant internships, research and industry experience, publications, scholarships awarded, prizes and honors received, and extracurricular activities.

Statement of Purpose, in English. Prepare a concise one or two-page essay that describes your primary areas of interest, the faculty you would like to work with, your related research experience and your objectives in pursuing a PhD with EDCH. When describing your interests, you should explain why you think they are important areas of study and why you are particularly well-suited to pursue them.

Three letters of recommendation. Regardless of who your referees are, the letters should demonstrate your academic and research ability and potential.  As a courtesy, you should ask your referees ahead of time if they are willing to supply a recommendation letter to support your application.

A copy of your passport or official identity document showing your name in full.

All documents must be uploaded in unprotected PDF format, max. 2MB per document.

(*) If diplomas and grades are not originally in English, French, German or Italian, please provide copies of certified translations into English.

If you have questions: [email protected]

We expect that you are proficient in spoken and written English. If you are not a native speaker of English or have not received your degree from an institution where the only language of instruction is English, we strongly recommend that you submit the results of a recognized English-language test .

Self-reported scores should be recorded on the application form. A scanned PDF copy of the test results should also be uploaded when submitting the application.

In the online portal, you will be asked to identify your referees and their email addresses. Please include your referees’ institutional email address on the application form. Submissions from anonymous email addresses (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.) may be subject to additional review.

An automated email will be sent to your referees when you submit your application; they will then be invited to complete their recommendation online. Please submit your application early enough in order to leave your referees enough time to complete this task before the chosen deadline .

To help you with your follow-up, you will be automatically informed each time one of your referees has submitted their letter.

Some of our doctoral students are employed by external research labs. If this situation applies to you contact [email protected]

More information here

The vast majority of doctoral candidates are employed and paid as doctoral assistants. They conduct research towards their doctorate, participate in teaching undergraduates, and help in the smooth running of their research unit. They therefore benefit from a dual status of student and employee.

More information here