Joint PhD thesis supervision

Swissuniversities Cotutelles de thèse

The call at a glance

Contact: [email protected]

Swissuniversities supports PhD students enrolled at a Swiss university who want to have their dissertation co-supervised by a partner university located abroad (within the Bologna system + Israel). A co-supervision agreement must be signed by the call deadline.

An overview of the program can be found here

Who can apply

Deadline: 31 March 2025

At the call deadline, applicants must:

• Be enrolled as a PhD student at a Swiss institution;
• Have spent min. 2 semesters at a Swiss institution;
• Hold a valid Swiss residence permit.

USI internal deadline: 10 March 2025

Send the complete dossier to [email protected]

Applications must include (updated forms to be published at the call opening in December):

• Application form;
• Support letter from USI supervisor;
• Support letter from co-supervisor;
• Signed co-supervision agreement.

Applicants older than 40 must submit a motivation letter.

Non-Swiss applicants must provide a copy of their residence permit.

Applicants not holding a degree from a Swiss higher education institution must submit a confirmation of matriculation or student ID from the Swiss higher education institution proving that they have been matriculated at a Swiss higher education institution for at least 2 semesters.

Funding and duration

Applicants can request up to CHF 10’000 for the duration of the co-supervision until the PhD defence date. Funding can be requested retrospectively, if the agreement was signed up to 1 year before the call deadline.

Eligible costs:

• For PhD students and CH supervisor: travel and living costs in the partner country;
• For co-supervisor abroad: travel and living costs in CH;
• Conference participation, if related to the project.

Further information.