How to register online and prepare your application

Candidates must also satisfy the following requirements:

- Agreement of a professor to act as thesis supervisor;
- Agreement of the Faculty.

These agreements are validated by the signatures on the PhD form.

Note:
It is necessary to submit and validate your application online and to upload the documents requested.
Only complete applications submitted within the specified deadlines will be examined. If one or more of the documents referred to below are missing without justification, the application will not be considered. 

Content of applications for a doctoral programme:

- a passport format photograph

- a complete curriculum vitae up to date

- a copy of the upper secondary school diploma, the university diploma(s) (if obtained), as well as the diploma supplement(s) (if received). 

- a copy of all official transcripts obtained in all examinations taken at the university or HES.

- a copy of the programme description concerning the final semester or the last year of the Master's degree, if the Master's degree has not yet been obtained

- candidates coming from another Swiss university or an HES/HEP must also provide a certificate of exmatriculation (at the latest the certificate must be provided before the start of the courses)

- a copy of the passport or identity card

- for foreigners, a copy of the Swiss residence permit (if already in possession)

The prospective PhD student must also send the two copies of the completed and signed PdD form to his/her thesis director. The link to the form is provided in the online application and in the email acknowledging receipt sent immediately after the confirmation by the candidate (to be printed out by him/her).

The thesis director signs and forwards the form to the Doctoral School or the Dean’s Office, who stamps and signs the document before returning it to the Admissions Office by 15 October 2024 (autumn semester 2024/2025) or 28 February 2025 (spring semester 2025). It is therefore important for the candidate to forward the PhD form to the thesis director without delay.

Confirmation of registration

Admitted candidates must confirm their registration in accordance with the instructions provided by the Admissions Office.

If the swiss university diploma has not yet been obtained, the final transcript or a certificate confirming that the student has fulfilled all the prerequisites to obtain the degree has to be provided

Duration of registration

Doctoral students must be registered at UNIL from the beginning to the end of their doctorate, until their thesis is registered by the Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire.

If registration of the thesis takes place after 15 October, the PhD student must remain registered for the Autumn semester. If it takes place after 28 February, the PhD student must remain registered for the Spring semester.