Starting at PSI

ATTENTION: this is a legacy version of our "Moving to Switzerland" webpage, and as such it is not routinely updated. To go to the current webpage on the intranet, click here! If you have any question or comment, or if something is wrong with this page, please let us know by writing us an email at phdassociation@psi.ch.

First things first: Register at the Gemeinde (local municipality)

Within your first two weeks, you need to register in person with the Gemeinde where you live (the local municipality). If you are staying in the PSI guesthouse, you will register in the Villigen Gemeindehaus, an easy 2-3 km walk from PSI. If you are living elsewhere, you will need to register at your local Gemeinde. Take your passport and VISA and they will guide you through the rest of the process of obtaining a resident permit card (For non-EU).

Insurance in Switzerland

Within your first three months, you will need to get Swiss health insurance. Switzerland has mandatory insurance for all its residents. Make sure you get the insurance by then or the government will choose one for you, which is usually expensive.
How to get insurance:

1. Go to https://en.comparis.ch/
2. Type in your details
3. Choose the right deductible
4. Choose the right insurance

What is a "deductible": It is the amount of money you pay out-of-pocket before the insurance starts paying for your expenses. Your deductible is inversely proportional to your monthly premium--higher deductible, lower premium. Comparis has all the necessary details, one can do their own research to choose the right insurer. Our recommendation for the young and healthy: make it simple, go for the cheapest!!!

Optional insurance add-ons:

1. In case you need helicopter service you need to talk to the insurance company to check if it is covered.
2. In case you do skiing you might want to have something called as liability insurance.
3. This insurance does not cover dental treatments!!!

Finding an apartment

PSI employees are spread mostly in parts of Zurich, Baden, Brugg, Würenlingen and also other places such as Basel, Bern etc. Which is the best location? That’s subjective.. However, finding accommodation outside big cities is usually easy. There are plenty of websites one can look at and also the notice boards at PSI. One can also contact the people in the guesthouse for PSI owned apartments in Brugg or Würenlingen.
Following websites will be useful:
https://en.comparis.ch/immobilien/default.aspx
https://www.homegate.ch/
http://www.immoscout24.ch/
https://www.ronorp.net/ (big cities only)

Swiss travel cards

  • General Abonnement/GA (a.k.a. SwissPass) (link)
  • PSI GA reimbursement form (link: search for "GA_Pauschalbeitrag.dotx")

As a PhD student (age 25-30 yrs), you have access to a discounted GA travelcard (2600 CHF for a yr), which lets you ride any train, bus, boat, or tram in Switzerland and gets you discounts on many funiculars, ski passes, and other Swiss travel-related activities. Additionally, PSI will reimburse money if you use the GA to travel to and from your university (500 CHF if you attend university in Zürich or Basel, 1000 CHF if you attend university outside of those kantons). Considering the cost of coming by bus to PSI every day, and the cost of visiting the amazing Alps and Swiss cities, this is the best deal in all of Switzerland.
Pro-tip: If you are not such a big traveler, you can also buy a one-month GA card for 245 CHF.

  • Half-tax/Halbtax (link)

If you don't travel so much, another attractive option is the Halbtax card, which gives you ~50% off all train, bus, boat, and tram tickets in Switzerland (185 CHF for a yr). The cost is not reimbursed by PSI.

Cheap/Free online markets

  • Sharing is Caring Universities of Zurich/ETH (UZH/ETH) (Facebook group)
  • Ricardo.ch (link)
  • Ron Orp (also for events/housing) (link)

As a poor PhD student, making ends meet in Switzerland can be tough. Follow the above links to find cheap (or even free!) furniture, appliances, sports equipment...

Below is a list of various topics and links which I wish I had all in one place when I started at PSI. Please take 10 minutes to read the ones appropriate for you.

Internal and external confidential advisors

As a PSI employee, you have access to confidential advisors to help you with any conflict or difficult situation that you might face during your work. The advisors will not take any action without your consent and any discussion is completely confidential. Furthermore, there are advisors specifically dedicated to conflicts of PhD students. The names and contact information of the current advisors here.

Baseline Full-Body Radiation Scan

If you are going to work in a radioactive zone, you will need to get a full-body radiation scan to establish a radiation baseline. To set up an appointment, email the Dosimetry office (general Dosimetry office email - PSI East: evelyn.daetwyler@psi.ch - PSI West: sabine.pfeifer@psi.ch). 

Radiation Safety Course

If you are going to be working in the Hotlab, you have to take the course "Introduction to Radiation Protection and Safety at PSI." Registration can be found here.

MANDATORY Research Integrity Course

Within your first year at PSI, you are required to attend a Research Integrity Course. The next available dates can be found by clicking this link and searching for "Research Integrity".

PSI Research Integrity Counselors ("Ombudsperson")

As a PSI employee, you have access to a counselor if you feel pressured by your advisor/your group to violate any rules related to research integrity (plagiarism, authorship disputes, etc.). All conversations with your Ombudsperon are completely confidential. The name and contact information of the current Ombudsperson for PSI can be found here.

Recommended Bookmarks:

Bookmark URL Description
Software Kiosk: http://bmsprod.psi.ch:10080/Softwarekiosk/swkioskom.htm Download licensed software from PSI (Matlab, Abaqus, Microsoft Word...). Internet Explorer only.
Lib4ri scientific article database: http://www.lib4ri.ch/ Database search engine for scientific articles in the ETH domain
PSI Phonebook: https://intranet.psi.ch/search/#?t=phonebook&q= Phone number extension, office number, email of any PSI employee
Interflex requesting holidays: https://interflexweb.psi.ch/WebClient Website for requesting leaves of absence from PSI (holidays, medical appointments...)(instructions)
PSI Purchasing portal: P4U Catalog of goods available for purchase at PSI's internal shop and from external provides
PhD Association homepage: https://intranet.psi.ch/PhD_Association/WebHome The best page on the intranet
PSI campus map: PSI Interactive Map Map of all buildings at PSI (2022)

PSI Education Centre: Transferable Skills Courses

The PSI Education Centre offers various courses for developing both soft skills (public speaking, project management, communication, entrepreneurship...) and hard skills (Matlab coding courses, LabView...). For more information, visit the intranet webpage here. A complete list of upcoming courses at PSI can be found here.

Getting Administrative Rights to Your Computer

To install software on your computer you will need administrative rights.
Step 1: Set up an administrative account. Go to the Software Kiosk (see above link) and choose "Local Admin Rights" from the menu on the left
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Step 2: Follow instructions to request your personal admin account.
Step 3: Once your admin account has been created, request administrative access for each PC you require.

Remote access your computer: SSH (link)

Follow the link to get instructions on how to set up SSH access so you can work remotely.

PSI Library card + ETH scientific article database

Online articles/textbooks: The PSI online article database can be found at www.lib4ri.ch. If you cannot find an article online, email a help request to docdel@lib4ri.ch with the title and author of the paper and they will find it and send you a link by email.
Print articles/textbooks: PSI has a library located on the ground floor of WHGA which has many scientific textbooks. If you can't find the book you need, you can request it from another institute in the ETH domain (ETH-Zürich, EPFL, EAWAG, EMPA, WSL, PSI) and they will send it to PSI. To get a library card, simply go in person to the help desk at the library.

As a PSI employee, you can either request a parking spot or apply for the "ökobonus", an annual payout of CHF 240 if you take public transportation/run/bike to PSI instead of drive. Forms are turned in to the SIZ security office on the East side (OVGA lobby)

  • ökobonus request form (link, search for "Parkierkarte- / Ökobonus-Registrierung"). Can also be directly requested from the SIZ office

"Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research." This resource allows you to add a plug-in to your web browser which allows you to download and cite any scientific articles. A plug-in in Microsoft Word allows you to generate a full bibliography and cite your paper with the click of a button. If you don't have this or a similar bibliography alternative DOWNLOAD IT. It will be the most useful tool of your PhD.

Discounted German lessons:

  • PSI reimbursement Deutschkurs (link, search for "Ausbildungsantrag_extern.dotx")

PSI will refund 50% of the cost of German lessons from any accredited class (school, private tutor...not your flatmate) in Switzerland. Courses are offered at PSI by The Language Company (TLC), and in most nearby towns (Baden, Brugg...).

PSI has a sport club offering various sport teams made of PSI employees at varying levels of competition. As of 2018, there is a new facility (OGAA, next to OASE) with a small fitness room. For more information, please follow the link!