Our plans in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic

For the time being, we are continuing our plans to hold the 2022 Zurich School of Crystallography on site, as usual.

The practical aspects and tutoring intensity of our school mean that we are all getting quite up-close and personal, for which proper social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Therefore, it is essential that the risk to participants and tutors of a fully on-site school is minimal.

For this reason, we are not offering shared room accommodation for the 2022 school.

Hopefully the current wave of infections across Europe has reduced significantly by the time the school takes place and that some of the restrictions and requirements have been relaxed. But we cannot predict the future situation and can only provide the current requirements here.

Firstly, you should consider carefully the cost and logistics of getting to Zurich and home again. If nothing else, it is very likely airlines will still require PCR tests before allowing you to board. Don't forget that you might have to obtain - and pay for - a PCR test before you can fly back home again. Such tests in Switzerland can be expensive depending on where you have it done and how urgently you need the result.

We have a test centre at the University of Zurich and they will do tests of non-symptomatic people for travel purposes. The cost is CHF 160 plus another CHF 15 for the travel certificate.

Flights are probably more expensive than normal at the moment and can be changed or cancelled at short notice, so you need to be prepared and have the financial resources to spend additional nights here, if necessary.

Secondly, you must be vaccinated. Currently (January 2022), COVID-19 vaccination or infection recovery certificates are required for access to the buildings of the University of Zurich. Switzerland and the university recognise vaccination certificates from abroad if the vaccine used is approved in the EU or listed in the WHO's Emergency Use Listing. This includes certificates issued for vaccinations with the Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm, but not for the Russian vaccine Sputnik. PCR tests alone are not accepted. Therefore, we regret that we will not be able to accept unvaccinated participants at our school.

Information for participants can be found at:

The Swiss Federal COVID Certificate Information Platform

The National COVID certificate application platform

At the end of January 2022, the first round of offers for the 20 places in the School will be made. At that time and before anyone is asked to pay any fees, we will confirm the requirements in effect because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If we feel that it is unsafe or impractical to hold an on-site school, we will then advise applicants about alternative possibilities.