STFC holds leases for several properties in the region for accommodating students. The accommodations are found in residential buildings located in Meyrin/Geneva, Switzerland – many within reasonable walking distance of CERN. Since they are all located in residential areas, please do your part by following a few basic rules: no loud music/noise after 10 pm, no rubbish in corridors and keep the accommodation tidy.

Students are placed in one of the following types of accommodation: studio apartment, 1 bedroom apartment or multiple bedroom apartments shared with other students. Although we cannot accept general requests for accommodation or location preferences, please do inform us of any specific concerns you may have concerning living arrangements. Individuals with reduced mobility should contact us. Please note that your accommodation can be subject to change at any time throughout the duration of your stay. ​

​All properties are furnished and in addition to large furniture items will include:

Vacuum cleaner, kettle, iron and ironing board, basic kitchen equipment – saucepans, pan, cooking utensils, crockery – plates, cups, bowls, cutlery, basic glassware, shower curtain, bath mat and mattress protector.

​Internet connection is already set up in each accommodation. No action is necessary on the part of students.

All property damage, mould, leaks or broken items in your accommodation must be reported to the UK Liaison Office immediately. It is our obligation to inform the agencies/landlords, and often the insurance agency so that we can minimise repair costs and damage to adjoining apartments.

All accommodation includes insurance coverage for contents against theft.

We will arrange with you a convenient date at the end of your LTA for the Check-out. Accommodation must be returned to us in the condition it was upon your arrival.

All Students on LTA must agree to follow the Student Responsibilities June 2024.pdf​ and the CERN Code of Conduct.

All STFC students are residents in Switzerland. If you are an EU or UK national you do not need a visa to live in Switzerland. However, UK nationals must be in possession of a passport which is ​valid for 6 months after date of entry to Switzerland.​

All non-EU/UK nationals please check the entry requirements needed to live in Switzerland.

Your Institute is responsible for providing adequate travel and medical insurance for you while on LTA. If your Institute subscribes to the STFC health insurance policy you will be able to indicate that when submitting an LTA form.

If you need to see a doctor while on LTA, please use the OneDoc site to book an appointment onedoc

You can also contact the CERN Medical Centre CERN Medical S​ervice.

The Emergency number at CERN is 74444.

Before you arrive at CERN your supervisor should complete a Home Institute Declaration (HID) and CERN pre-registration (PREG) for you. Without those documents you will not be able to enter CERN site. If you’re already registered as a CERN User and do have a CERN card already, you do not need to do this.

Once you arrive at CERN you must change your CERN presence to 100%. You can do that in EDH Contract Amendment for Users, COASs and VISCs (bottom of the page). This action will initiate the process to request your Swiss and French residency/work permits. CERN Users Office will then contact you with further details.

At the end of your LTA, you must inform the Users’ Office of your departure, decrease your percentage at CERN and return your residency permits.

CERN Users office website

We are aware that there can be many stresses for people at CERN. It is important that if you are struggling with stress or mental health issues, you seek support.

In the first place, you should speak to your supervisor or group leader, your family and/or your friends.

For further help, contact the CERN Mental Health support.​​ Please come and speak to UKLO if you need further advice.

The UK Liaison Office manages a pool of vans/cars, hired from CERN, for the use of our community.

Vehicles can be borrowed on the condition that one:

1. Possesses CERN Driving Authorisation. Accessed via EDH, Other Tasks, Other Services, Car Driving Authorisation​
2. Has obtained a CERN Mission Order, if driving outside the LHC ring perimeter;
3. Has collected a CERN Personal Identifier from your experiment secretariat
4. Agrees to only transport passengers 18 years or older.

Students: If determined that a student needs to use the vans, the student’s supervisor must contact the UK Liaison Office Team via email stating that permission is granted. All of the above conditions still apply.

Once all conditions are met, drivers should contact the UK Liaison Office to request profile set-up and access to the STFC Vehicle Booking Site.​

All CERN vehicles, including the STFC-UK pool vehicles, are to be used only for official purposes. CERN rules concerning the use of vehicles can be found here. ​

All passengers riding in CERN cars or vans, including the vans in the UK pool, must be in possession of a valid CERN access card or valid CERN visitor card and be at least 18 years of age.​​​

• Please do not excessively block-book a vehicle
• Drivers must carry at all times –
  • A valid driving license and CERN Driving Authorisation
  • A valid ID card or passport
  • A valid CERN attestation issued by the Users Office or valid Swiss/French cards
• When travelling in Switzerland, it is a legal requirement to drive with the daytime headlights switched on
• All fines, including towing away, illegal parking or exceeding the speed limit are the responsibility of the driver. The UK Liaison Office is notified of infractions by the Office of the CERN Director General and then contacts the driver for prompt settlement of the fine
• Vans may not be used outside a 25km radius from CERN without prior authorisation from the budget holder and the UKLO
• Any damage must be brought to the attention of the UK Liaison Office so that repairs can be arranged

Available vehicles are to be parked in the reserved spots in the lot near buildings 20 & 168

If, for any reason, you cannot park in the reserved spots, please leave a note with the key directing the next driver as to where the van is located.

If you find an unauthorized vehicle parked in one of our reserved spots, please take a photo of the vehicle’s plate and forward it to the UK Liaison Office Team. We will then notify the CERN Parking Team.

By the end time of your reservation, please return the van keys to the Van Key Lock Box located at the entrance of the UK Liaison Office

When the fuel indicator displays that the level of fuel is below half full, users must refill the tank to full. The CERN Petrol Station is located behind the CERN Medical Service.

Instructions for operating the fuel pump are on the screen located on the pump itself.

There are times when it cannot be avoided, however, please make every effort not to refuel vans at petrol stations outside of CERN as this will affect the mileage counter and will require a CERN Service Desk request to re-set the counter before filling up at the CERN pump.

Vans should be kept clean and tidy. Please remember to remove all personal belongings, bottles and wrappers.

In case of general technical problems during working hours please call 72042 (building 130) for assistance.

In case of a refuelling problem please call 72228 (mobility centre)

Outside of normal working hours, call 0800 811 911 for mechanical/technical help.

This is a summary only​​ – please see the CERN Official Circular no 4 for complete instructions

• For all accidents please complete the European Accident form (Constat European d’Accident Automobile). Give this to the Legal Services Department at CERN, and copies to the UK Liaison Office and the CERN Mobility Centre as soon as possible.
• Accidents on the CERN site – alert the CERN Fire Brigade and Rescue Services Tel: 74444
• Accidents outside of CERN involving serious injury and/or damage – call the Swiss Police or French Gendarmerie. Tel: 112 (European emergency number. Ensure that a copy of any report is sent to the Legal Services Department at CERN, and copies to the UKLO and the CERN Mobility Centre as soon as possible.
• The insurance cover on leased vans carries an excess on every accident/damages claim made. This cost is CHF 1000 per claim. You should therefore take care and attention at all times to minimise the risk of accidents.

For all short visits to CERN please complete a Visit notice​.

UK residents do not require an entry visa for Switzerland nor France for short stays (Up to 90 days in any 180 day period in the whole Schengen area).

However, the Convention d’accueil document is required in all cases for non-EU citizens as it serves as a short-term work permit whilst at CERN. This applies for all visits to CERN, e.g. for meetings, workshops, shifts.

This document should be requested from your experiment secretariat prior to the visit. The request can made for multiple visits over a period of three years, or one individual visit.

The 90 days rule applies even with the convention d’accueil.

UKLO has a number of commuter apartments in Meyrin available to short-term visitors to CERN. A bedroom can be booked in one of these apartments using the link below. The cost is 30CHF per night, which will be invoiced after the visit, we cannot charge to project and task codes.

UKLO commuter flat ​booking

Accommodation​ at CERN is also available onsite in CERN hostel

With a valid CERN account the booking can be made here: ​​Hostel booking with CERN account

Without a CERN account the booking can be made here: Hostel booking without CERN account