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Getting and Managing Accounts

A single account is used to access various services and systems at CSCS. To get an account you will need to be invited by the principal investigator (PI) of an active project at CSCS.

Getting a project at CSCS for PIs

In order to get an account at CSCS, or to request access for the members of your team, you first need to have a project at CSCS. CSCS issues calls for proposals that are announced via the CSCS website and e-mails. More information about upcoming calls is available on the CSCS web site.

New PIs who have successfully applied for a preparatory project will receive an invitation from CSCS to get an account at CSCS. PIs can then invite members of their groups to join their project.

Info

It is possible for users to be part of multiple projects by being invited separately by the PI of each project.

Note

Accounts are bound to projects, and accounts will be closed with the project unless the account is also part of another open project.

Tools for managing accounts and projects

As of 1 APril 2026, the HPC Platform, Climate and Weather Platform and Machine Learning Platform all use the project and resources management tool at portal.cscs.ch.

Signing up for a new account

New users who do not already have an account at CSCS, including PIs, need to provide the following information before CSCS can open their account:

  • a scanned copy of your passport or recognised id card.
    • this will be deleted by CSCS immediately after the account has been created.
  • an institutional email address (gmail, hotmail, etc. will not be accepted)
  • correct information (title, name, etc.)

New accounts are usually opened within 48 hours.

Using different accounts

In order to use a different account, log out of the Single Sign-On gate by going to the Account and Resources Tool and selecting “Log out of CSCS” on the upper-right profile icon with the tool used to manage your project, account.cscs.ch or portal.cscs.ch.

Signing in with a third-part account

All users at CSCS need to go through the standard registration process and get a CSCS account. In addition, they can also link their CSCS account to an external account, e.g. the one from their home institution. In this case, they can sign into the CSCS services using their home institution credentials instead of the CSCS username/password. This process happens only during the Single Sign-On procedure described above, and from that time on and for all purposes, and until the user logs out, the user identifier that presents itself to all CSCS services is the CSCS username, not the external one. The number of external institutions that are allowed to link their accounts is limited and displayed on the login page.

Linking an external account can be done in the Profile section (upper-right corner) of your account page at portal.cscs.ch.

Regulations and Policies

Please note that as soon as you receive and accept an invitation to get an account at CSCS, you agree to the CSCS/ETHZ regulations.