EPFL in numbers
- ~13,000 students, 50% international
- ~125 nationalities on campus
- Top 20 worldwide in engineering and computer science (THE/QS)
- Campus on Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Renens
Programmes
Bachelor (3 yrs)
EE, computer science, mechanical, chemistry, biology, micro/nano, civil eng, environment, Earth sciences, mathematics, physics, architecture, communication systems, materials science.
Master (1.5–2 yrs)
Specialised programmes (data science, robotics, energy, computational science, computational finance, neuro-engineering, etc.).
PhD (3–5 yrs)
Doctorate across fields with salary CHF 50,000–75,000/year; funded by cantonal/federal/European grants.
Admission
Bachelor — Swiss
- Gymnasium maturity = direct access
- Technical professional maturity → CMS bridge (Cours de mathématiques spéciales, 1-year prep)
Bachelor — International
- Foreign diploma recognised as equivalent to gymnasium maturity OR admission exam
- French Bac S: directly recognised (mention bien or très bien generally)
- Spanish Bachillerato + selectividad: recognised under conditions
- French B2 minimum
Master
- Bachelor in related field
- Strong grades; many masters increasingly in English
Fees
- CHF 730/semester (Swiss and residents)
- From 2026, international students will pay around CHF 1,500–3,000/semester (ETH already introduced this hike)
Student life
- Housing: university residences (FMEL: ~3,000 places, long waiting list), shared flats in town. Rent: CHF 600–1,100/month
- Dining: university canteens CHF 8–12 a meal, residence kitchens
- Transport: M1 metro serves the campus from Lausanne; Mobilis student pass ~CHF 50/month
- Sport: university sports centre, climbing, sailing on Léman, Alps for skiing nearby
- Associations: 100+ student associations (AGEPoly), events, festivals (Balélec in May, 15,000 people)
Scholarships
- EPFL Excellence Scholarship: for master international students, up to CHF 16,000–40,000
- Cantonal (depending on canton of residence)
- Federal for internationals (Confederation via SEFRI)
- PhD: doctorate salary covers living costs
Practical tips
- Apply from November for the following September (master) and before April (bachelor)
- A French language proficiency test may be required
- Prepare maths: the level is demanding, the first-year failure rate is around 50%
- Don't underestimate the autonomy required: limited individual support, lots of self-study
- The campus is shared EPFL + UNIL: cross courses possible (economics, law, biology)
