EPFL is Europe’s most cosmopolitan technical university. It welcomes students, professors and collaborators of more than 120 nationalities. EPFL has both a Swiss and international vocation and focuses on three missions: teaching, research and innovation. Located in Switzerland, EPFL is one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan science and technology institutions in Europe.
EPFL is the most cosmopolitan of the European technical universities. It welcomes students, professors and staff from more than 120 nationalities. With both a Swiss and international focus, EPFL is centered on three missions: teaching, research and innovation.
EPFL collaborates with a large network of partners including other universities and colleges, secondary schools and gymnasiums, industry and the economy, political circles and the general public, with the aim of having a real impact on society.
| Acronym | EPFL |
| Motto / Slogan | Think Beyond |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Location | Écublens, Vaud, Switzerland |
| Address | EPFL, Station 16, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland |
EPFL brings together all levels of education and offers innovative training to more than 15,000 students. At EPFL, the core mission is training the next generation of engineers, scientists and architects. Their cutting-edge programs are recognized around the world.
With over 500 laboratories and research groups on campus, EPFL is one of the world’s most innovative and productive scientific institutions. EPFL is home to over 500 laboratories and research groups, each working at the forefront of science and technology. We have a goal to better understand our world and we aim to improve it.
EPFL transforms scientific excellence into value for companies and society in general. EPFL is a central player in Switzerland’s innovation landscape. It actively fosters collaborations with industry, develops programs to stimulate entrepreneurship, promotes science and technology among young people and the general public, and initiates projects that connect science with economic and societal challenges.
To serve Switzerland effectively, EPFL fulfills its core missions with cutting-edge excellence and agility.
In education, EPFL provides both foundational training and lifelong learning at the highest level, focused on evolving needs and new technologies. EPFL’s dynamic research combines fundamental sciences, viewed as a vital long-term investment, with mission-oriented research, directly inspired by societal challenges, spanning the entire innovation chain from frontier research to startup creation in a vibrant ecosystem.
The transfer of knowledge, solutions and practical expertise to society through dialogue, outreach and innovation will guarantee EPFL’s utmost impact for Switzerland and the world. To accomplish these ambitious missions EPFL will need to attract and retain talents – the most diverse and creative students, faculty, staff and scientists, and support a dynamic community infused with a deep sense of belonging and trust.
In a rapidly evolving world, where technology shapes the future, we are called to innovate, collaborate, and anticipate – attracting and empowering those who want to contribute to meaningful change.
For EPFL to handle your application file, the required processing fee is:
The specific admission criteria for applicants holding an upper secondary school certificate (maturity, baccalaureate, Abitur, Advanced Levels, etc.) and for those having begun or completed a study program in a higher-education institution are detailed under the following headings. Please pay attention to the restrictions detailed further down the page as well.
Anyone holding a Bachelor’s degree from a university (or equivalent) in a field related to the EPFL curricula can apply for a Master’s program.
However, please be aware that admission is competitive. Only people with excellent academic records and references have good chances of being accepted. Specific conditions for a few special cases are detailed below.
Each application is evaluated according to several criteria, such as the quality of the application, the academic curriculum, the grades and results, the research references, and the area of specialization, as well as factors related to compliance with export-control and embargo legislation.
People who already hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the field of the program for which they apply (or a similar field) are not eligible.
It is only possible to apply for one Master’s program per academic year. In case of a rejection, it is possible to apply again the following year, for the same program or for a different program. A positive reply is however unlikely should the person not present any new academic results.
We also advise you to take notice of the requirements that are specific to every Master’s program.
All documents should be in English, French, German, or Italian. Please join a legalized translation of all documents in another language.
Extra documents, such as TOEFL or GRE scores, research publications, or other portfolios of your previous work, are welcome but not compulsory. We will only consider documents uploaded in your online application form (no documents sent by postal mail).
Additional requirement to apply for Architecture: a work portfolio is also required and must be uploaded to a dedicated web server. You will receive the access details for the server by email after you have completed and paid for the online application. Candidates for Architecture must also have twelve months of professional experience. Please upload the work certificates in the online application form if already available.
The statement of purpose should not exceed 1000 words. You are required to describe your academic background and your career strategy. Please be precise about the objectives you wish to reach through your studies at EPFL.
Before you begin, it is important to check the pages of the doctoral program you intend to apply to. Each program has its own requirements, eligibility criteria and procedures that you need to be aware of.
Check the list of EPFL doctoral programs.
UNDERGRADUATE:
Your file should be submitted online through the application form.
POSTGRADUATE:
Your file should be submitted online through the application form provided below. It should be duly completed (including recommendation letters) before the deadline specified by the doctoral program of your choice.
Email: [email protected]
Phone : +41 21 693 43 45, +41 (0)21 693 11 11
Institutional Accreditation: EPFL is officially accredited by the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ), fulfilling the requirements of the Swiss Higher Education Act (HEdA) to officially operate as a university and receive federal funding.
Since 2015, with the entry into force of the Higher Education Act (HEdA), programme accreditation is no longer mandatory in Switzerland. Programmes are covered by institutional accreditation.
Since 1998, the master programmes (curricula) of the EPFL have been regularly accredited by the French Commission des titres d’ingénieur (CTI) and obteined the EUR-ACE label. The follow-up will take place in December 2025.
She joined EPFL in 2008 and was promoted to full professor in 20... read more
She became president of EPFL on 1 January 2025.
On 7 November 1853, eleven students filed onto campus for their first day of class at École Spéciale de Lausanne. The broad curriculum ranged from chemistry, physics and math to drawing, architecture and civil engineering. Inspired by École Centrale in Paris, the School’s five founders set out to “train talented engineers in Switzerland,” whose excellence and influence would extend far beyond the Vaud capital.
The private school soon earned the reputation as a “demandi... read more
In 1869, the School was affiliated with Académie de Lausanne and became Académie de Lausanne’s technical school.
2001 and later: An international reputation
Once the architecture department moved to the Écublens campus in 2001, EPFL was officially consolidated into a single site. In 2002, the School restructured and replaced its departments with large schools, in order to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration. The School of Life Sciences was founded and the College of Humanities was established in association with the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva. One year later, EPFL celebrated its 150th anniversary and passed the 6,000-student mark.
The 21st century also ushered in a period of expansion for EPFL across French-speaking Switzerland. The Microcity campus opened in Neuchâtel in 2009, followed by EPFL Valais Wallis and EPFL Fribourg in 2014. In 2015, EPFL was part of a joint effort to open Campus Biotech in Geneva. That same year, student enrollment reached 10,000, thanks in no small part to the university’s international reputation.
Meanwhile, efforts to expand the Lausanne campus were under way. New buildings sprung up from north to south to house schools, general services, companies and startups. The Rolex Learning Center opened in 2010. Designed by the SANAA Japanese architectural firm, the building is known for its singular structure. In 2016, ArtLab – now EPFL Pavilions – was built nearby, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. The SPOT prototyping space opened in 2022, reflecting EPFL’s growing emphasis on hands-on learning.
In 2014, the Science Park became EPFL Innovation Park. It has since grown considerably, and now employs over 2,300 people and is home to 30-odd large companies, more than 100 startups and over 75 entrepreneurial endeavors at the incubator stage.
In 2019, EPFL commemorated 50 years as a federal institute by unveiling a new logo and a new space at the center of campus, Place Cosandey, which is covered in part by the AGORA Lombard Odier structure. A number of anniversary events were held, culminating in an open house that drew nearly 40,000 visitors.
In July 2022, Maryna Viazovska, Chair of Number Theory at EPFL, was awarded a Fields Medal – a testament to her brilliance and the School’s capabilities in supporting research.