EPFL - École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Founded in 1853 and officially established in 1969, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), or Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is a public research university in Lausanne, a French-speaking region of Switzerland.  A research institute specializing in natural sciences and engineering, EPFL is one of the most prestigious universities belonging to the Swiss Federal Area of Institutes of Technology, an association of research institutes and universities. EPFL has several satellite campuses and facilities in Switzerland. The EPFL campus in Écublens, located next to Lake Geneva, is entirely powered by electricity generated from hydropower.  The main campus hosts music festivals and is home to two museums, the Musée Bolo and the Archizoom. More recently, the university has also been focusing on the life sciences, and in 2008 it acquired the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research. Coordinating ambitious international research projects, including the Blue Brain Project and the Human Brain Project, which seek to digitally reconstruct mammalian and human brains, EPFL is one of the few universities to operate a nuclear reactor, a fusion reactor, a Blue/Q Supercomputer and to have P3 biohazard facilities as part of its research and teaching activities. Focusing on three missions: education, research and innovation, this prestigious institute has more than 11,000 students from different nationalities.

Admission Requirements for International Students

Undergraduate

Prospective students who wish to apply to undergraduate programs offered by EPFL must meet the admission requirements set out below.

• International Baccalaureate (IB)
  • Applicants holding an International Baccalaureate (IB) from IBO are accepted in the first year of the Bachelor’s programs provided that their title fulfills all of the following conditions:
    • The following subjects were studied and examined within the Diploma Programme (DP) at the higher level (HL): 1) mathematics, 2) physics, and 3) chemistry, biology, or computer science
    • The following subjects were studied and examined within the Diploma Programme (DP) at the standard or higher level (SL or HL): 1) first modern language, 2) second modern language, and 3) history, geography, economics, or philosophy
    • The total number of points scored is at least 38 out of 42 (excluding bonus points) and the grades in mathematics and physics are at least 6 out of 7
  • Both ‘Mathematics: Analysis and approaches’ and ‘Mathematics: Applications and interpretation’ are accepted.
  • EPFL considers that level B2 in French (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is required to follow its Bachelor’s programs. Level C1 is highly recommended. Foreign applicants who have not studied French as part of their upper secondary education will need to attest their level upon application.
• European Baccalaureate
  • Applicants holding an upper secondary school certificate from a country that is a member of EU or EFTA (other than Switzerland) are accepted in the first year of the Bachelor’s programs provided that their title fulfills all of the following conditions:
    • the certificate is a pre-University title granted on the basis of a general education
    • the certificate is granted after at least twelve years of primary and secondary education (excluding kindergarten), including at least three years of upper secondary education
    • the following subjects were studied during the upper secondary education: 1) mathematics, 2) physics, 3) official language of the country granting the certificate, 4) second modern language, 5) chemistry or biology, 6) history, geography, or economics, and 7) applied mathematics, computer science, philosophy, or third modern language
    • at least six of these seven subjects are present on the final grade transcripts used to determine the award of the certificate, including mathematics and physics
    • mathematics and physics were studied and examined at the highest possible level (see below) and the certificate is in a scientific stream (should streams be offered by the country granting the certificate)
    • the final grades in mathematics and physics are at least 80% of the maximum grade
    • the general average is at least 80% of the maximum grade
• For students from Great Britain;
  • Applicants holding British Advanced Levels and/or Scottish Advanced Highers are accepted in the first year of the Bachelor’s programs provided that their title fulfills all of the following conditions:
    • the following subjects were studied and examined as Advanced Levels and/or Advanced Highers: 1) mathematics, 2) physics, and 3) chemistry, biology, or computer science
    • the following subjects were studied at the level of the GCSE and/or Standard Grades or at a higher level (Advanced Subsidiary Levels, Advanced Levels, Highers, and/or Advanced Highers): 1) English, 2) second modern language, and 3) history or geography
    • the grades in mathematics and physics, as well as in chemistry, biology, or computer science, are at least A and/or 1
• For students from the USA;
  • Upper secondary school-leaving certificate + Entrance Examination EPFL

Graduate

Prospective students who wish to apply to graduate programs offered by EPFL must meet the admission requirements set out below.

• Bachelor's Degree Diploma
• High Grade Point Average
• Official transcripts of the courses taken by the applicant during university education
• Work experience may be required for certain programs
• Certificate in English Proficiency
  • Certificate in English proficiency received through internationally recognized proficiency tests such as IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT.
• Certificate in French Proficiency
  • Certificate in French proficiency received through internationally recognized proficiency tests such as DELF, DALF.
• GRE/GMAT exam score may be required in accordance with the specific admission requirements of certain programs.

EPFL has contributed countless useful discoveries to human history through the scientists it has trained and the research it has conducted. As a result of these contributions, the school has won many awards and been nominated for countless prizes. These include the world-renowned Nobel, Pritzker and Turing prizes. The University is also the recipient of the Swiss Green & Sustainable Chemistry Award, the Global Lectureship Award and the Tetrahedron Young Inventigator Award.