A public engineering and science university on Lake Geneva where most master's programmes run in English. How selection works, why the bachelor's starts with an exam for most non-European applicants and what a year costs.
EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is a public university for engineering, computer science, the basic sciences and architecture on the north shore of Lake Geneva. For an international applicant its two degree levels work very differently. Most master's programmes are taught mainly in English, and the application rests on transcripts, a statement of purpose and three academic referees rather than a standardised test score. The bachelor's degree is taught mostly in French, and for most school certificates from outside Europe the way in is an entrance exam taken in Switzerland. Tuition stays modest even after the 2025 increase for foreign students; the bigger cost is living in Lausanne.
Location
Lausanne, Switzerland
Establishment year
1853
Students
10,492
International students
6,190
Female students
30%
Place in ratings
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By subject
Subject
Place in QS 2024
Engineering & Technology
10
Natural Sciences
11
Life Sciences & Medicine
149
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Key facts for international applicants
Location
Main campus in Lausanne, with sites in the cantons of Geneva, Valais, Fribourg and Neuchâtel[1]
Schools
Five schools and the College of Management of Technology[2]
Mid-November to 15 December, or 16 December to 31 March; studies start in September[10]
Bachelor's entry with a certificate from India, Nigeria, the Philippines, the UAE or the USA
School certificate plus the EPFL entrance exam (2026-27 rules)[11]
EPFL: pros and cons
Advantages of EPFL
English-taught master's degrees with no compulsory test score
Most master's programmes are taught mainly in English[7], and TOEFL or GRE results are welcome in the application but not compulsory[12]. EPFL still recommends at least C1 in the language of teaching, so a weak test-free application is no shortcut.
Tuition of 2,668 USD a semester, even after the increase
From autumn 2025 EPFL tripled the semester tuition fee for foreign students who take up residence in Switzerland to study, from 889 USD to 2,668 USD[8]. A full year of tuition is still well below EPFL's own estimate of a year's living costs[9].
Research is part of every master's degree
The master's cycle includes semester projects in research laboratories and ends with a 17-week thesis in an EPFL laboratory[5]. The school has more than 500 laboratories, chairs and research groups to choose from[13].
An industry internship and a protected engineering title
Students on engineering programmes complete an internship in a company of at least eight weeks. Depending on the programme, the EPFL Master of Science also gives the right to use the title of EPF qualified Engineer, Mathematician, Physicist, Chemist, Statistician or Architect[5].
Doctoral candidates are salaried employees
Most PhD candidates are employed as doctoral assistants and paid a monthly salary with employee benefits[14]. A PhD typically takes four years[6].
Drawbacks and challenges at EPFL
Most non-European school certificates require the entrance exam
For 2026-27, swissuniversities lists the same EPFL route for certificates from India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UAE and the USA: the school certificate plus the EPFL entrance exam[11]. EPFL strongly discourages taking the exam with secondary school as the only preparation[15].
The bachelor's degree requires B2 French
Most bachelor's courses are given in French, with in principle no more than one English-taught course per semester; from the second year, up to half of a study plan may be in English[7]. EPFL considers B2 French necessary and strongly recommends C1; applicants who did not study French at school must prove their level when they apply[16].
Living in Lausanne costs about 2,558 USD a month
EPFL's budget for a foreign student comes to 2,567 USD a month before tuition[9]. EPFL has no housing campus of its own, and the regional rental market is tight enough that the UNIL-EPFL housing portal advises international students to look for rooms rather than flats[17].
About half of first-year students pass
In summer 2025, 52% of students passed the first-year propaedeutic exam[3]. A typical week means about 32 hours of classes plus 15-20 hours of personal study[18].
One master's application a year, with export-control screening
You may apply to only one master's programme per academic year, and EPFL lists compliance with export-control and embargo legislation among its selection factors[10]. A rejected applicant can reapply the next year, but EPFL says a positive answer is unlikely without new academic results[10].
Who EPFL suits
EPFL fits students who are strong in mathematics and physics and want an engineering, science or computing degree with real laboratory work. At master's level it is a realistic target for graduates with excellent grades and references from professors who know their work, which is the profile EPFL itself describes as competitive. It is a poor fit if you need an English-taught bachelor's degree, cannot fund Swiss living costs without a scholarship, or want a field outside engineering, the sciences and architecture[4]. Our overview of universities in Switzerland helps compare alternatives, and the guide to education in Switzerland explains how the system fits together.
Admission is competitive: EPFL says only applicants with excellent academic records and references have good chances, and it weighs the quality of the file, the curriculum, grades, research references and specialisation[10]. The process runs entirely online.
Check eligibility. Any university degree from a programme of at least three to four years counts as a bachelor's; shorter degrees, non-university degrees and degrees from institutions that are not state-accredited do not qualify[19]. The degree must be in a field related to EPFL's curricula, and holders of a master's in the same field are not eligible[10].
Pick one programme and read its specific requirements; up to 60 additional ECTS credits may be required for admission[19].
Prepare a CV, complete transcripts from every university attended, copies of degrees already awarded, a statement of purpose of no more than 1000 words and your passport. Documents not in English, French, German or Italian need a legalised translation. Architecture applicants add a portfolio and twelve months of professional experience[12].
Submit and pay the 183 USD fee by 15 December or 31 March, by card, PayPal or Twint. Your three academic referees upload their letters themselves within a week of the deadline, and the file is not processed with fewer than two letters[12].
Expect a decision in late March for the December round or mid-June for the March round[10].
After admission, send authenticable academic documents before matriculation and your final transcripts by 30 September[12].
If you need a visa, use the December round: EPFL advises it because the visa procedure can take up to three months[10]. An admission is valid only for the next academic year[12].
Bachelor's entry from outside Europe
Three groups of applicants without Swiss or European school certificates meet different rules.
IB Diploma holders can be admitted directly within the places available with at least 38 of 42 points (excluding bonus points), HL mathematics, physics and chemistry, biology or computer science, and at least 6 out of 7 in mathematics and physics[16]. Places are capped at 3000 in the first year from 2025, and qualifying certificates are ranked by overall result[16].
International A-level students are treated by accreditation: International A-levels accredited by a third-party state follow the rules for non-European certificates, while unaccredited ones lead only to the entrance exam[16].
Other national certificates from outside the EU, EFTA and UK can at best lead to the one-year preparatory course (CMS), and only for countries on a separate EPFL list, after twelve years of schooling and with at least 80% in mathematics and physics[16]. The CMS is taught entirely in French[20]. Otherwise the route is the entrance exam.
The entrance exam has no capacity limit and, once passed, opens every EPFL bachelor's programme; it has a science part and a general-knowledge part, the latter waivable after equivalent secondary education, and can be retaken once[19]. For the 2027 session, registration runs from 1 October to 1 December 2026, the science exams take place from 18 to 22 January 2027 and the general-knowledge exams in August-September 2027. Fees are 183 USD to register with a foreign certificate plus 670 USD for the reduced exam or 975 USD for the full exam, and you can withdraw without losing an attempt until 11 January 2027[15]. Arranging a visa to sit the exam is the candidate's responsibility[15].
Holders of a non-European certificate who have passed the ETH Zurich entrance exam can also use it to enter EPFL[19]. The bachelor's application itself runs from mid-November to 30 April and includes a French language certificate[21]; see our guide to the DELF exam for one widely used French test.
Semester invoice for foreign students who moved to study (tuition plus compulsory fees)
2,729 USD per semester
Semester invoice for other students
950 USD per semester
Housing
1,096 USD a month
Food
731 USD a month
Health insurance for non-European students
138-146 USD a month
Total living costs excluding tuition
2,567 USD a month / 30,722 USD a year
The semester invoice is set out on the tuition fee page[8] and the living-cost lines come from EPFL's budget for a foreign student, which also covers study supplies, transport, a residence tax and compulsory liability insurance, and warns that landlords generally ask for a rental deposit[9]. Student halls are run by foundations and agencies, each with its own short registration windows, so apply before you are admitted; September places are usually allocated in July and August[22].
Funding: what is realistic
The main award for incoming master's students is the Master Excellence Fellowship: 12,182 USD per semester plus guaranteed housing, for applicants with outstanding grades and achievements in research, entrepreneurship or civic life[23]. You apply by ticking the box in the master's application within the first window, by 15 December, and renewal for the second year requires at least 50 ECTS credits and an average of 5.0 out of 6[23].
Most need-based scholarships on EPFL's list are open to international students only after a first year at EPFL, or target students whose families live in Switzerland[24], so plan to fund the first year yourself. Doctoral study is the exception, since most PhD candidates are salaried.
If you need a visa for Switzerland, apply for a national D visa at the Swiss embassy or consulate nearest to you at least three months before your studies begin, and show 2,436 USD for each month of your stay, usually for the whole academic year[1]. A tourist visa cannot be converted into a student permit, and there is no point continuing the procedure if you cannot reach campus by 30 September[1]. Visa, residence permit and biometric fees total 256-292 USD[25].
Foreign students may work up to 15 hours a week during the semester and full time in the holidays, but students from outside the EU and EFTA must wait six months after arrival, except for research assistants in their own field[18]. After graduating, students from outside the EU and EFTA can get a non-renewable six-month permit to look for a job matching their qualification, with work limited to 15 hours a week in that period[26]. Our guide to the admission process in Switzerland covers the national rules.
Frequently asked questions
Does EPFL accept a three-year bachelor's degree?
Yes, as long as it is a university degree: three years is the minimum length of a Swiss bachelor's, and degrees from programmes shorter than that are not accepted[19].
Can I apply to EPFL and ETH Zurich in the same year?
Yes, but separately. Switzerland has no central admission system, and an offer from ETH Zurich does not mean you meet EPFL's requirements, or the other way round[19].
If I pass the entrance exam, must I enrol the same year?
No. A pass in the EPFL entrance exam or the CMS stays valid for a later bachelor's admission, unlike an ordinary admission decision, which lapses after one year[19].
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