collageEPFL admission is among the most coveted international university admissions. One needs to have a particular set of skills and knowledge to be eligible for an EPFL study program in Switzerland. There are various departments one can apply for, which range from STEAM to sciences and engineering.
On this page you will find all the information you need for admission to EPFL, whether as a Bachelor, Master or CMS student. As well as an external auditor
EPFL admission
How can I get admission in EPFL?
Applicants who have successfully completed at least one year in a University stream of study equivalent to those taught at EPFL can apply for admission, following the evaluation of their application, in the second year of a Bachelor’s program in a field close to the previously begun stream, provided that they also
Does EPFL have an entrance exam?
I cannot study for a foreign school-leaving certificate or an IB, or I do not fulfill the requirements for admission to a Bachelor’s program or the CMS, or I have failed the CMS. Is there an entrance exam, so that it is still possible to be accepted to a Bachelor’s program at EPFL? Yes.
Is studying in EPFL hard?
“Studying at EPFL is hard, but we’re all in the same boat. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie. We all push each other to succeed.” Per was rewarded for his years of hard work when he started his Master’s at EPFL
Contact
The EPFL student desk is the main contact point for all academic queries
From Monday to Friday : 9h00-18h00
student.services@epfl.ch
+41 21 693 43 45
EPFL VPE-DAF
BP 1229 (bâtiment BP)
epfl acceptance rate
The estimated acceptance rate at EPFL is 20%. The institute is quite selective in its process and reviews each applicants’ school records and other credentials.
epfl admission requirements
Holders of a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or in a scientific discipline such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Life Sciences are eligible to apply for admission in the Master in Management, Technology and Entrepreneurship.
Applicants should all have demonstrated a high level of intellectual ability and strong analytical skills. They should also have a solid background in statistics, probability theory and linear algebra.
The curriculum of the MTE program is entirely in English. Consequently, applicants must be able to understand rapidly spoken English, read English with ease and be able to express themselves in English both orally and in writing. Success in an international examination of English such as the TOEFL is a plus but not mandatory for admission in the MTE.
Holders of a degree of a Swiss University of Applied Sciences are not eligible to apply for the MTE Master.
⇒ EPFL general admission requirements
Disciplinary minor
The curriculum of the MTE master includes a mandatory disciplinary minor that must be made in the field of the bachelor by selecting Master level courses in one of the Master programs offered at EPFL. The field of the disciplinary minor is decided by the MTE admission committee but before applying, the candidates must verify if their field of study is taught at EPFL by checking the list of the possible disciplinary minors (“Minor” file). Minors in Financial Engineering and in Management, Technology & Entrepreneurship are not open to MTE master students.
Holders of a Master’s degree in Engineering or in one of the above mentioned scientific disciplines will have to do the Minor in Systems Engineering. A disciplinary or an interdisciplinary minor can also be chosen, with the prior approval of the MTE section. If the disciplinary minor is chosen, it must be made in a different field than that of the master.
Specific requirements for EPFL students
To be admitted in the MTE master, EPFL students will need to have a minimum average grade of 4.5 (average grade over the entire Bachelor’s). This criteria is however not a guarantee of admission as the quality of application, the relevance of the followed Bachelor’s compared to the Master’s of interest, and the motivation of the candidate will also be assessed by the admission committee.
Current EPFL bachelor students who have applied for the MTE Master and who have not been admitted to the program will nonetheless be accepted in the Master program of their original field of study.
Intensive French course
An intensive-language course is offered to all accepted candidates. It starts 4 weeks before the beginning of the semester.
Credits
To graduate from the MTE Master, students need to obtain 120 credits divided into 90 credits for coursework and 30 credits for the Master’s thesis.
Tuition
Usual EPFL tuition
Financial aid & scholarships
Questions related to financial support & scholarships can be found at the Student Affairs Department.
Coming from abroad
Questions related to housing, visa or residential permits.
Online application
The application process is entirely online, in either French or English.
Documents sent by email or fax will not be considered.
Application Deadlines
Application can be filled from mid-November to the 15th of December, or from the 16th of December to the 15th of April.
Online application process
Contact
Section MTE Office Hours
Tuesday to Thursday from 8.30AM to 11.30AM
smte@epfl.ch
+41 21 6930122
Odyssea Building
epfl admission deadline
Application: important deadlinesApplications can be filled online from mid-November to the 15th of December, or from the 16th of December to the 15th of April. Decisions are sent early April for applications registered by the 15th of December and end of June for the applications registered by the 15th of April.
In addition to this page, please consult the ‘General’ and ‘Master’s’ sections of our FAQ for all information about our admission requirements and processes.
This page informs you about:
- Eligibility conditions
- The application process
- Important deadlines
Application: eligibility
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 candidates with excellent academic records and references have good chances of being accepted. Candidates who already hold a Master’s degree, or equivalent, in the field (or similar field) of the program for which they would apply are not eligible.
We also advise you to take notice of the requirements that are specific to every Master’s program.
Current EPFL students are automatically registered in the Master’s program of their field of study and only need to approve their registration on IS-Academia. They need not follow the application procedure to continue their studies in the same field.
However, if they would like to change their field of study or opt for a specialized Master’s program, they must follow the full online application procedure. Note that students who want to join a new Master’s program need a minimum average grade of 4,50 over the entire Bachelor’s program. This criteria is however not a guarantee of admission as the quality of the application, the relevance of the followed Bachelor’s program compared to the Master’s cursus of interest, and the motivation of the candidate will also be assessed.
Holders of a degree from a Swiss University of applied sciences (HES/FHS) are admitted to EPFL’s Master’s programs in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Molecular and Biological Chemistry/Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Mechanical Engineering, Microengineering/Robotics, Computer Science/Computer Science-Cybersecurity and Communication Systems/Data Science, provided they have an HES/FHS Bachelor’s degree in the same field of studies, with an average grade of 5,00 or above. They will however need to succeed a foundation/preparatory year of 57 to 60 ECTS credits. For detailed information about the preparatory courses, please contact the person specified on the page describing your program of interest.
For students who followed courses at EPFL as exchange students and apply for a Master’s program: if Master’s credits obtained during your exchange program were not used at your university of origin, you will be able to validate them for your Master’s program, subject to validation and a maximum of 30 credits.
Online application: Process
Detailed info & access
Application: important deadlines
Applications can be filled online from mid-November to the 15th of December, or from the 16th of December to the 15th of April.
Decisions are sent early April for applications registered by the 15th of December and end of June for the applications registered by the 15th of April. You can freely choose to apply by the December deadline or the April deadline. Regardless of which deadline you choose to meet, studies begin in mid-September following acceptance.
An intensive French language course is offered to all accepted candidates. It starts four weeks before the beginning of the semester.
 | Candidates who need a visa are strongly advised to apply by the December deadline in order to have an answer earlier and have enough time for the visa procedure (which can take up to 3 months). |
Contact
The EPFL student desk is the main contact point for all academic queries
From Monday to Friday : 9h00-18h00
[email protected]
+41 21 693 43 45
EPFL VPE-DAF
BP 1229 (bâtiment BP)
Station 16
CH – 1015 Lausanne
In addition to this page, please consult the ‘General’ and ‘Master’s’ sections of our FAQ for all information about our admission requirements and processes.
This page informs you about:
- Eligibility conditions
- The application process
- Important deadlines
Application: eligibility
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 candidates with excellent academic records and references have good chances of being accepted. Candidates who already hold a Master’s degree, or equivalent, in the field (or similar field) of the program for which they would apply are not eligible.
We also advise you to take notice of the requirements that are specific to every Master’s program.
Current EPFL students are automatically registered in the Master’s program of their field of study and only need to approve their registration on IS-Academia. They need not follow the application procedure to continue their studies in the same field.
However, if they would like to change their field of study or opt for a specialized Master’s program, they must follow the full online application procedure. Note that students who want to join a new Master’s program need a minimum average grade of 4,50 over the entire Bachelor’s program. This criteria is however not a guarantee of admission as the quality of the application, the relevance of the followed Bachelor’s program compared to the Master’s cursus of interest, and the motivation of the candidate will also be assessed.
Holders of a degree from a Swiss University of applied sciences (HES/FHS) are admitted to EPFL’s Master’s programs in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Molecular and Biological Chemistry/Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Mechanical Engineering, Microengineering/Robotics, Computer Science/Computer Science-Cybersecurity and Communication Systems/Data Science, provided they have an HES/FHS Bachelor’s degree in the same field of studies, with an average grade of 5,00 or above. They will however need to succeed a foundation/preparatory year of 57 to 60 ECTS credits. For detailed information about the preparatory courses, please contact the person specified on the page describing your program of interest.
For students who followed courses at EPFL as exchange students and apply for a Master’s program: if Master’s credits obtained during your exchange program were not used at your university of origin, you will be able to validate them for your Master’s program, subject to validation and a maximum of 30 credits.
Online application: Process
Detailed info & access
Application: important deadlines
Applications can be filled online from mid-November to the 15th of December, or from the 16th of December to the 15th of April.
Decisions are sent early April for applications registered by the 15th of December and end of June for the applications registered by the 15th of April. You can freely choose to apply by the December deadline or the April deadline. Regardless of which deadline you choose to meet, studies begin in mid-September following acceptance.
An intensive French language course is offered to all accepted candidates. It starts four weeks before the beginning of the semester.
| Candidates who need a visa are strongly advised to apply by the December deadline in order to have an answer earlier and have enough time for the visa procedure (which can take up to 3 months). |
Contact
The EPFL student desk is the main contact point for all academic queries
From Monday to Friday : 9h00-18h00
[email protected]
+41 21 693 43 45
EPFL VPE-DAF
BP 1229 (bâtiment BP)
Station 16
CH – 1015 Lausanne
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