Study at EPFL Lausanne: The Complete Guide 2026

You stand on the roof of the Rolex Learning Center – an undulating, organic structure of glass and concrete, designed by Japanese Pritzker Prize laureates – and gaze at a panorama that looks like a postcard from another world. To your left, Lake Geneva glistens in the October sun; to your right, the Savoy Alps loom on the horizon, and somewhere in between, on the hillside, the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards cascade in terraces towards the water. Behind you, on the 65-hectare campus, several thousand students from over 120 countries are moving between laboratories where the future is being forged: artificial intelligence, thought-controlled neuroprosthetics, plasmonic nanomaterials. This isn’t a dream of the ideal technical university. This is an ordinary Tuesday at EPFL Lausanne.

EPFL – École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne – is one of Switzerland’s two federal polytechnic universities and one of the best technical universities in the world. In the QS 2025 ranking, it holds the 14th position globally and is second in continental Europe, just behind its sister institution, ETH Zurich. But EPFL is more than just a ranking position. It’s a university that, in just five decades since gaining federal status, has undergone one of the most spectacular transformations in the history of European higher education – from a regional engineering school to a global leader in computer science, microengineering, and neurosciences. And tuition fees? 780 CHF per semester – less than a month’s rent in Lausanne.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to apply to EPFL: from the specifics of its open admission system and the brutal Basisprüfung selection, through language requirements (yes, French is essential for bachelor’s degrees), the cost of living in one of Europe’s most expensive cities, available scholarships, and a comparison with ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, and TU Munich. If you dream of an engineering or scientific career at the absolute top – this article will give you the complete picture.

EPFL Rankings and Reputation

EPFL is a university that defies academic hierarchy. Most top-ranked universities globally built their reputation over centuries – Oxford since the 13th century, Cambridge since the 14th, ETH Zurich since 1855. EPFL only gained federal polytechnic status in 1969 and, in just five decades, has joined the absolute elite. In the QS World University Rankings 2025, EPFL ranks 14th globally – surpassing institutions like Yale, Columbia, Princeton, and the University of Tokyo. In continental Europe, it is number two, just behind its sister institution, ETH Zurich (#7).

In the THE World University Rankings 2025, EPFL ranks 18th globally, and in the QS Engineering & Technology category – 12th worldwide, competing directly with MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge. This achievement is all the more impressive given that EPFL is a relatively small institution – 12,300 students is a fraction of the population of large American or Asian universities. EPFL regularly appears in the top 10 Reuters Most Innovative Universities in Europe, and its per capita scientific publication rate in the Nature Index is one of the highest in the world.

What truly sets EPFL apart from the competition is the combination of three elements: absolutely top-tier research and teaching quality, ridiculously low tuition fees (780 CHF per semester – identical for all students, regardless of country of origin), and an innovation ecosystem that generates over 250 startups annually. Compare this: Imperial College London costs over 38,000 GBP annually for international students, ETH Zurich is comparably inexpensive (730 CHF/semester) but requires German for bachelor’s degrees. TU Munich is tuition-free, but its ranking position (around 30–40 QS) is significantly lower. EPFL offers the best value for money in European technical education – provided you speak French.

EPFL Admissions – Open Doors, Rigorous Selection

Admissions to EPFL operate on a model entirely different from what you might know from British, Dutch, or even its sister institution, ETH Zurich. There are no personal statements, no motivation letters, no interviews, and no entrance exam (unlike at ETH). Instead, EPFL employs an open admission model with brutal selection after the first year – the philosophy is: “We give a chance to anyone who meets the formal requirements, but after a year, we check if you can truly succeed.”

At the bachelor’s level, the process is as follows. First, you check the admission requirements. You must have a high school diploma (such as the Polish Matura or equivalent international qualification) with the appropriate subjects at an advanced level – primarily Mathematics and Physics (or Chemistry, depending on the chosen section). EPFL also requires a foreign language component in your high school diploma. The Polish Matura is recognized – you don’t need to have it nostrified or take additional exams. This is a huge advantage compared to ETH Zurich, where applicants with a Polish Matura must take the Reduced Entrance Exam.

Second, you submit an online application through the IS-Academia system on the EPFL website. You will need a scan of your high school diploma (or predicted results), translations of documents into French or English, proof of French language proficiency at B2 level (DELF B2, DALF C1/C2, TCF B2+), and a copy of your passport. The deadline is April 30 for studies commencing in September. You must submit all documents by June 30.

Third – and this is where the real challenge begins – if your high school diploma meets the criteria, you are admitted to the first probationary year. You don’t take any entrance exam. Sounds too good to be true? There’s a catch. After the first year, you take the Basisprüfung – a block of exams in core subjects (mathematical analysis, linear algebra, physics, computer science – details depend on the section). Approximately 50–60% of students do not pass the Basisprüfung on their first attempt. You have two chances – if you don’t pass the second time, you leave EPFL permanently. This is the moment of truth and the filter that gives an EPFL diploma such value in the job market.

At the master’s level, admissions are more traditional and conducted in English. You submit an online application with your bachelor’s GPA, CV, and letters of recommendation. The required GPA is usually in the top 15–20% of your graduating class. Language: English – TOEFL iBT 93+ or IELTS Academic 6.5+. Prepare for these exams with prepclass.io – the platform offers full practice tests with AI feedback. The deadline for master’s applications is December 15 of the preceding year. You can find more about comparing TOEFL and IELTS in our TOEFL vs IELTS guide.

Remember our guide on converting international high school diploma results – it explains how your grades translate into foreign systems, including the Swiss one.

Study Programs – What to Study at EPFL?

EPFL offers 13 bachelor’s programs and over 25 master’s programs, organized into sections – equivalent to departments at many universities. This isn’t a typical polytechnic offering just a few engineering variants – EPFL covers a spectrum from pure physics and mathematics, through computer science and robotics, to architecture and environmental sciences. Each section operates like a small, specialized institute with its own laboratories, professors, and academic culture.

Computer Science (Informatique) is EPFL’s flagship program and one of the best in continental Europe. EPFL is particularly strong in functional programming – Martin Odersky, creator of the Scala language, is an EPFL professor and teaches the legendary course “Functional Programming Principles in Scala,” also available on Coursera (over 2 million enrollments). The program covers algorithms, operating systems, artificial intelligence, cryptography, and software engineering. Students have access to computing clusters and AI laboratories that regularly publish in top-tier venues (NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR). Graduates go on to work at Google Zurich, Meta, Microsoft Research, and many establish their own startups on campus. If you’re considering computer science in Europe, EPFL and ETH Zurich are two of the strongest options – both significantly outperform UCL or Edinburgh in terms of CS research.

Microengineering (Microtechnique) is a program you won’t find in this form at any other university. It combines precision mechanics, electronics, and computer science at the micro-scale – robotics, MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems), optics, and nanotechnology. Switzerland has a natural tradition in precision engineering – from watchmaking to medical instruments – and EPFL is the heir to this tradition in a 21st-century version. EPFL’s microengineering laboratories are among the best-equipped in the world, and graduates find employment at companies like Rolex, ABB, Siemens, and dozens of deeptech startups from the EPFL Innovation Park.

Communication Systems (Systèmes de communication) is a unique program combining computer science with telecommunications and network security. It covers computer networks, signal processing, cybersecurity, and distributed systems – an ideal path for those interested in fintech, blockchain, or IT security. Graduates are highly valued by telecommunications companies, banks, and technology consulting firms.

Life Sciences (Sciences de la vie) at EPFL is not classical biology – it’s biology on engineering steroids. The program combines bioinformatics, neuroengineering, biotechnology, and biomedical engineering with mathematics and programming. EPFL leads, among others, the Blue Brain Project – an ambitious initiative to model the human brain using supercomputers – and the Human Brain Project, one of the largest scientific projects funded by the EU. If you are interested in computational neuroscience or bioengineering, EPFL is one of the best places in the world.

Architecture at EPFL is not just about designing buildings – it encompasses urban planning, sustainable construction, and digital design technologies. Students benefit from one of the most modern digital fabrication laboratories in Europe, and the proximity to architectural firms in Geneva and Basel (home of Herzog & de Meuron, Pritzker 2001) opens doors to world-class internships.

Physics (Physique) – a program with arguably the most difficult Basisprüfung at EPFL (first-attempt pass rate below 40%), but with one key advantage: CERN is located a 30-minute train ride from Lausanne. Physics students at EPFL regularly undertake internships and write their theses at CERN, and many EPFL professors conduct research at the Large Hadron Collider.

Basisprüfung – The Exam That Changes Everything

Basisprüfung is a term every EPFL student knows all too well. It’s a block of first-year exams that determines your future at the university – and it’s not a typical examination session you might know from other universities. It’s a deliberately designed selection filter that weeds out students unable to meet EPFL’s demands.

How does it work? After the first year, you take exams in all core subjects of your section – typically 5–7 subjects (Mathematical Analysis I and II, Linear Algebra, Physics I and II, Introduction to Programming, plus section-specific subjects). You must achieve a weighted average of at least 4.0 out of 6.0 across these subjects. You can’t pass one and fail another and “make up” for it – grades compensate, but the average must exceed the threshold.

Let’s be honest – the statistics are brutal. The first-attempt pass rate for Basisprüfung is approx. 40–50%, depending on the section. The most difficult sections – Physics and Mathematics – have pass rates below 40%. If you don’t pass the first time, you repeat the entire first year and retake the exams. If you don’t pass the second time, you are expelled from EPFL and cannot reapply for the same program – ever. After two attempts, approximately 60–70% of students eventually pass, meaning 30–40% of those who start at EPFL never complete their studies.

How to prepare? Consistency is absolutely crucial – at EPFL, you cannot pass the Basisprüfung by cramming at the last minute. The material is too extensive and too demanding. Most students who pass on their first attempt work systematically from the very first day of the semester. Study groups are a cornerstone of EPFL culture – study with peers, explain concepts to each other, solve problems together. EPFL offers coaching académique – tutoring and academic support led by older students who have passed the Basisprüfung and know what to focus on. If you want an advantage even before you arrive in Lausanne, prepare with mathematical analysis and linear algebra – on prepclass.io, you’ll find university-level study materials to help you start your first year with solid foundations.

Cost of Studying and Living in Lausanne

One of EPFL’s greatest assets is its low tuition fees – 780 CHF per semester (approx. 820 EUR / 860 USD), identical for all students regardless of country of origin. The annual tuition cost is just 1,560 CHF (approx. 1,640 EUR / 1,720 USD). For comparison: Imperial College London costs over 38,000 GBP annually for international students, and even Dutch universities from our guide to studying in the Netherlands charge 2,500 EUR in tuition.

But don’t be fooled by the low tuition fees – Lausanne is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. Switzerland is generally expensive, and the Romance-speaking cantons (Vaud, Geneva) are no exception. A realistic monthly budget for an EPFL student is as follows:

Accommodation is by far the largest expense: 700–1,000 CHF for a room in an FMEL (Fondation Maison pour Étudiants Lausanne) dormitory or 900–1,200 CHF on the private market. FMEL manages a pool of rooms dedicated to EPFL and UNIL students – prices start from 500 CHF for a room in a shared apartment, but the waiting list is long, so apply immediately upon receiving acceptance. Food expenses are 350–500 CHF per month when cooking at home – campus canteens are good but expensive (15–18 CHF for lunch). Cooking for yourself in a dorm kitchen reduces food costs by 40–50%. Health insurance is mandatory in Switzerland – a student policy costs 80–120 CHF per month. Transportation – a TL Lausanne city pass plus an SBB Half-Fare Card (185 CHF/year, giving 50% discount on trains throughout Switzerland) totals 70–100 CHF per month. Materials and personal expenses – 150–250 CHF.

Is 18,600–26,500 EUR / 19,500–27,700 USD per year a lot? Compared to many European universities – yes. But compare this to universities of similar ranking: Imperial College London costs over 55,000 GBP (approx. 64,000 EUR / 69,000 USD) annually in total (tuition + London living costs), and Cambridge – over 40,000 GBP (approx. 46,500 EUR / 50,000 USD). Even compared to cheaper European options – TU Munich (approx. 10,000–14,000 EUR annually, 0 EUR tuition) or Sciences Po (tuition dependent on income) – EPFL is more expensive due to Swiss living costs. But remember: for this money, you get a world top 15 institution, not a top 50 or top 100.

Scholarships and Financial Support

EPFL is not a university where most students receive generous scholarships covering full costs. Let’s be honest – scholarships are limited in number and highly competitive. But there are several realistic options that can significantly reduce the cost of studies.

EPFL Excellence Fellowships are the university’s most important scholarships, awarded to the best candidates for master’s programs. The amount is up to 25,000 CHF per year (covering tuition plus a significant portion of living costs) or, alternatively: tuition fee waiver plus a 16,000 CHF scholarship. Criteria: GPA in the top 10% of your graduating class, outstanding academic achievements, strong letters of recommendation. The university awards approximately 40–50 such scholarships annually – every master’s candidate is automatically considered.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (ESKAS) are Swiss government scholarships for international students and researchers. Amount: 1,920 CHF per month plus tuition fees, health insurance, and airfare. For international applicants, the application typically goes through your country’s relevant academic exchange agency or the Swiss embassy/consulate in your country. The deadline is usually August–November of the preceding year.

Vaud Cantonal Scholarships – the canton where Lausanne is located offers social scholarships ranging from 2,000 to 16,000 CHF annually, depending on the family’s financial situation. Note: access for international students requires residency in the canton for at least 2 years, which practically excludes first-year applicants. However, it’s worth knowing about this option for later stages of your studies.

Working as an assistant étudiant is the most realistic source of additional income. EPFL offers assistant positions (helping with exercises, grading papers, working in laboratories) paid at 25–30 CHF per hour. Limit: 15 hours per week during the semester. At 10 hours per week, this amounts to 1,000–1,200 CHF per month – covering the cost of accommodation in an FMEL dormitory.

Other options: the Fondation Zdenek et Michaela Bakala offers scholarships for students from Central and Eastern Europe, the Erasmus+ program can reduce costs if you spend a semester in a cheaper country, and national academic exchange scholarships (like those from NAWA in Poland) may be available for outstanding candidates from your home country.

EPFL vs ETH Zurich: both universities are absolute European leaders, but they differ in character. ETH ranks higher (#7 vs #14), is larger (25,000 vs 12,300 students), and conducts bachelor’s programs in German. EPFL is more international (60% vs 40% international students), has simpler bachelor’s admissions (no entrance exam), and conducts classes in French. If you are interested in computer science, microengineering, or neurosciences – EPFL is a natural choice. If your passion is physics, chemistry, or mechanical engineering – ETH will be a stronger option. You can read more about ETH in our dedicated guide or in the general guide to studying in Switzerland.

EPFL vs Imperial: Imperial College London ranks higher (#2 QS), offers studies in English, and provides access to the London job market. But it costs over 20 times more – 38,000+ GBP in tuition plus London living costs amounts to an annual total of around 55,000–60,000 GBP (approx. 64,000–69,000 EUR / 69,000–75,000 USD). For a fraction of that price, EPFL offers comparable quality of research and teaching in many fields, and the Swiss job market – though smaller – offers some of the highest salaries in the world.

Student Life in Lausanne

The EPFL campus spans 65 hectares on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, in Ecublens, just outside Lausanne. It’s one of the most modern technical campuses in Europe – and one of the few European campuses that truly live 24/7. At the heart of the campus is the Rolex Learning Center – an iconic building designed by the Japanese firm SANAA (Pritzker Prize laureates 2010), whose undulating, organic form of glass and concrete is one of the most photographed buildings in Switzerland. The Rolex Learning Center houses a library with 500,000 volumes, study spaces open late, a café, and a cultural center – and it symbolizes EPFL’s philosophy: open, fluid, interdisciplinary.

On campus, you’ll find over 15 dining options (from canteens to food trucks), the student bar Satellite run by associations, the SwissTech Convention Center (an event space hosting TED conferences), the Art Lab (a contemporary art gallery), and – most importantly – the EPFL Innovation Park, home to over 250 startups and R&D centers for companies like Logitech, Nestlé, Cisco, and Swisscom. The proximity of companies and startups is not an abstraction – internships, research projects, and part-time jobs are literally at your fingertips, without having to leave the campus.

AGEPoly (Association Générale des Étudiants de l’EPFL) is the student association that manages extracurricular life. It organizes Festival Balelec – a one-day music festival on campus, one of the largest student festivals in Europe (over 15,000 attendees), the Bal de l’EPFL – the annual student ball, and coordinates over 100 student clubs and associations – from robotics (the EPFL Racing Team builds a racing car), through theater and climbing, to various national student associations.

Lausanne is a city with a population of approximately 140,000 (agglomeration ~420,000), situated on steep slopes above Lake Geneva. It is home to the International Olympic Committee and holds the status of “Olympic Capital of the World”. It’s a city that combines Swiss precision with a Francophone zest for life – cafés with Alpine views, weekly markets at Place de la Riponne, and the Lavaux vineyards (UNESCO) just 20 minutes by train from the center. Public transport is excellent – the M2 metro, buses, and trains connect the campus to the city center in 15 minutes. Geneva is 40 minutes by train, Bern an hour, and ski resorts in the Vaud Alps (Villars, Leysin, Verbier) less than an hour by car.

Let’s be honest – Lausanne is not London or Berlin in terms of nightlife. It’s a smaller city, calmer, more oriented towards nature and sports than clubs. Sports UNIL-EPFL offers over 80 sports disciplines for a symbolic fee – sailing on the lake, rowing, skiing, climbing, running along the vineyards. If you’re looking for a vibrant metropolis with countless bars and concerts – Lausanne will disappoint you. But if you envision a morning run along the lake with views of Mont Blanc, followed by an afternoon in an AI lab at one of the world’s best polytechnics – it’s hard to find a better place.

An EPFL diploma opens doors globally. Google Zurich – the second-largest Google office in the world – recruits EPFL graduates en masse. McKinsey, BCG, and other consulting firms conduct regular recruitment sessions on campus. But what truly distinguishes EPFL is its startup ecosystem. Among the most prominent EPFL spin-offs: MindMaze (neurotechnology, valued over 1 billion USD – a “unicorn”), Sophia Genetics (genomics, listed on NASDAQ), Bestmile (autonomous vehicles), and Nexthink (IT analytics). If you dream of founding your own tech company, EPFL Innovation Park – with its incubator, venture capital, and access to industry mentors – gives you a head start that students at most universities can only dream of.

After completing your master’s, you can apply for an Erweiterungsbewilligung – a 6-month residence permit in Switzerland for job searching. The Swiss job market for engineers and computer scientists is one of the highest-paying in the world – the median salary for an EPFL master’s graduate is over 85,000 CHF annually (approx. 89,000 EUR / 93,500 USD).

Summary – Who is EPFL For?

EPFL Lausanne is a university for individuals who combine three characteristics: technical talent, readiness for extremely hard work, and a fascination with the French language (at least enough to master it to B2 level before studies). It’s not a university for everyone – the Basisprüfung, with its alarmingly low first-attempt pass rate, is a deliberate filter. But if you make it through, you gain a diploma from one of the world’s top 15 universities, a startup ecosystem at your fingertips, and access to the Swiss job market with some of the highest salaries on the planet – all for tuition fees of around 780 CHF per semester.

EPFL is not for you if you’re looking for an English-taught bachelor’s degree (check Imperial, UCL, or Edinburgh). Nor is it for you if you prefer a definite entrance exam over the uncertainty of the Basisprüfung – in that case, ETH Zurich with its Reduced Entrance Exam might be a better option. But if you dream of computer science, microengineering, neurosciences, or physics in proximity to CERN, in one of the most beautiful places on Earth – EPFL should be at the top of your list.

Next Steps

1. Start learning French – the earlier, the better. Goal: DELF B2 at least 6 months before applying.
2. Ensure your high school diploma includes advanced-level Mathematics and Physics.
3. Submit your online application via IS-Academia by April 30 – prepare document translations.
4. Search for accommodation at FMEL immediately after acceptance – the waiting list is long.
5. Prepare for the Basisprüfung even before you arrive – review mathematical analysis and linear algebra on prepclass.io.
6. For master’s: pass TOEFL (93+) or IELTS (6.5+), deadline December 15. Compare the tests in our TOEFL vs IELTS guide.

Also check out our other guides: ETH Zurich, studying in Switzerland, Sciences Po Paris, TU Munich, and Imperial College London. Good luck!