The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is a research institute and university in Lausanne, Switzerland, specializing in the natural sciences and engineering. Tracing its roots to 1853 and located in the French-speaking pocket of Switzerland, EPFL is twinned with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich).
As part of its research and teaching activities, EPFL is one of the only universities to run a nuclear reactor, a fusion reactor, a Gene/Q Supercomputer, and have P3 bio-hazard facilities. The QS World University Rankings ranked EPFL as the 14th best university in the world across all fields in 2021, whereas The World University Rankings placed EPFL 19th on the list of the world’s best schools for engineering and technology in 2020.
EPFL offers a limited number of fellowships at the master’s level to students with outstanding academic records. The selection process is very competitive, only about 3% of the PG students receive such financial support. Some fellowships are funded by EPFL directly while others are funded through partnerships with foundations or private companies.
Eligibility
Anyone applying to an EPFL master’s program is eligible. EPFL grants a limited number of fellowships to the most deserving candidates based on their academic records.
Cumulating this fellowship with other substantial scholarships is not possible. Candidates are required to declare all the scholarships they receive while pursuing their master’s.
If the master’s at EPFL is a second one, candidates are not eligible for an excellence fellowship.
Funding Details
Successful candidates are awarded the following benefits:
CHF 10’000 per semester
Reservation of a room in a student residence
A certificate of excellence (at the end of the master’s programme)
The fellowship will be paid for 4 semesters
How to apply?
International students must have a bachelor’s degree from a university abroad.
International students should apply via the same online form as that of their application to a master’s programme by April 15 or December 15.
There are no specific documents to be provided in addition to those required for admission to the Master’s.
Sections might contact students to ask if they want to submit an application for an excellence fellowship.
Students can also submit an application to their section by January 31 or April 30.
The application should contain a CV, a motivation letter, 2 letters of recommendation from professors familiar with students’ work and achievements, and a transcript of all grades earned at EPFL.
For any queries or clarification, please contact e-fellowship@epfl.ch.
For further details, click here.
