EPFL

The EPFL or the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne is a public research university based in Switzerland. It was founded in 1853 and is directly controlled by the Swiss Federal Government. It is one of the best universities in Switzerland and is a popular choice among Indian students interested in higher studies in Europe. EPFL Switzerland is known for offering a quality technical education at affordable costs, world-class research facilities, and strong future career opportunities.

It has more than 500 labs and research groups and welcomes students from more than 130 countries. The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne is affiliated with 1 Nobel Prize winner, 2 winners of the Pritzker Prize, and 1 Turing Award winner. Indian students seeking higher studies at EPFL Lausanne would need to maintain strong academic scores and a portfolio. The EPFL University Acceptance Rate is in the range of 20-23%, per some unofficial sources.

EPFL University Information

Some facts worth knowing about EPFL Switzerland are mentioned below.

History

EPFL started as Ecole Speciale de Lausanne with 11 students. Initially, it offered courses in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Drawing, Architecture, and Civil Engineering. Students of the first batch graduated in 1855. In 1869, the school got into an affiliation with the Academie de Lausanne. It continued to grow over the coming decades. In 1969, EPFL became Switzerland's second federal institute (after ETH Zurich).

• Admissions are now closed for Master's courses at EPFL University

The EPFL or the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne is a public research university based in Switzerland. It was founded in 1853 and is directly controlled by the Swiss Federal Government. It is one of the best universities in Switzerland and is a popular choice among Indian students interested in higher studies in Europe. EPFL Switzerland is known for offering a quality technical education at affordable costs, world-class research facilities, and strong future career opportunities.

It has more than 500 labs and research groups and welcomes students from more than 130 countries. The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne is affiliated with 1 Nobel Prize winner, 2 winners of the Pritzker Prize, and 1 Turing Award winner. Indian students seeking higher studies at EPFL Lausanne would need to maintain strong academic scores and a portfolio. The EPFL University Acceptance Rate is in the range of 20-23%, per some unofficial sources.

EPFL University Information

Some facts worth knowing about EPFL Switzerland are mentioned below.

History

EPFL started as Ecole Speciale de Lausanne with 11 students. Initially, it offered courses in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Drawing, Architecture, and Civil Engineering. Students of the first batch graduated in 1855. In 1869, the school got into an affiliation with the Academie de Lausanne. It continued to grow over the coming decades. In 1969, EPFL became Switzerland's second federal institute (after ETH Zurich).

There are many scholarship options available to students at EPFL. Most of the financial aids are awarded by the university to academically strong students, to make their studies more affordable. Some popular EPFL Scholarships for Indian students to consider include.

How to get a Scholarship at EPFL Switzerland?

Students need to make sure they meet the basic conditions given below to be eligible for financial support from the EPFL University.

• Should be an international fee-paying student
• Demonstrate academic excellence or financial need
• Should have completed 1 year of study at EPFL (for some scholarships)
• Should not be receiving financial support from any other source

The EPFL University offers bachelor's and master's degree courses across fields like Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Communication Systems, Electrical and Electronic Engineering among others. EPFL University Courses are delivered in both English and French languages. Students are expected to maintain 30 hours of class-time every week.

EPFL University Courses in English

MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Cyber Security, and MSc in Robotics are some of the standout options for students to pursue. EPFL Programs in English are also available in Engineering, Life Sciences and Technology, Environmental Sciences, and Humanities.

EPFL Switzerland Online Courses

The institute also offers around 77 MOOCs and several non-degree training courses for students to pursue online. These include short courses in Neuroscience, Teaching Science, and Supply Chain Management.

The university has educated Nobel Prize winners, physicists, technology professionals, and entrepreneurs. This incudes Neuroscientist, Auke Ijspeert, Author, Murat Kunt, and Roboticist, Nikolaus Correll. EPFL University alumni network includes 43,000 members. Mentioned below are some more popular names that are part of the EPFL University Notable Alumni.

Name	Known For	Alumnus
Jacques Dubochet	Retired Swiss Biophysicist Former Researcher at the European Biology Lab Won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the cryo-electron microscopy
Martin Vetterli	Swiss Professor Former President of EPFL
Murat Kunt	Swiss-Turkish Author Known for his research and teaching in Digital Signal Processing Authored more than 15 books and holds 16 patents
Nikolaus Correll	Roboticist Professor at the Computer Science department of the University of Colorado Boulder

Master's graduates of EPFL were able to land jobs across some of the best companies in Europe. Companies like Google, Roche, and CSEM were some of the best employers of graduates after EPFL University Placements. It took the graduates an average of 9.2 weeks and 13 applications to land a job.

EPFL Placement Rate

The EPFL University Placement rate for Master's graduates stood at 93% for the Class of 2022 graduates. Given below is a breakdown of the employment profile.

ROI After Studies at EPFL

Graduates were able to get a very healthy return on their initial investment in tuition fees. Given below is how the tuition fees for master's graduates compare with the average salary they were earning after graduation.

1 CHF = INR 114.64

The EPFL University has tripled the tuition fees for international students residing in Switzerland, from Fall 2025 onwards. Students used to pay a standard fee of around CHF 730 or INR 83.7 K per semester. This has now tripled. This means the EPFL University Fees for International Students residing in Switzerland are now CHF 2,190 or INR 2.5 Lakhs per semester. This change in fee policy does not apply to other additional fees.

EPFL Switzerland Cost of Living

The cost of living in Switzerland largely depends on the choice of a student's lifestyle. Switzerland is considered more expensive than other European countries. However, with smart planning, it is still manageable to study here. Given below is a sample budget for living costs.

Source: Official website - EPFL Switzerland

1 CHF = INR 114.77

• Admissions are now closed for Master's courses at EPFL University

Indian students seeking EPFL University Admissions can submit an online application for the same. The admissions are competitive, but the EPFL University Admission process is simple and can be completed very quickly. Students are required to follow the application deadlines very strictly.

EPFL University Application Deadlines 2026

Students can send in their EPFL application by the deadlines given below.

EPFL Switzerland Eligibility Criteria for Indian Students

Given below are the basic conditions of eligibility to be met every student interested in EPFL Switzerland Admissions.

EPFL University Admission Requirements for Indian Students - Master's

A bachelor's degree from a recognised university in the relevant field. Only students with strong academics and references have good chances of admission. Other requirements include Letters of Recommendation, Personal Statement, and a Portfolio.

EPFL University Entry Requirements for Indian Students - Bachelor's

An upper-secondary school certificate. Students should have pursued the following subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Hindi, English, Chemistry or Biology, History, Geography, or Economics, Applied Mathematics, Philosophy, Computer Science, or the third modern language. Proof of English proficiency is also required.

In the Shiksha Popularity rankings, EPFL ranks at #2 in the National Universities rankings for 2026. In the world rankings, EPFL ranks at #27 for 2026. Some of the EPFL subjects have also been ranked in Shiksha Popularity rankings 2026.

By Other Ranking Bodies

Apart from Shiksha Popularity ranking, QS has also ranked the university globally. It ranks EPFL at #22 in 2026. EPFL ranking stood at #86 as per US News in 2025 and #35 by THE in 2026, globally.

EPFL offers one of the most beautiful campus experiences in the world. The EPFL University Campus is based on the shores of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The campus offers a diverse student life and an environment full of modern research and sports facilities. This includes the world-class research labs, libraries, a dedicated sports centre, and more.

EPFL Campus Locations

The university maintains its presence across Lausanne, Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchatel, and Valais Wallis. The EPFL Lausanne campus is the main campus of the university's operations.

EPFL Campus Life

Some key features of student life at the EPFL University Campus are mentioned below.

• EPFL shares a big sports centre with the University of Lausanne. The sports centre is full of modern athletics facilities. Students can participate in football, tennis, rugby, volleyball, and athletics against fellow peers after paying the standard charges.
• There are more than 30 catering outlets on campus where students can enjoy meals with friends. This includes 5 restaurants, multiple cafeterias, and food trucks. These remain open throughout the day and serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.