LGBTIQ+

Since 1 January 2022, any person legally residing in Switzerland — whether holding a Swiss passport or another type of residence permit — and registered in a Swiss municipality (commune/Gemeinde) may change the gender marker and/or first name recorded in civil status by making a personal declaration to the civil registry office.

Gender changes are limited to binary categories (female or male). Due to some flexibility in the legislation at the cantonal level, certain municipalities (commune/Gemeinde) allow only the gender or the name to be changed, while others require both to be changed simultaneously (if the first name is considered gendered).

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Switzerland does not yet legally recognise non-binary gender identities in civil status or on official administrative documents.
Although current law allows for a change of gender marker, the Swiss administrative system remains largely structured around the binary categories “female” and “male”. Official documents such as passports or identity cards currently do not offer a non-binary option. Discussions are ongoing regarding the inclusion of an “X” gender marker, but it has not yet been implemented nationwide.

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As of 1 July 2022, same-sex couples in Switzerland have the right to marry. They may also convert their registered partnership into a marriage and gain equal rights to heterosexual couples.

From that date, it is no longer possible to enter into new registered partnerships. Couples already in a registered partnership may, by making a joint declaration at the civil registry office, request the conversion of their union into a marriage. This procedure can be carried out at any time and is not subject to a legal deadline.

In addition, same-sex couples whose foreign marriage was previously recognised in Switzerland as a registered partnership can now request for it to be registered as a marriage by submitting an application to the civil registry office.

→ More information: FAQ mariage pour toutes et tous de Pink Cross 

Following an official change of gender and/or name, particularly in the context of gender affirmation, your personal data can be updated in EPFL’s administrative and IT systems to reflect your current identity.

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Please also refer to the dedicated page below if you are a student.

→ Identity data

EPFL is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects diversity. In this spirit, members of the community may use a preferred (or chosen) first name — one that does not appear on identity documents — as well as a gender identity different from the one registered with civil authorities.

This option seeks to uphold individual rights and reflect personal identity in social and professional contexts, while ensuring official documents remain legally compliant.

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At EPFL, your job/function title in French may reflect your official administrative gender (e.g. étudiante vs. étudiant, collaboratrice vs. collaborateur). This gendered label is recorded during your registration or hiring and appears in EPFL systems.

On your People page, this is the only explicit reference to gender — aside from what may be inferred from your first name, photo, or self-entered content.

EPFL supports the use of a preferred gender identity, which may differ from the one on official identity documents.

There are three gender display options on your People page:

• Feminine: étudiante, professeure, collaboratrice, etc.
• Masculine: étudiant, professeur, collaborateur, etc.
• Unspecified: étudiante/étudiant, professeure/professeur, collaboratrice/collaborateur, etc.

Currently, an inclusive label is not yet available on the Camipro card: only étudiante or étudiant can be displayed.

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Currently, EPFL must record all students as either male or female in its information systems and on official academic documents.
However, non-binary and/or transgender students — who have not legally changed their gender with the civil registry — may request that their diploma be issued without gendered references such as “Madame/Monsieur” (Ms/Mr) or “née le../né le…) (male/female form)”.

Requests must be submitted with supporting motivation to the Student Services Desk no later than 30 April prior to graduation (October for Master’s, November for Bachelor’s degrees).

Master’s diplomas include a gendered professional title (e.g. ingénieur mathématicien EPF, physicienne EPF). These cannot be issued in gender-neutral form due to current regulatory constraints.

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Toilet blocks in EPFL’s CM and CE buildings have been fully renovated to provide more inclusive and functional facilities. Since 2022, several gender-neutral toilets are available, including individual cubicles with sinks, accessible stalls, and a separated section with urinals.

Some floors in the CM building also feature drinking fountains, showers with dry zones, changing rooms, and a breastfeeding room.

Renovations will gradually be extended to additional buildings across the campus.

→ See the news dated 11/19/2021

The Inclusive Name Change @EPFL project aims to enable community members to use a preferred/chosen name. As of February 2025, procedures have been streamlined and are now ready for implementation.

→ See the project page

The “Vers des Unis Arc-en-Ciel” project promotes diversity and inclusion of LGBTIQ+ individuals across French-speaking Swiss universities (UNIL, UNIGE, UNINE, UNIFR, EPFL). Driven by a network of experts, the project works to improve visibility, awareness, and training around LGBTIQ+ issues.