Pre-university weeks for high school students
Physical sciences, electronics, robotics, materials science, programming and environmental analysis are just a glimpse of the fields explored during these pre-university weeks, whose numerous benefits are now well established.
The teaching often takes place outside the gymnasium’s traditional subjects, in an interdisciplinary and refreshing setting. It provides the opportunity to interact with others who share an interest in science and helps develop transferable skills such as time management, study methods and language competencies.
This immersion offers excellent preparation for university studies by strengthening the foundations acquired at the gymnasium while encouraging creativity and practical, hands-on approaches.
Summer 2026
Registration for the Summer 2026 Pre-University Weeks is open until Sunday, May 3, 2026. The registration form is available on the page dedicated to each Pre-University Week.
Dive into the world of STEM!
Fancy building an optical heart rate monitor? Or discovering aquatic ecosystems in streams? How about creating an earthquake-resistant structure? Or following in the footsteps of astronauts by recreating the first walk on the moon?
Dates: 29.06-02.07.2026
Build your own mobile robot
Learn how to connect electronic components, program a microcontroller and create 3D models. During this pre-university week, participants will dive into the theory and application of mobile robotics using the micro:bit board to conceptualize, design and build their own robot.
Game theory and artificial intelligence
Whether it is chess, checkers or nine men’s morris, every player dreams of guaranteed victory. But is it really possible? Can you optimize your strategy to leave your opponent with no chance of winning? This is what participants in this pre-university week will try to determine as they code their own game prototypes.
Science and sustainability
Degrowth, the circular economy and nuclear fusion: are they attainable ideals or just wishful thinking? And with the negative impact of climate change no longer in doubt, how can we bring together science, technology and sustainability to reinvent our way of life? These are the kinds of questions participants in this pre-university week will be invited to consider.
Materials science: innovating at the atomic level
With the aim of creating higher-performance materials, models exist for linking atomic structure and macroscopic properties. The week offers tangible projects that will enable high school students to discover the power of these innovative tools.
Dates: 06-10.07.2026
Past editions
Nature, in code
During this pre-university week, participants will learn the basics of JavaScript programming and implement key biological concepts in code to analyze their impact on life. The findings are presented in a visual form that is easy to interpret.
General relativity
From Newton’s first law of motion to special relativity, and then from Newton’s second law of motion to general relativity, the high school students will follow the footsteps that led to discoveries at the basis of today’s work on the origin of the Universe, gravitational waves, and black holes.
Edition: 30.06-04.07.2025
Mathematical thinking: between rigor and creativity
Is nature governed by mathematical laws? What is the relationship between mathematics and philosophy? And between cryptography and logic? This is what participants in this pre-university week will discover as they develop their capacity for rigorous intellectual inquiry and tackle challenges as a team.
Edition: 20-24.10.2025
Médecine et intelligence artificielle: Data et IA au service de notre santé
Radiographies, informations génétiques ou encore résultats d’examens sanguins sont des mines d’informations précieuses pour le corps médical et les scientifiques. Comment la data science et l’intelligence artificielle (IA) peuvent-elles les aider à mieux comprendre l’évolution des maladies, à établir un diagnostic plus précoce et à prévenir des problèmes de santé ?
Edition: 20-24.10.2025
Decoding QR codes
Concert tickets, admission to museums, menus in restaurants: QR codes are everywhere. They give us access to various activities and information, but how are they designed? How reliable are they and what kind of data can they contain?
The truth tables behind calculators
A calculator is a reassuring companion during math tests. But how does it work? And how can we be sure that it displays the correct result. During this pre-university week, the participants will answer such questions while designing a calculator.
Edition: 08-11.04.2024
Mobile robotics
During this pre-university week, participants will alternate theory sessions and practicals in order to explore the foundations of mobile robotics and dig into topics such as sensors, motion, control, local navigation, neural networks and machine learning.
Edition: 17-20.10.2022
Contact
These pre-university weeks are organized each year, in the spring, the summer and the autumn. Specific programs may also be proposed in collaboration with the high schools. If you are interested by this offer, do not hesitate to contact the Education outreach department:
EPFL AVP-E SPE
Centre Midi – CM2 348
Station 10
CH – 1015 Lausanne