There are no minimum grade requirement to undertake a master project in another university.
You simply must have found a professor at EPFL and at the host university who will supervise your project.
You are responsible to organize this mobility on your own.
The host university is usually able to provide all necessary information for the organization of your stay abroad (registration at the host university, visa, residence permit, accommodation, etc.). The Student Exchange Office does not intervene in the process, no matter if the project takes place in a partner university or not.
You can ask an EPFL professor to put you in contact with one of their counterparts abroad, or you can reach out to professors in other universities on your own.
If the master project takes place in one of EPFL’s partner universities in Europe, at ETHZ or in one of the 4 research Institutes of the ETH Board (EAWAG, EMPA, PSI, WSL), you are entitled to a scholarship or allowance. You can find the details on this webpage.
The Student Exchange Office does not have other funding than the ones mentioned on this page.
It is possible that certain universities ask you to pay taxes or even tuition fees. Make sure to inquire about this early enough in order to avoid any surprises. These taxes are at your own costs and EPFL is not in a position to negotiate with the universities to drop them.
During your master project you remain registered at EPFL and must therefore pay EPFL’s tuition fees, even if the host university asks you to pay some fees as well.
Please contact the student services desk who will transfer your request to the appropriate office.
Contact your insurance company to ensure to have sufficient healthcare coverage abroad. It is also recommended to acquire a repatriation clause in the contract.
In certain cases it is possible, or even mandatory, to be insured in the host country. Your host university will be able to provide information in this regard.
Please contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your host university to see if a visa is required for your nationality. In certain cases, the host university is able to provide information in this regard.
The visa application can be lengthy for certain countries and this also depends on your nationality. It is strongly advised to start the process early enough.
Before starting a visa application, ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date of your return to Switzerland or home country.
The host university should be able to provide information regarding housing.
Before you leave, request your International SOS membership card for your travel abroad. This service will enable you to get expert advice for planning your trip as well as 24-hour medical and safety assistance while you are traveling.
The Trust and Support Network offers listening, guidance and support in complete confidentiality and for any type of situation you are facing. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them if you feel the need.
You can find on this page the list of students who have done or who are currently doing a master project in another university (see tab Projet de Master).
For all questions related to EPFL’s guidelines about your project (duration, start and end dates, credits, prolongation etc.), please refer to EPFL’s specific requirements or contact the student services desk if needed.