Doctorate

The École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) offers its doctoral students an extraordinary setting: customized PhD programs; cutting-edge laboratories directed by internationally renowned professors; a modern, fast-developing campus; satellite sites in French-speaking cantons; and close ties to industry.

EPFL is one of the world’s most dynamic and reputed institutes of science and technology. In the heart of Europe, it offers a combination of excitement, excellence, inspiring education, and outstanding facilities for research. Its doctoral school is organized into 21 doctoral programs, each covering a well-established discipline or one of today’s interdisciplinary research areas. They form vibrant scientific communities that energize the exchange of scientific ideas and progress.

Prof. Pierre Vandergheynst, Vice President for Education

Doctoral Students

Women	Men
621	1521

Country of origin

Switzerland	Europe	World
20%	50%	30%

Degrees

Delivered in 2017

431

Career

	= Academia		= Industry
	35%		65%

Doctoral studies at EPFL

Doctoral studies stucture

An EPFL PhD is typically obtained after four years of study devoted to an original and independent scientific research project.

Doctoral programs

EPFL’s Doctoral School is organized into 21 doctoral programs

PhD admission criteria & application

All the information required for an admission to a PhD program at EPFL

15th anniversary of the Doctoral School, 4 July 2019

The EPFL President, the Vice-Presidents for Research and Education, as well as the representatives of the Doctoral School warmly thank you for your participation in this 15th anniversary.
We were happy to be able to meet you during this day of exchanges and sharing, and hope that the event lived up to your expectations.
The speakers' presentations are available on the event's web page.

Why choose EPFL

Meet EPFL Representatives

EPFL regularly takes part in educational fairs and information sessions throughout the world

EPFLinnovators

The EPFLinnovators programme aims to attract excellent PhD candidates with an interest in entrepreneurship to EPFL

Thesis Distinction

Each year, a distinction is granted to a selection of very high quality theses, in order to highlight the doctoral candidates' research work and their scientific merit

MARVEL summer camp : learning while having fun

Published:18.07.19 — MARVEL Summer Camp students “had a lot of fun, while working and learning new things”. This year’s Summer Camp “Des atomes aux ordinateurs” organized by MARVEL in collaboration with the EPFL Education outreach department attracted 21 high school students — 10 women and 11 men — for a full week of lectures, exercises and lab visits built around the theme of scientific programming.

Two MINT-classes from Gymnasium Lerbermatt Köniz dive into EPFL

Published:11.07.19 — Last week about 40 Swiss German high school students had the chance to visit various modules developed by EPFL laboratories. This immersion week, organized by the Education Outreach Department in close collaboration with the high school representatives since many years, allowed the students to approach the engineering sciences in an interdisciplinary way. For the MINT-classes (the students follow a specific program fostering Maths, Informatics, Natural sciences and Technique), this week at EPFL is a particular highlight in their curriculum.

Registration now open for EuroTech Summer School on Open Science!

Published:06.06.19 — The Summer School ‘Open Science in Practice’ is back on EPFL campus, 2-6 September 2019, after the success of the 2017 edition. One week to learn how to boost the quality and impact of your research! The programme is organised by and for doctoral students and early career researchers, with generous support from the EuroTech Universities alliance.

All news

Contact

In case of questions, please contact your program of interest

See programs