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 2018

407

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

EuroTech Partner Days: How Strategic Alliances Benefit Education

Published:23.09.19 — The first edition of the EuroTech Partner Days was hosted September 22nd and 23rd 2019 by EPFL in the Framework of the 50th anniversary of the school. The event, organized by the Education Outreach Department, brought together the EuroTech Alliance (DTU, EPFL, l’X, Technion, TU/e and TUM), its partners as well as students, and fostered rich discussions on topics such as education and student exchange. Prof. Pierre Vandergheynst, Vice President for Education at EPFL and Prof. Philip John Binning, Senior Vice President, Dean of Graduate Studies and International Affairs at DTU talk about the benefits of a strategic alliance for education.

MARVEL summer school: the pleasure of learning new things

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.

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Contact

In case of questions, please contact your program of interest

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