Please understand that we cannot provide academic guidance or assess your chances of admission in advance, and we will not respond to such inquiries. After the application deadline, your application will be reviewed by the Master’s Admission Committee, which will make the final decision. We are unable to provide further details about the review process or specify a minimum GPA required for admission.
Qualifying disciplines
EPFL degrees:
EPFL Bachelor’s degrees obtained in a discipline related to science or engineering are eligible and subject to a dossier-based analysis, if they meet specific prerequisites (see specific skills below).
Non-EPFL Degrees:
Bachelor’s degrees obtained in the field of Computer Sciences, Communication Systems, Mathematics, Physics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Microengineering or Data Science are also eligible on the basis of the evaluation of their application dossier, accompanied by excellent academic records.
Prerequisites for all applications:
In addition, skills in programming, algebra, statistics, signal processing are required. The acquisition of additional credits to fill any gaps may be required.
Please note that meeting all of these criteria is no guarantee of admission.
Further information about the admission criteria
EPFL Bachelor’s students who wish to pursue a Master’s degree in a field different from their Bachelor’s must complete the EPFL online application process (deadlines: December 15, March 31). Admission is competitive. The Admission Committee will evaluate the candidate’s academic performance in their Bachelor’s program, the relevance of their studies to the desired Master’s field, their motivation, and the overall quality of their application.
Candidates must have a solid basis of programming, algebra, statistics, signal processing. A strong interest in the digital humanities is expected.
There are a number of SHS courses given by Digital Humanities faculty members, which you may consider taking, in addition to opportunities for bachelor-level semester projects in their respective labs and research groups:
- Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+)
- Digital Humanities Laboratory
- Digital and Cognitive Musicology Laboratory
- Laboratory for the History of Science and Technology
- EPFL+ECAL Lab
- Time Machine Unit
- Social Computing Group at Idiap
Additional information
Admission principles
Candidates must have a strong foundation in mathematical subjects such as differential and integral calculus, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and probability. A solid understanding of algorithms, data structures, and databases is also essential. Candidates should be proficient in programming languages (such as Python, Java, or C++) and have experience in software development. Knowledge of operating systems, computer architecture, and the theory of computation is essential for developing and managing software systems across various levels.
For further details, candidates can refer to the courses outlined in the propaedeutic program, as well as the second and third years of the Bachelor’s program at EPFL. An excellent academic record in both the polytechnic disciplines and in blocks A, B, and C is essential to demonstrate readiness for advanced studies in digital humanities.
In addition, candidates are expected to demonstrate strong intellectual ability and analytical skills.
Please note that meeting these criteria is not a guarantee of admission. The Admission Committee conducts a holistic review of all aspects of the application, including the candidate’s academic record, the ranking of their university, their background in the chosen field, their statement of purpose, and their letters of recommendation.
GPA requirement
While no minimum GPA is specified, candidates are expected to have excellent grades at the Bachelor’s level.
Language requirements
The Master’s program is taught entirely in English. As such, candidates must have strong English language skills. English language certificates (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS) are welcome but not required.
Financial support
Financial support is primarily available through the Research Scholars MSc program, which provides funding from the start of studies and offers opportunities to work on research projects in one of the school’s laboratories. Additionally, EPFL awards a limited number of Master Excellence Fellowships, which provide financial support. Students can also arrange research assistantships paid by the hour in direct communication with the professor of the hosting laboratory; these are part-time during the semester and up to full time during the holidays. Swiss and EU students can start working from the beginning of their studies, while non-EU students may start after an initial six-month period.