Industry internships

Yes. Completing an industry internship is a mandatory requirement for all students enrolled in an IC Master’s program, including Computer Science, Cyber Security, Data Science, Digital Humanities and Communication Systems.

The requirement can be waived only if you are granted a formal exemption based on qualifying professional experience. See Exemption from the internship requirement.

You can satisfy the requirement through one of the following three formats:

• Short internship: minimum 8 consecutive weeks, full-time, completed during the summer break.
• Long internship: 6 months, full-time, completed during an academic semester.
• Master’s project in industry: 25 weeks plus 1 compulsory week of vacation, completed at the end of the Master’s cycle. If you have not already completed a standalone internship, the Master’s project in industry also fulfils the mandatory industry internship requirement.

You are required to complete one of these options to fulfil the mandatory industry-experience requirement.

For detailed information about the Master’s project in industry, please refer to the Master’s project webpage.

Standalone internship (professional experience)

• Focused on practical experience in a professional environment.
• May involve a variety of operational or technical tasks.
• Objective is to develop industry exposure and applied skills.
• No academic thesis or report required.
• Only the completed evaluation forms are required to validate the internship.
• Duration: 8 weeks (summer) or 6 months (semester), full-time.

Master’s project in industry (academic research carried out in an industrial setting)

• Focused on scientific research and/or a constructive development topic.
• Requires a strong academic component (methodology, analysis, innovation).
• Must be supervised by an EPFL academic supervisor and an industry co-supervisor.
• Requires a written thesis report and an oral defense.
• Considered the final step of the Master’s degree.
• Duration: 25 weeks full-time + 1 compulsory week of vacation

Key difference

A standalone internship is primarily intended to provide professional experience and immersion in a professional environment.

A Master’s project in industry is an academic project carried out in collaboration with a company and subject to the academic supervision, reporting, and assessment requirements applicable to all Master’s projects at EPFL. It is the concluding component of the Master’s degree.

Yes. During your Master’s studies, you may complete one short internship and one long internship.

However, the following rules apply:

• You may not complete two short internships.
• You may not complete two long internships.
• If you wish to complete both a short and a long internship, you must complete the short internship first, followed by the long internship.
• Completing a long internship first and then a short internship is not authorised by EPFL.

In summary, the only possible sequence for students wishing to complete two internships is:

Short internship → Long internship

Possibly, but only if your previous professional experience meets all of the following conditions:

• You have at least one full, consecutive year of full-time professional experience.
• The experience was acquired after obtaining your Bachelor’s degree and before starting your Master’s program at EPFL.
• The experience was not acquired while studying in parallel for a Bachelor’s, Master’s or any other degree program.
• The experience is directly related to the subject area of your Master’s program.
• The experience was not part of a program that resulted in the award of a degree.

If any of these conditions are not met, the application will not be considered.

To apply for an exemption, you must submit all of the following documents:

• the completed exemption form;
• a motivation letter containing a detailed description of your professional responsibilities;
• your curriculum vitae (CV); and
• one or more official work certificates from your former employer(s), confirming your position(s) and the corresponding period(s) of employment.

Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. All of the above eligibility requirements must be met.

A short internship must last a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks, full-time, and must take place during the summer break.

You may start your internship as soon as the exam session has ended, or earlier if you have no exams scheduled. However, the internship must end in time for you to resume your studies at the beginning of autumn semester in September.

Long internships last exactly 6 months, full-time. They must start within one of the following windows:

• Between July 15 and August 15 (Autumn).
• Between February 1 and March 15 (Spring).

Please note that the dates of long internships must not interfere with academic semesters, unless you plan to complete your Master’s project after the internship.

If you wish to begin your Master’s studies with an industry internship (or complete an internship during the summer break between BA6 and MA1), the IC Section can only sign the mandatory EPFL Internship Agreement once your admission to the Master’s program has been officially confirmed, meaning after your summer session grades have been posted on IS-Academia.

Therefore, you must:

• Wait until the end of the exam session for your admission to be confirmed.
• Verify that the internship duration, dates, and content meet the acceptance criteria.
• Complete and submit the EPFL Internship Agreement to [email protected].

Important:

• If you are conditionally admitted to an IC Master’s program, you cannot validate an internship.
• If you apply to a non-consecutive Master’s program outside IC, any internship previously approved by IC is not guaranteed to be recognized by the new section should you be admitted.

This means that internship validation is only possible once your admission status to an IC Master’s program is fully confirmed and the internship meets all section requirements.

We recommend beginning your search approximately 4 to 5 months in advance.

You can use several resources, such as:

• EPFL internship portal on IS-Academia: access is restricted to IC Master’s students with the mandatory internship requirement. Bachelor’s, exchange and visiting students are not eligible.
• Forum EPFL: Annual career fair (October) connecting students with 150+ companies. We also encourage you to register for the Forum EPFL and EPFL Alumni mentoring program.
• EPFL Alumni: Alumni can be a useful source of referrals, advice, and internship opportunities, especially through LinkedIn or EPFL alumni platforms.
• EPFL labs: Ask EPFL faculty or teaching teams in your area of interest if they can recommend relevant companies.
• Direct approach to companies: Explore company career pages or contact companies directly.

Yes. You may secure an internship independently, however, the internship content must be pre-approved by the IC Section before you make any commitment to the company.

Email [email protected] with:

• a brief description of the role;
• company name and address;
• planned dates (minimum 8 weeks, maximum 6 months, full-time); and
• your contact person’s name at the company.

Do not complete or sign the EPFL Internship Agreement until the internship has been validated by the IC Section.

You may complete your internship at any organization where the work is relevant to your field of study, including:

• private companies (start-ups, SMEs, large corporations);
• public-sector organizations;
• research centers not affiliated with a university; 
• NGOs or international organizations.

For Digital Humanities students, relevant professional settings may also include cultural institutions, museums, archives, libraries and media organizations.

The internship must involve technical or scientific tasks aligned with your academic background, enabling you to apply and further develop your skills.

Internships cannot be carried out in academic institutions (universities, schools, etc.).

The internship must include technical or scientific tasks aligned with your academic background. The company must:

• Provide a professional environment relevant to your field of study.
• Assign a qualified internship supervisor to guide your work.
• Provide technical or scientific tasks that allow you to apply and develop your academic and professional skills. 
• Comply with legal and administrative requirements (e.g., salary where applicable, work regulations).
• Ensure appropriate working conditions, including working hours, workload, supervision, and respect the agreed framework.

The internship is not an academic research project, but it must provide a structured, supervised and professionally relevant experience.

Yes. Internships abroad are possible, provided that the destination complies with EPFL’s travel security requirements and that you complete all necessary administrative arrangements.

Before finalizing your internship, you must:

• Consult the EPFL Travel Risk Map.
• Verify that your health, accident and personal-liability insurance provides appropriate coverage in the host country.
• Complete any required visa, residence permit, or work-authorization procedures.
• Register your trip with EPFL’s International SOS travel-assistance program.

The principal purpose of an internship is to immerse you in a professional environment. For this reason, remote work is neither recommended nor encouraged.

Upon written request from the company, limited remote work may exceptionally be authorized, subject to all of the following conditions:

• Remote work is capped at 2 days per week (maximum 40%).
• Remote days cannot be accumulated or redistributed to create longer periods of remote work.
• The company must provide a written justification in the EPFL Internship Agreement.
• The company must provide appropriate supervision and a suitable remote work environment.
• Remote work must not reduce the professional value of the internship experience.

IC reserves the right to refuse remote work arrangements that do not align with the educational objectives of the internship.

Fully remote internships are not permitted.

Working remotely from Switzerland for a company based abroad is strictly prohibited.

The EPFL Employability & Development Center offers workshops covering topics such as: CV and cover letter writing, networking skills, interview preparation, making effective use of job forums, etc.

Registration is at epflcareer.ch/en/trainings. Workshops are available in French and English.

You must:

• Confirm the dates and verify that the content and duration meet IC requirements and are relevant to your field of study.
• Send the EPFL Internship Agreement to the company for completion and signature. Once the company has signed, sign it yourself and submit it to [email protected].
• If you need an EPFL attestation confirming that the internship is a mandatory component of your Master’s program (see Work authorizations), request it from the IC Internship Office when submitting the agreement.
• Register or update your internship details in IS-Academia.

Once you have accepted an internship, promptly inform any other companies with which you have ongoing applications that you are no longer available. This helps maintain professional relationships between students, EPFL and prospective employers.

Start the administrative process as early as possible. Do not wait until the last moment!

The EPFL Internship Agreement is the official document that formalizes and validates a short 8-week summer internship or a long 6-month semester internship between the student, the host company, and EPFL. It confirms the internship’s duration, content, supervision, and compliance with academic and administrative requirements.

It is a tripartite agreement signed in the following order:

1. The company
2. The student
3. EPFL (represented by the IC Section Deputy, Eileen Hazboun)

The agreement must be completed, signed, and submitted to [email protected] before the internship begins. Without a signed EPFL Internship Agreement, the internship cannot be validated.

In rare cases, a company may refuse to sign the agreement. If this happens, you must contact [email protected] to explain the situation. The IC Internship Office and the company will then discuss possible solutions.

The EPFL Internship Agreement is available for download here.

Note: The bilateral contract a company may ask you to sign separately (e.g., an employment contract) does not replace the EPFL Internship Agreement, both may coexist. However, we recommend that you read your employment contract carefully before signing.

No. The internship must be administratively validated before the official start date.

For a 6-month long internship during an academic semester, the FRAC must also be completed correctly and your status in IS-Academia set to “internship” before the internship begins.

Administrative validation is required for academic recognition and, where applicable, work-authorization procedures.

All internships must be registered in IS-Academia:

• If you found the internship through the IS-Academia internship portal: Update your initial registration by completing the required fields (exact dates, supervisor contact details, signed EPFL Internship Agreement, etc.).
• If you found the internship independently: Create the internship registration yourself and provide the required company details, dates, internship description, supervisor information and signed EPFL Internship Agreement.

Make sure that the information in IS-Academia corresponds exactly to the information in the signed agreement.

For a long internship, the FRAC form in IS-Academia must be validated and your status set to “internship” before it begins. 

You remain matriculated at EPFL during the internship semester and pay a semester fee of CHF 50.

The internship semester does not count towards the maximum duration of six semesters for the Master’s cycle.

No. A long internship is a full-time activity, and IC Master’s regulations stipulate that no courses may be taken in parallel during the internship semester.

Your B permit allows you to work up to 15 hours per week during your studies and full-time during academic holidays only.

However, mandatory internships completed as part of a Master’s program are treated differently, and additional administrative steps are required depending on your nationality.

• Non-EU/EFTA students: The company must apply for authorization from the labor market authorities. This authorization is granted in connection with your student residence permit and no separate work permit is issued. EPFL can provide an attestation confirming that the internship is a mandatory component of your Master’s program and that you remain enrolled at EPFL during the internship. The internship may begin only after the company has received approval.
• EU/EFTA students: The company must declare the internship to the competent local authorities. The internship may begin once this declaration has been made.

If you are a non-EU/EFTA student, it is important to inform the company early in the process that a work authorization can generally be granted, provided all conditions are met, but that the company must still formally request it. Please allow sufficient lead time before the internship start date (typically 2 to 4 weeks).

If your internship takes place in a canton different from your canton of residence, additional administrative procedures may apply depending on your nationality. You are responsible for checking the requirements with the relevant authorities in the host canton.

• EU/EFTA students: The company must declare the internship to the local authorities. You may begin once the declaration has been submitted.
• Non-EU/EFTA students: The company must request work authorization in the host canton. The internship may begin only once authorization has been granted.

In most cases, the recommended solution is to keep your main address in the Canton of Vaud and register your accommodation in the host canton as a temporary or secondary address, which usually avoids having to transfer or modify your permit.

As these procedures may take several weeks, make sure to anticipate them early.

Yes. EPFL can issue an attestation confirming that:

• the internship is a mandatory component of your Master’s curriculum; and
• you remain enrolled at EPFL during the internship period.

If you need such an attestation, request it from the IC Internship Office when you submit the EPFL Internship Agreement. 

EPFL’s position is that internship work should be remunerated.

For internships in Switzerland, salaries vary depending on the employer, sector, location and nature of the work.

As a reference, the competent authorities in the Canton of Vaud use approximately CHF 2,000 per month when assessing the working conditions associated with work authorization for non-EU/EFTA students.

Requirements and salary practices may differ in other cantons and countries.

For an internship abroad, salary and employment conditions are governed by the applicable rules and practices of the host country.

No. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have appropriate insurance coverage for illness, accidents, and personal liability during your internship.

During your internship, you are expected to behave professionally and respect both the company’s policies and EPFL’s standards. In particular, you should:

• Respect company rules and policies, including working hours, internal procedures, and confidentiality of proprietary or sensitive information.
• Maintain professional conduct by being reliable, respectful, and accountable in your work and interactions.
• Remain engaged and proactive, showing initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
• Communicate openly with your supervisor if questions, difficulties, or concerns arise during the internship. Early communication is essential to resolving issues effectively.
• Take your responsibilities seriously, including completing assigned tasks and contributing to the team in a professional manner.

As an intern, you represent EPFL as an ambassador in industry. Your professionalism and conduct help strengthen EPFL’s relationships with companies and can create valuable opportunities for future students.

For additional guidance, we encourage you to consult the Handbook of Best Practices for a Successful Internship.

Discuss the problem with your internship supervisor first. If the problem persists, or if it is sufficiently serious that you do not feel able to address it directly with your supervisor, contact the IC Internship Coordinator at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Approximately two weeks before the end of the internship, both you and your internship supervisor will receive an electronic online evaluation form.

Internship supervisor evaluation

The internship supervisor completes an evaluation covering the internship and your performance. The IC Section uses this information to determine whether the internship can be successfully validated.

The evaluation addresses matters such as:

• confirmation of the internship dates;
• the nature and quality of the work carried out;
• your professional performance and conduct; and
• the overall internship experience.

Student evaluation

You complete a separate evaluation containing:

• a self-assessment of the skills and knowledge you acquired; and
• feedback on the host organization and internship experience.

Your evaluation does not determine whether the internship is passed or failed.

The internship can only be validated once all required evaluations and administrative documents have been received.

A sample evaluation form is available here.

No. IC students are not required to submit a written internship report to EPFL. The evaluation forms are the only required deliverables for internship validation.

However, the company itself may ask you to write a report internally. This is separate from EPFL requirements.

Yes. In Switzerland, companies are legally required to provide a work certificate at the end of the internship. At a minimum, this should include the internship title, dates, duties, and the employer’s assessment of your work and professional conduct.

You may request a more detailed reference letter from your supervisor, although this is not a legal requirement for the company.