EPFL Excellence Fellowships 2026 Switzerland

Exciting news — applications for the EPFL Excellence Fellowships are now open. In this article, we’ll provide complete details about the fellowship program, its benefits, and the step-by-step application procedure.

The EPFL Excellence Fellowships 2025-2026 are prestigious, fully funded master’s scholarships for international students. Each fellowship offers up to CHF 32,000 in financial support, covering tuition fees, accommodation, and visa expenses.

EPFL awards a limited number of fellowships at the master’s level to exceptional students with outstanding academic achievements. Some fellowships are directly funded by EPFL, while others are supported through partnerships with foundations and industry sponsors. As one of Europe’s most international technical universities, EPFL hosts students, researchers, and staff from more than 120 countries. With a strong focus on education, research, and technology transfer, EPFL provides a truly global learning environment.

Through collaborations with partner universities, institutes of technology, secondary schools, industries, and policymakers, EPFL creates meaningful contributions to society while fostering innovation and leadership among its graduates.

Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Masters
Institution(s): École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Study in: Switzerland
Opportunity Focus Areas: Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering, Computer and Communication Sciences, Basic Sciences, Life Sciences, Management of Technology, College of Humanities and EPFL Middle East.
Program Period: 1.5-year Master’s program or 2-year Master’s program (according to the type of the program).
Deadline: March 31 or December 15 (annual)

Scholarship Coverage

EPFL Excellence Fellowships provide the recipients with the following benefits:

CHF 10’000 per semester
Reservation of a student room in a student residence
A certificate of excellence (at the end of the master’s program)
Fellowship holders will be responsible for covering all expenses on their own (including rent).

The fellowship will be paid for 4 semesters maximum (3 semesters for a 90-credit master’s program) provided that the fellowship holder is registered as a regular EPFL student (see section 4.6). No extension is possible, even in case the student decides to take a minor or for any other reason that might extend the duration of studies.

Eligibility Criteria for EPFL Excellence Fellowships

To be eligible for EPFL Excellence Fellowships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Required Language: English
Eligible Countries: All World Countries.
Anyone holding a Bachelor’s degree from a university (or the equivalent) in field related to EPFL curricula can apply to one of the EPFL Masters Programs. (are not eligible candidates who already hold a Master’s degree, or equivalent, in the field (or similar field) of the program for which they would apply).
The applicants should hold outstanding academic records and references.

How to Apply for EPFL Excellence Fellowships?

Please follow the below instructions to avail EPFL Excellence Fellowships:

(1) Register through the online application from here.

(2) Fill in the online application.

(3) All documents provided should be in English, French, German or Italian. Please attach a legalized translation of all documents in another language:

A resume.
Your academic diploma (s) or Bachelor (s) certified (s). If you are not yet in possession of your diploma, you must imperatively submit it to the Academic Service upon your arrival *.
All your certified university graduation reports.
A cover letter should not exceed 1000 words. We ask you to describe your academic background and your career plan.
The contact details of three academic referees, each of whom will have to provide a letter of recommendation concerning you ( except for candidates already registered in another Swiss Federal Institute of Technology or University, who apply for a Master’s degree in the same branch of study as their Bachelor’s.
Three referees; Letters of recommendation should come from teachers who are familiar with your work and your potential. These recommendations are confidential and will not be accepted if they are not generated by the electronic application.
Your identity card or passport.
For foreigners domiciled in Switzerland: your residence permit.