EPFL Master Excellence Fellowships are awarded by EPFL in Switzerland to a limited number of outstanding students who are starting a Master’s degree. The fellowship is worth CHF 10,000 per semester with a maximum coverage of four semesters, and external candidates also get a room reserved in a student residence.
There is no separate scholarship form: you request the fellowship inside EPFL’s normal Master’s application. EPFL runs two rounds – the first closes on 15 December and the second on 31 March, so the next first-round deadline for students applying for the following autumn intake is 15 December 2026.
EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship 2027-28
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne), Switzerland |
| Study level | Master’s degree programmes at EPFL. The fellowship covers two to three semesters of the Master’s cycle plus one semester for the Master’s project, with a maximum of four semesters. |
| Who can apply | Anyone applying to an EPFL Master’s programme, including international students. Candidates who already hold a Master’s degree, or who are already enrolled in a Master’s programme at EPFL, are not eligible. Each student may apply to only one Master’s programme per year. |
| What is covered | CHF 10,000 per semester for a maximum of four semesters, plus a reserved room in a student residence for external candidates and a certificate of excellence on completion. Tuition fees and living costs are paid by the student out of the fellowship. |
| Last date to apply | First round: 15 December 2026. Second round: 31 March 2027. The deadlines follow the EPFL Master’s application deadlines. |
| How to apply | Submit the online EPFL Master’s application and tick the box that says your profile should also be considered for an excellence fellowship. No extra documents are needed beyond those required for admission. |
| Official website | epfl.ch – Master excellence fellowships |
What the EPFL fellowship gives you
- CHF 10,000 per semester of financial support, for a maximum of four semesters of the Master’s programme.
- The fellowship normally covers two to three semesters of the Master’s cycle plus one semester for the Master’s project, depending on the length of the programme.
- A room reserved in a student residence in Lausanne for external candidates – a real advantage because student housing is scarce.
- A certificate of excellence issued when you complete the Master’s programme.
- Fellowship holders are responsible for their own tuition fees and living expenses, and the money is paid into a Swiss bank or postal account that you open after arriving.
The fellowship cannot be combined with other substantial scholarships. You have to declare every scholarship you receive during your Master’s programme, and the selection committee reviews that declaration.
EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship eligibility
- You must be applying to a Master’s programme at EPFL – the fellowship application is part of the admission application.
- Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree from a university abroad and applicants who completed their Bachelor’s at EPFL are both eligible.
- You must not already hold a Master’s degree and you must not be enrolled in a Master’s programme at EPFL.
- The fellowship must be requested at the same time as your Master’s admission application. It cannot be requested for the second year of study only.
- One Master’s programme per year – you cannot apply to several EPFL programmes and hope to carry the fellowship across.
- There is no minimum GPA requirement, but EPFL states the programme is very competitive and only a small share of applicants receive an award.
Documents needed for the EPFL application
- Your complete Master’s admission file – degree certificates, transcripts, CV and identification, as required by the programme you choose.
- The ticked box (or declaration) in the online application stating that you also want to be considered for an excellence fellowship.
- For internal EPFL candidates continuing in the same field of study: a CV, a motivation letter, a transcript of all EPFL grades and two recommendation letters sent directly by professors to the school.
- Language certificates such as TOEFL or GRE are welcome but not compulsory and they do not influence the fellowship evaluation.
How to apply for the EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship
- Choose the EPFL Master’s programme you want to study and read its admission requirements.
- Fill in EPFL’s online Master’s application before the round deadline.
- Tick the box that asks whether your profile should also be considered for an excellence fellowship, and upload your admission documents.
- Internal EPFL students continuing in the same field submit their fellowship file directly to their section – first round 31 January, second round 15 April – with two recommendation letters.
- Wait for the pre-selection by the section and then the decision of the Excellence Fellowships Committee; decisions go out at the beginning of April for the first round and in early-to-mid June for the second round.
- If you are selected, confirm your intention to attend EPFL by the deadline given in the email from the Registrar’s Office – a fellowship is lost if the admission is postponed.
EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship important dates
| 15 December 2026 | Last date for the first application round (external candidates) |
| 31 March 2027 | Last date for the second application round (external candidates) |
| Beginning of April 2027 | Selected candidates of the first round are notified |
| Early to mid-June 2027 | Selected candidates of the second round are notified |
| After the first year | Renewal for the second year requires at least 50 ECTS credits and an average of 5.0 out of 6 |
Renewal rules you should know
The fellowship is paid for the second year only if you clear two bars at the end of your first Master’s year: at least 50 credits and an overall average of 5.0 out of 6, weighted by the ECTS credits of each course. All numerical grades from the courses and exams of the first year count. Credits from language courses, admission courses or courses outside the study plan do not count, and EPFL states that there are no exceptions to these two conditions.
It is a merit fellowship offered by EPFL in Switzerland to a limited number of students who are starting a Master’s degree. It is worth CHF 10,000 per semester for up to four semesters and also includes a reserved place in a student residence for external candidates.
EPFL runs two rounds. The first closes on 15 December and the second on 31 March, matching the Master’s admission deadlines, so the next first-round deadline is 15 December 2026.
Yes. EPFL states that anyone applying to a Master’s programme at EPFL is eligible, and international students apply through the same online Master’s application.
EPFL says there is no minimum GPA score, but the programme is very competitive and only a small percentage of applicants are awarded the fellowship. For renewal in the second year you need an average of at least 5.0 out of 6 and 50 credits.
No. EPFL requires the fellowship application to be submitted together with the Master’s application. Applying for the second year only is not possible.
External candidates need no extra documents beyond the admission file. Extra documents such as TOEFL or GRE scores are welcome but not compulsory and have no influence on the fellowship evaluation. Internal EPFL candidates continuing in the same field need two recommendation letters from professors.
No. If you defer or postpone your admission you lose the scholarship, but you may apply again the following year through the standard application process.
Official links
- EPFL – Master excellence fellowships
- EPFL – application and deadlines
- EPFL – excellence fellowships FAQ
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