Sunday, January 16, 2011

Top 50 UNIVERSITIES in the World – No.32

32. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Location: Lausanne, Switzerland

UNIVERSITY -32

History

EPFL is a top-ranked research and teaching institution that attracts some of the best intellects in the world to its campus in an idyllic spot overlooking Lake Geneva and facing the Alps.

EPFL is one of the two Ecoles Polytechniques fédérales in Switzerland. Like its sister institution, ETHZ, it has three missions: education, research and technology transfer at the highest international level. Associated with several specialised research institutes, the two EPFs form the EPF domain, which is directly dependent on the Federal Department of Home Affairs.

The institution brings together a campus of more than 10,000 people. By its novel structure, the school stimulates collaboration between students, professors, researchers and entrepreneurs. These daily interactions give rise to new and groundbreaking work in science, technology and architecture.

Courses offered

EPFL offers 13 complete study programmes at the Bachelor's and Master's levels in engineering, basic sciences, computer and communication sciences, life sciences, civil engineering, architecture and the environment.

These study programmes are designed to be flexible and modular. They meet the requirements of the Bologna accords and as a result, students can take advantage of a wide array of exchange opportunities, and the degrees they earn are internationally recognised.

Within EPFL's Doctoral School, PhD students share ideas, provide mutual support and intellectual stimulation, and round out their education with high-level
specialised courses. PhD students benefit from EPFL's scientific expertise and excellent infrastructure.

Students in EPFL's School of Continuing Education have the opportunity to strengthen and update their skills and knowledge, giving them a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving professional environment. The school offers a wide range of courses from seminars to postgraduate Master's degrees. These modular programmes can also be adapted to meet individual companies' needs.

With more than 250 laboratories and research groups on campus, EPFL is one of Europe's most innovative and productive technology institutes.
The school's unique structure facilitates trans-disciplinary research and encourages partnerships with other institutions. EPFL emphasises both fundamental research and engineering applications.

Admission procedure/cycle (month/date)
The online application form for bachelor studies is only open from 18 January to 30 April.

A Master from EPFL is a highly regarded degree across the world. Anyone holding a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university can apply to one of the EPFL masters programmes. However, please be aware that admission is competitive. Only candidates with excellent academic records and references have good chances to be accepted. Current EPFL students are accepted in the master programme of their field of study and receive a re-registration form at the end of their bachelor studies. All other candidates must follow the full online application procedure.

The application process for the EPFL Doctoral School is entirely electronic. Your application will be submitted directly to your chosen doctoral programme. The programme's committee will evaluate and make a decision on your application, taking into account the research interests and potential thesis directors you indicate. Once your application has been considered, you will receive a reply directly from the programme. If you are admitted, you will then have up to one year to enrol. If you are being hired by an EPFL lab, your contract will be organised during this time. Some time will also be needed to sort out any visa and residence permit requirements. When you are ready to begin your doctoral studies, your programme coordinators and lab will work together to process your enrolment at EPFL.

Refer to the official website to find out the application deadlines for exchange students.

Tentative cost of courses

At the beginning of each semester, all students must pay for tuition within the set deadline. The invoice is issued by the Registrar's Office. The tuition fee (cost of attendance) for all bachelors and masters programmes is 633 Swiss Francs per semester. A one-time application fee will be charged at the beginning of the first semester at EPFL:

  • 50 Swiss Francs, for holders of a Swiss Bachelor (except candidates presently studying at Bachelor level at EPFL or ETHZ, who do not pay any application fee)
  • 110 Swiss Francs, for holders of a foreign Bachelor

In the case of doctorate studies, no fees are charged during the period of thesis preparation. The candidate does, however, have to pay a tax of CHF 1200 to attend the oral thesis examination.

The registration fee in the case of continuing education studies is CHF 1,160 for long programmes and CHF 580 for short programmes. Postgraduate students are also required to pay a contribution to costs, the amount of which is specified in each individual brochure.

Exchange students from partner universities are exempted from the EPFL tuition fees. Students coming from non-partner universities have to pay 30 CHF per hour of courses and a per semester tax of 53 CHF.

Besides tuition fees, you should plan your budget for your studies in Lausanne. Depending on your personal needs and standard of living, your annual expenses may add up to a sum between CHF 16,000 and 22,000. Additional information regarding individual items of an annual budget is given at the Student Affairs pages of the official website.

Scholarships offered

There are several ways you may obtain financial aid for your studies. You can get EPFL awards excellence scholarships to students with outstanding academic records from leading universities. There are also Research and Teaching Assistantships addressed to students who wish to get involved in research or teaching activities. Finally, EPFL participates in the scholarships programme that the Swiss government offers to foreign students wishing to do a part of their training at a Swiss university.

Refer to the official website for details.

Presence in India

The Indo Swiss Joint Research Programme - ISJRP supports cutting edge research that brings together faculty and students from Switzerland and India. It was founded in 2005 by the Swiss State Secretariat of Education and Research (SER) and the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST) with the goal of furthering cooperation in strategic scientific and technical areas relevant to Switzerland and India.

This purpose is achieved primarily by supporting research partnerships between Swiss and Indian scientists, by promoting faculty and student exchanges between the two countries, and by facilitating access to specialised equipment and resources in the counterpart country.

ISJRP has three programme priorities:

  • To catalyse the formation of Indo Swiss research partnerships and institutional links
  • To facilitate the mobility of scientists and students between Switzerland and India
  • To enhance excellence in research and research capabilities through combining the resources of both countries

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