No separate portal. No extra essay. No second application form. To be considered for the EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship, you tick one box inside your regular master’s application. That is it.
The fellowship pays CHF 10000 per semester for up to four semesters, which is a total of up to CHF 40000. It also reserves a room in a student residence for external candidates. The deadline to qualify is 15 December 2026.
For students with strong academic records who are already planning to apply to EPFL Excellence Fellowship. This is one of the most straightforward fellowship opportunities available at a top European technical university right now.
Last Information Checked: 19 October 2026
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fellowship | EPFL Master Excellence Fellowship |
| University | EPFL Lausanne Switzerland |
| Level | Master’s degree |
| Amount | CHF 10000 per semester |
| Maximum total | CHF 40000 for 4 semesters |
| Extra benefit | Student room reservation plus certificate of excellence |
| Open to | Any nationality applying to an EPFL master’s |
| How to apply | Tick a box in the EPFL master’s online application |
| Deadline | 15 December 2026 |
| Results | Late March 2027 |
What the Fellowship Actually Covers
The financial package breaks down simply.
CHF 10000 arrives each semester, covering two to three taught semesters plus one semester for the master’s project. The exact number depends on the length of your program. Keep the results strong through year one and the fellowship renews automatically for year two.
Beyond the stipend, external candidates whose bachelor’s degree is from a university outside EPFL receive a reserved room in a student residence. In Lausanne’s competitive housing market, that practical guarantee is worth more than it might appear at first glance.
A certificate of excellence is awarded on completion of the master’s program. It carries the fellowship’s recognition formally into your academic record.
One important constraint. The fellowship cannot be combined with other substantial scholarships. If you are holding or applying for other major awards simultaneously, you must declare all of them. EPFL pays the fellowship into a Swiss bank or postal account so plan to open one after you arrive.
The One-Box Application (How It Works)
The mechanism is genuinely simple, which is also what makes it easy to miss.
When filling out the EPFL master’s online application, there is a checkbox asking whether your profile should be considered for an excellence fellowship. Tick it. No additional documents are required beyond what EPFL already asks for admission.
After you complete the form, pay the application fee and validate your application before 15 December 2026. Both steps must happen before that date. An application validated after 15 December can still be reviewed for admission, but it becomes ineligible for the fellowship. There are no exceptions.
Reference letters are submitted separately approximately one week after the application deadline. The exact date comes in the confirmation email you receive after validation. Do not upload them before that instruction arrives.
Eligibility Requirements
The fellowship is open to any nationality. The eligibility rules are clean.
You qualify if:
- You are applying to a master’s program at EPFL
- You are applying to only one EPFL master’s program this cycle
- You do not already hold a master’s degree
- You are not currently enrolled in an EPFL master’s program
If your bachelor’s degree is from outside EPFL you are classified as an external candidate. This gets you the student room reservation benefit in addition to the stipend.
If you studied at EPFL and are continuing in the same field, the process is different. Applications go directly to your section with a CV, motivation letter, transcript and two recommendation letters from professors. The deadline for this group is 31 January, not 15 December.
Selection is based on academic excellence, qualifications and motivation. EPFL sections screen applications first. The Excellence Fellowships Committee then makes the final awards.
Keeping the Fellowship in Year Two
Receiving the fellowship does not guarantee it continues automatically. Renewal after year one requires meeting two specific conditions:
- A weighted average of at least 5.0 on the Swiss grading scale where 6 is the maximum and 4 is a pass
- At least 50 credits from courses that count toward your study plan
Language courses and electives outside your program do not count toward that 50-credit threshold. EPFL states there are no exceptions to either requirement.
This is worth factoring into your planning before you apply. The renewal bar is achievable for strong students but it is a real condition, not a formality.
Key Dates
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 15 December 2026 | Master’s application paid and validated |
| About 1 week after deadline | Reference letters due |
| Late March 2027 | Fellowship results announced |
| End of Year 1 | Renewal check average and credits verified |
| 31 January | Internal application deadline for continuing EPFL students |
Before You Apply (Three Things Worth Knowing)
You can only apply to one EPFL master’s program. Applying to multiple programs disqualifies you from fellowship consideration. Choose carefully before submitting.
The 15 December deadline is earlier than EPFL’s standard admission deadline. Many students miss the fellowship window by applying on EPFL’s general timeline. If the fellowship matters to you 15 December is the only date that counts.
Partial funding requires planning. CHF 10000 per semester is meaningful support but Lausanne is an expensive city. This fellowship is a significant award, not a full cost-of-living solution. Budget accordingly before accepting.