Our language-learning program is reserved exclusively for the EPFL community (people working at Scientific Park/Innovation Park, without EPFL status, do not have access to our language courses).
Following the conditions listed below, persons authorized to register may do so online from our site. (See page Information about dates and deadlines, registration and courses). They will either be placed according to language level, availability and class numbers or be advised to follow another method of learning.
Priority will be given to students.
All persons in possession of a student card are considered EPFL students:
- Bachelor and Master students
- PhD students and PhD assistants
- Continuing education programs such as the Master of Advanced Studies, Executive Master or Diploma of Continuing Education
- CMS (Special Mathematics Course) students
- Confederation grant-holders
- Foreign grant-holders
- Exchange students (may only follow French courses)
Priority is given to students over all others participants categories
- Language Centre modules are free of charge for students.
- Students may register at any time during the registration period.
This includes all persons registered as “personnel” in SAP:
- Members of the teaching staff
- Faculty members; junior faculty members, in particular assistants, research associates, postdoctoral researchers, administrative and technical staffs are considered EPFL employees.
PhD assistants are here considered as students and not as employees.
Conditions
- Authorisation required from immediate superior
- Important: If the superior does not validate the course request, the employee will not be placed in a module, even if he/she is willing to pay the fees
- Courses generally have to be paid for (see details below)
- Courses limited to one language (per semester or intersemester period)
How to request authorisation
A request for authorisation is made when registering online but the process may be rather long. In order to obtain authorisation in time, you are advised to begin the procedure as soon as possible:
- Register online as soon as possible and confirm your pre-registration.
- As soon as your pre-registration is confirmed, a message containing a link to the validation form will be automatically sent to the superior.
- He/she validates (or not) the course.
- The employee will then receive a message informing him/her of the final decision.
- The Language Centre is also informed and can therefore go ahead with processing the pre-registration.
Fees
The price for one module (semester or intersemester) is CHF 650.-
If the employee enrolls in a language course at the request of his/her superior, the fees are shared either as follows:
- 50 % – Learning & Development (L&D)
- 50 % – Unit or department
- Free for the employee
Or as below:
- 50 % – Learning & Development (L&D)
- 30 % – Unit or department
- 20 % – Employee (i.e. CHF 130.-)
Additional information
- The sum owed by the employee will be debited from his/her salary.
- As soon as placement in a group has been confirmed and the employee attends one or more courses, the sum remains payable (even if, and for whatever reason, he/she drops out at a later date).
- Any personal contribution to course fees by employees is tax-deductible. A form attesting to the fact may be printed directly from IS-Academia.
Members of the Association of Employees of the Confederation receive an annual subsidy of CHF 100.- towards fees not entirely covered by the employer
This category comprises:
- External persons, employed and remunerated by the EPFL
- Those working as interns at the EPFL, particularly those coming from ORPs (Offices Régionaux de Placement)
- Academic guests
- CEPF members
Conditions
- Authorisation required from the immediate superior and from the Learning & Development (L&D)
- Important: If the superior does not validate the course request, the person considered equivalent to EPFL employees will not be placed in a module, even if he/she is willing to pay the fees.
- Paying courses (see details below)
- Courses limited to one language (per semester or intersemester)
How to request authorisation
A request for authorisation is made when registering online but the process may be rather long. In order to obtain authorisation in time (see dates), you are advised to begin the procedure as soon as possible:
- Register online as soon as possible and confirm your pre-registration.
- As soon as your pre-registration is confirmed, a message containing a link to the validation form will be automatically sent to the superior.
- He/she validates (or not) the course.
- The person considered equivalent to EPFL employees will then receive a message informing him/her of the final decision.
- The Language Centre is also informed and can therefore go ahead with processing the pre-registration.
Fees
The price for one module (semester or intersemester) is CHF 650.-
If the employee enrolls in a language course at the request of his/her superior, the fees are shared either as follows:
- 50 % – Learning & Development (L&D)
- 50 % – Unit or department
- Free for the person considered equivalent to EPFL employees
Or as below:
- 50 % – Learning & Development (L&D)
- 30 % – Unit or department
- 20 % – Person considered equivalent to EPFL employees (i.e. CHF 130.-)
Additional information
- If the person considered equivalent to EPFL employees possesses an SAP account: The sum owed by the person considered equivalent to EPFL employees will be debited from his/her salary. If not, invoicing is dealt with directly by the Finance Department.
- As soon as placement in a group has been confirmed and the person considered equivalent to EPFL employees attends one or more courses, the sum remains payable (even if, and for whatever reason, he/she drops out at a later date).
All persons with a permanent employment contract with the Swiss Confederation and whose salary is paid by the Swiss Confederation are considered employees of the Confederation. This does not apply to EPFL and CEPF employees (included in the EPFL employees category).
Conditions
- Authorisation required from the immediate superior and the Learning & Development (L&D)
- Paying courses (see details below)
- At the time of their first registration: an IS-Academia account will be set up and the person will receive ID (to retain in case of a new registration at a later date). Registration can then be done online.
How to request authorisation
A request for authorisation is made when registering online but the process may be rather long. In order to obtain authorization in time, you are advised to begin the procedure as soon as possible:
- Register online with your IS-Academia account (if you are not in possession of an account, you will be able to request one during the online registration process) and confirm your pre-registration.
- In order to obtain a blank authorisation form, please send a request by email to the Language Centre ([email protected]).
- Fill it in and have it signed by your superior.
- Send the completed form to the Learning & Development (L&D), for validation; they will send it back it to you.
- Either send by post or deliver personally to the Language Centre before the end of the registration period in order for processing to begin.
Fees
The price for one module (semester or intersemester) is CHF 650.-, of which:
- CHF 130.- is paid for by the Vice-Presidency for Academic Affairs (VPAA)
- CHF 520.- is invoiced to the Employees of the Confederation
Additional information
- Invoicing is dealt with directly by the Finance Department.
- As soon as placement in a group has been confirmed and the employee of the Confederation attends one or more courses, the sum remains payable (even if, and for whatever reason, he/she drops out at a later date).