EPFL social scholarship

Important information about study financing

International students:

• The funding of the entire studies must be secured before joining EPFL (information from the Swiss Confederation and the Canton of Vaud).
• EPFL cannot provide financial support in case of poor budget planning.

Swiss students or students with a C permit:

• In case of a financial issue, the cantonal services can be contacted for a cantonal scholarship. Warning ! Plan your budget for the whole academic year – Remember to apply for your cantonal scholarship as early as possible, before the coming academic year, so that you receive a full grant if you are awarded one. Please note that in the canton of Vaud, applications can be made from April 1. For other cantons, please consult the cantonal services.
• An EPFL social scholarship can also be requested in the same time.

Eligibility for an EPFL social scholarship

• International students: As of the successful completion of the first year cycle and after spending at least one year at EPFL
• Students with swiss nationality, C permit holder, refugee, Swiss secondary education certificate: As of the CMS

Criteria

EPFL social scholarships :

• Are subject to defined criteria and are awarded following an unexpected and sudden change in the social, family and/or economic situation of the applicant or of the persons in charge of the applicant.
• Are only applied as a last resort, once all other possibilities investigated (parental contribution, state grants, loans and loan proposals, etc.) have been rejected. However, an application to a cantonal or state organisation may be in progress at the time the application is submitted to EPFL.
• take loans into account in their calculation. The EPFL social scholarship does not replace the initial study financing plan.

Support

• Per academic year (1 or 2 semesters), that means for 5 months per semester and a maximum of ten months per year of study.
• A renewal of the scholarship for an academic year (1 or 2 semesters) can be requested by submitting a complete application again. The renewal may be granted as long as the financial situation still justifies it.

Scholarship application

Do not wait until the deadline to submit your application, in order to ensure optimal processing of the numerous requests. Indeed, completing the form and preparing the required documents may take time. Additionally, during the processing of your request, supplementary documents may be requested.

Students who are living in the canton of Geneva or who have applied for a grant from the cantonal grant office of the canton of Geneva (SBPE) must apply for the Hans Wilsdorf scholarship and not the EPFL social scholarship. The Hans Wilsdorf fund is managed by EPFL and according to the same criteria as the EPFL social scholarships.

1st social scholarship application 2025-2026 Social scholarship renewal application 2025-2026

…

Official documentation

Available on Polylex:

• 2.10.0.3 Ordinance of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne on study grants
• 2.10.3 Directive concerning the awarding of study grants by the EPFL

Funding and donations

Social scholarships are funded by the tuition fees that students pay each semester.

The funding is completedy by the Maintain Talent pillar of the Student Support Program, an EPFL philanthropic initiative supporting students’ educational journeys. We would like to give special thanks to the following Foundation for their generous donations:

• EPFL Student Foundation (FEE)
• Fondation Novandi, jeunesse & éducation
• Honorary Professor Claude Petitpierre
• Fondation Léonard Gianadda Mécénat 
• Luc & lrène Bauer Foundation