Students with children

Day-care centres – nurseries

Childcare organisations are few and far between in Switzerland and depend on where you live. For this reason, we advise you to find accommodation in central Lausanne where childcare is better organised and subsidised. We advise you to register your baby even before it is born.

Day-care centres and nurseries located on the EPFL site

These are intended for the children of UNIL and EPFL students. Children are admitted from the age of 2 months to 4 1/2 years.

• La Nanosphère

This is a private day-care centre, primarily intended to EPFL employees and employees of the Innovation Park. Children are admitted from the age of 3 months to the beginning of the school.

Other addresses for childcare:

Information on website of Equal opportunities office

School holidays

Activities for children In order to make it easier to reconcile family life and professional activity, the office of equal opportunities of EPFL organizes some activities for the children of students and staff of EPFL during the school holidays.

Families of modest means may apply to this fund, e.g. when a child is born:

Fonds cantonal d’aide à la famille

Office for recovery of and advances on alimony

The Cantons may help in recovering due alimony and may also provide financial aid.

Please find your canton in the: Guide social Romand

EPFL has established a scheme to put parents into contact with a child specialist. Some parents may experience distressing circumstances related to their children’s behaviour and are looking for answers. This type of situation is more frequent when the parents are far from their country of origin, family and cultural environment.

More information

Family reunification

Maternity – Adapted study plan

A pregnant student may wonder how she can reconcile studying and maternity. There are several possibilities. Please refer to the Student Services desk for advice on your personal circumstances.

Maternity protection

Pregnancy and maternity protection is of major concern to EPFL and all necessary measures will be taken if it is presumed that the mother or child’s health may be at risk, as per the Act on Maternity Protection (ref 822.111.52). If you are pregnant please contact the Safety, Prevention and Health Domain (DSPS) as soon as possible so that any necessary protective measures can be rapidly taken as the initial months are the most critical. Your contact with the DSPS is covered by official secrecy.